TREATMENT OF PLANTS IN BLOOM. 15 



about them. They should hang for about a fortnight, and 

 may afterwards be put on blocks or baskets with moss ; but 

 they must have but little water until they begin to grow, 

 and make new roots, after which they may be treated in the 

 same manner as established plants. This is much the safest 

 mode of treating these valuable Orchids on their first arrival 

 in this country. 



TREAT]MENT OF PLANTS IN BLOOM. 



HERE are many Orchids that may be removed when 

 in flower to a much cooler house than that in which 

 they are grown, or even to a warm sitting-room. 

 The advantage of keeping the plants during their period of 

 flowering in a cool and dry atmosphere, rather than, as is 

 frequently the case, in a hot and moist house, is, that in the 

 former case the flowers last much longer than they do when 

 retained in the warmer and moister atmosphere. Perhaps 

 there are not many cultivators who have studied this point 

 more than myself, and I have never found the plants to be 

 injured by this treatment. Some imagine that if they are 

 put in a cool place they will sufi'er damage ; but this has not 

 occurred in my experience. During the time they are in a 

 room or cool-house, the temperature should not be below 50° 

 at night ; the room or house should be kept quite dry ; and 

 before they are removed from the stove they should be put at 

 the coolest end of it ; or if there are two houses, those that 

 are in the hottest should be moved to the coolest for a few 

 days before being taken into the room, and they should be 

 allowed to get nearly dry, and should receive but very little 

 water — only enough to keep the roots moist. 



