ORCHIDS PROPAGATION PLANNING

In the previous post, I have indicated my interest to go into orchids embryo culture again. This is my way of propagating the selected orchids to produce seedlings for cut-flowers. So my first consideration was to choose the right stud plants. I got these varieties which produce long-stem dendrobium blooms that could bear as many as four sturdy flower spikes. Therefore, when matured three individually potted dendrobiums can bear a dozen of flower spikes. The petals are thick and could last for a month on a flower vase. As soon as the flowers are matured, that will be when they emit a delicate scent and the stigma produces a sticky white substance, then, I will pollinate them to produce fruits or pods.

The timing for picking-up of pods varies with species. For these particular varieties which I have chosen, fruits will take only a couple of months when the embryos are ready for sowing. So, I still have time to gather the materials I need for my sowing medium, and to prepare a small space where I could work at it in a sterile condition.

ORCHIDS PROPAGATION

The easiest way to increase orchid population is through embryo culture. A simple kitchen and some simple kitchen tools can be turned into a simple laboratory to create thousands of orchid seedling in a short span of time. This is also the simplest and fastest way of increasing the population of plants that are intended for cut-flowers. For more details, you may chat with me at botanist_51@yahoo.com.

An orchid pod contains a minimum of 4 million to 10 million embryos. If you target to sell just the seedlings and earn as much in 4 to 6 months, then, the probability is approximately 99% given the tools.

IN RETROSPECT: PARENTAL VISION

Many times in the past I thought about this concept, but I seemed to just have forgotten all about it. Or it may just have been set aside often. But, this early morning after reading the issues on the rise of poverty level, I recalled the series of observations and studies I did about how people and families live better lives. Indeed why are there more and more people and families living in poverty these days when knowledge and wisdom on the utilization of nature should have been a lot better than a century ago. What are people missing or may have ovelooked in their desire to upgrade standards of living?

Sometimes, the aspirations of parents to give better education to their children completely abandons the nature of livelihood that in fact supported the family. In other words, children are allowed to go into diverse professions, away from the concepts that the family have started grooming. For example, a Chinese family who were a family friend ventured on a small eatery when they bore their first child. In a span of about 16 years, the family grew with 12 children in a row. Their eatery by this time was already a restaurant in the city. After few years, when the children were already starting with their college studies, the family added a small inn for the restaurant. In few years time, the family rented a bigger place for a small hotel and restaurant. The children were always there to assists their parents after school or even before school. The children graduated in college and got their own families. But, they are all working with their parents with what is now one of the biggest and most successful hotel in the city. Most of them lived at the highest level of their own hotel.

In contrary, a family friend neighbor who was a teacher and a tailor had also 12 children. They have sent their children to school and finished college. But, the parents allowed the children to go on their own chosen way. Some went to work overseas. They are all spread out, that only the husband and the wife were left in their old age. They died in poverty. When they got sick, it was their neighbors who lend them some helping hands around. All the children just lived within their meager means.

THINKING

Many I have heard said that it is important to think positive. But, in nature, positive charge repels and repulse another positive and can only attract negative. Many of those who went under water, whose properties sunk , who attempted to rescue had positive thoughts. Apparently, the proponents of positive thoughts became complacent and never became proactive.

In another development, it was revealed that the owner of the Philippine San Roque dam is a Japanese. This shows positive decisions with proactive thoughts that water system would be better with high-end technology and high-end damages when the negative forces is rightly attracted.

Often, sad people attracts happy followers and vice-versa, while neutral people have both the positive and negative people in the vicinity and they are more productive.

UNITED NATIONS AND AFRICA

The advocacy and concern of the United Nations to assists a looming intensified hunger of a multitude of Africans is good. But, how could a very rich country in natural resources not provide for its population or sustain the basic requirements of life? What are their leaders doing? What are the religious groups doing? Since I was small I have heared of the same story.

