But have any of you found anything special in the runts? Are they inferior
defective plants when they grow up or is that special one-of -a-kind gem
among them?

I have never found the best plants among the runts- but keep in mind as well
that my most extensive cradle to bloom (and sometimes cradle to grave!)
experience is with Phalaenopsis.

The problem you run into with Paphs on the other hand is that with these
sanderianum and rothschildianum crosses, there is no person on this earth who
can state with any certainty what maturity ranges to expect or how fast/slow
these plants really grow.

And given the slow growth of these plants anyway plus the incredible amount of
breeding within the two species that has taken place, I am not sure there will
ever be a good answer to this question.

Due to their rarity, mystique, dramatic presentation and popularity-
sanderianum and roth have just flat out been explored more fully in sibling
crosses than any other orchid I can name.

So I guess my question is what constitutes a runt with these plants? Hard to
say out of flask. Sanderianum can grow to compot size in a reasonable time, yet
there are also still replates in existence of one of the first known sibling
crosses made in the US (a cross made almost 20 years ago.)

I have spoken with growers who tell tales of sanderianums and rothschildianums
that grew like weeds in flask and compot, only to slow down as seedlings.
Others have reported to me the opposite- claiming the plants really took off
for them once reaching the 6 inch leaf span range. So today's runt could be
tomorrow's champion.

This perhaps is true of all orchids- but we just see it more dramatically in
certain corypetalums (ie sanderianum and rothschildianum) because the demand
and interest in the plants has led to intensive breeding by 100s of people, and
because the value of the plants makes it worthwhile to save every single plant.

In other words, if sanderianums were worth the same as a commercial dendrobium
out of flask (ie 8-15 cents), then perhaps I would not have ever heard of
examples going slow in flask and picking up speed later because there would
have been no incentive for breeders to keep the "flask runts" and attempt to
grow them to maturity.

I think the other issue here regarding runts in general is one of quality
versus quantity.

In the AOS judging program, as most of you know, a plant is awardable based
both on quantity and quality- though admittedly more weight is put on quality.

Hence, how long a plant took to grow to blooming size has no effect on its
awardability. Nor does bloom count or other signs of strong plant presentation
make the total difference.

An FCC grade flower on a plant that is well below average in flower count and
general plant size might still easily garner an AM, and even if it did not- it
would certainly be an attractive potential stud plant for the bloom quality.

So on that basis, all runts are worth saving just in case.

That said, it is my experience the front runners of a cross are where most of
the action is. Within Phalaenopsis, I feel the odds are better with the front
run of a cross.

So how does that translate for the hobbyist?

Two ways for me,

1. When I am buying a block of seedlings of a single cross, I will always
purchase the largest size available (mindful of the fact the breeder has
probably already kept back much of the front run stock for blooming.) If I see
the same grower offering a cross in the same size for more than 1-2 seasons,
then I know I am likely buying the tail end of the cross later and I am less
inclined to purchase.

2. When I am deflasking or compotting, it is all a matter of judgement. I
always attempt to save everything. I usually compot out of flask into compots
with seedlings of similar size. And when I put compots into single pots, I will
put the stragglers into mini-compots of 2-5 plants.

From there what I do all depends. If I am working with 10 compots of a white
Phal cross, then I will probably mini-compot the runts and put them in the fray
with everything else. If I am dealing with something super-expensive or an
endangered species I am trying to propogate and spread around, then I will
spend as much personal time and effort as it is worth to me to keep as many
alive as possible.

Tom.