34 ORCHIDS FOR EVERYONE 



given with great care ; but when the roots have taken full 

 possession of the compost, water can be scarcely given too freely, 

 provided the weather is warm and the pots well drained. In most 

 cases it will also be advisable to give weak liquid cow manure once 

 a week, but in this particular the prevailing conditions must be 

 taken into account, for in or near towns it is found that feeding 

 with manures has a tendency to make the compost sour and pro- 

 duce an objectionable spotting in the leaves. 



As the leaves begin to turn yellow not long after they are 

 fully grown, this must be taken as a sign that much less water is 

 needed, but as the flower spikes extend sufficient moisture must be 

 provided to enable them to develop fully. The drier and slightly 

 cooler conditions of the intermediate house are desirable as soon as 

 the flowers expand, for the purpose of lengthening the beauty and 

 life of the blooms. Quite frequently Calanthes are grown closely 

 together very near the roof glass, and in such a position they are 

 liable to damage during sudden bursts of strong sunshine ; careful 

 shading, the moderate ventilation of an ordinary plant stove, and 

 sufficient room for each plant to develop its bold leaves, are points 

 of culture needing attention. 



The evergreen species take up a lot of room and consequently 

 are not very popular. They need a similar compost to that already 

 advised for the deciduous species, but the dry, resting conditions 

 suitable for the latter would prove fatal to the evergreen kinds. 



Best Species 



C. Masuca is a useful, free flowering species from North-west 

 India ; it is evergreen and produces its flowers on two-feet high 

 spikes in the summer. The flowers are of fair size, rich violet- 

 blue, with a purple lip. 



C. Regnieri is from Cochin China, and is a desirable 