I was once visited by a friend and his husband a Swede who live abundantly in Africa. They mine gold. Most of their workers they said have AIDS, and have no schooling. But, the land area according to my friend is so vast. They have abundant food. Three large freezers always contain meat from what they slaughter from the wilds. From their perspective, the number one need that they have observed is education. Because other than accidents, robbery for food alone is rampant when in fact people can easily have them from the wilds.

I have an uncle also in South Africa. He is living a good life in the area. My brother-in-law is in North Africa. But, their national leader ensures that people produce their basic needs. They do not sell their olive oil. According to my brother-in-law, they harvest the olives, bring it to the processing plant, leave a portion as a processing fee, and store the oil for family consumption. Similar things they do with the other produce. In their country, you may say no one goes hungry.

The way I view the case now is that, similar to other nations, the chances of even the small time farming in fertile areas have all been gone to commercial owners. So, what the United Nations must do is to encourage governments in the area to delimit commercial ownerships, redistribute the fertile grounds and educate people that they may learn to feed themselves. Giving food, money goodies is superficial. It may augment needs for a day or two. It will never resolve the growing number of people who will go hungry. It will also only intensify the number of beggars in the world.

LOGIC AND REALITY

A while ago, I was talking to some friends about human body-size and lifespan. I said, why should you wonder? Look at the cows and the horses. What do they eat? Grass they said. How long do they live?

These days people prefer grass and fruits of the grass and vines over fruits of trees. So, look at the size of the cow and the horses, and then compare it with the size of a growing number of people including their lifespan. Then I said, look some trees live for centuries. So, what about that . . .!

GRASS FARMING CROPS AND FLOOD

The centuries that saw intensified grass farming with the interest of intensified farm products supply for the intensified population in the market saw options that were ill thought of. Funny, but, true, that indeed most people who thought they were wise leaders landed most of the global population into mire if not submerged under water. In the first place, grass farming have become a trend among them all. Most if not all countries that suffered the most in terms of flooding are those that extensively cultivate grasses like rice, corn, bananas, pineapple, strawberries, and many others.

The roots of grasses are up to half a meter deep in the soil. This is why most swamps thrive in grasslands. Nonetheless, one of the most helpfull grass that best thrives near bodies of fresh water are the bamboos. Bamboos have been found to prevent some soil erosion when planted along river banks. Trees however, are the superior soil containers. Besides its lenghty roots that holds on to meters deep of top soil, trees too consumes and holds in its system plenty of water. Coconut trees which was a major crop in the Philippines up until the 60's exempted the country from major flooding regardless of the intensity of typhoons. Perhaps, grass crops farming logic should be minimized if flooding should be avoided.

JOKER OR ?

After classes, everyone was eager to move down because it was almost 12 noon. I hurried out with my students. I met at the lobby my fellow professor. Along the way, we discussed about the feedback of our dean. She told me to "watch my steps". I thought she was literal, so, I looked down at the steps. The next thing I knew, she was already rolling down the stairs ahead of most of us! Hehehehe!

JOKE

Someone was asking if anyone can recommend a movie to watch that will really scare him away! I told him to get a mirror! Then . . . look at himself! Lol!

GRATITUDE

Thank you Allah! Thank you Allah! Thank you Allah! I could only say thank you Allah for the guidance.

RIO DE JANEIRO IN 2016

The thought of samba, Latin America, tropics, beaches, dances, and softer climate, more amiable atmosphere for sports and socialization ambience, that is Rio de Janeiro. The country got the chance to host one of the biggest globbal event in 2016. The news is indeed refreshing after all the series of stiffening years in the North. I could only imagine the tune of Latin american hum drums driving people into graceful, uninterrupted swaying motions, away from the daily rigors of concern about precision and security. Everyone should be glad of the prospects of a shift to a softer and calmer arena of sports where enthusiasts could just simply glide in and enjoy.

The idea may not really be appreciated by others at the outset considering some other plans. However, chances are high that the benefits will be greater as envisioned by the majority who opted for the idea of a tropical sports competition setting.