REMOVING USELESS LEAVES AND BULBS
An unsightly appearance is given to many collections of Orchids by the presence on some of the plants of a number of damaged or yellow leaves. These are often supposed to be the result of bad cultivation, and, in some cases, rightly so. But in all collections of Orchids the old leaves, even of the evergreen species, do not pass off naturally as they do in their native habitats, where they have the natural seasons with their climatic changes to cause the leaves to fall naturally. When cultivated under glass, the species which are known as evergreen kinds retain their old leaves long after they would have passed away in their native wilds; and not only that, but they decline and become unsightly for years under glass, instead of passing away in a few months. Consequently many Orchids in collections often carry at least twice as many leaves as they ought to do, and the oldest are the most unsightly. A ready example of this kind is given by most collections of Masdevallias. The leaves are usually densely packed, many of the older ones shabby, and not only unsightly in themselves, but interfering with the full development of the new growths.
Masdevallias have no developed pseudo-bulbs, but a joint will be seen where the leaf-blades join the basal stems; all damaged leaves should be cut off just above that joint, and it will be found that some of the plants will be benefited, both in appearance and condition, by having from one-third to one-half the number of their old and damaged leaves removed. The same remarks apply to all Orchids of similar growth, such as Pleurothallis and Octomerias, and indeed to the species generally, for damaged or decaying leaves can be of no assistance in the development of the plant, unless in exceptional cases where the grower must use his own discretion.