Could it be that in the good ol' days work on sterile biological materials
required laboratory conditions involving agar in Petri-dishes for micro work
and, for potentially larger macro work, dedicated flasks? These were flask
shaped, having a near spherical base and a smaller diameter neck. As the
technology migrated into horticulture and the amateur world it became common to
use almost any available sealable jar or bottle, often with easier access than
the narrow neck of a flask( sometimes even requiring breaking open!).
Presumably, the term 'flask' has been retained out of habit for the receptacle
and to imply the conditions under which seedling orchids are reared. Orchids
sold as "supplied in a jam-jar" might not convey quite the right impression
whereas "flasks" does. A bit like "booting" your computer or "writing and
reading" to and from disc or "chip". The same processes could be described with
circuitous language but, really there simply aren't any better words for the
jobs . . . are there? Some would call it jargon, others shorthand!
John Stanley
_______________________________________________
the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD)
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