PACKING ORCHIDS FOR CONVEYANCE TO EXHIBITIONS. 43 



if not well packed. I have seen fine plants brought to different 

 flower shows with their flowers completely spoiled for want of 

 careful packing, though I have shown P. Wallichii several 

 years at the Chiswick and Regent's Park Exhibitions, and 

 always managed to convey them wdthout injuiy. In preparing 

 them, put a strong stick to each flower spike ; the sticks should 

 be long enough to go into the earth, and remain fii^m ; they 

 should be placed at the back part of the flowers, and should 

 stand one or two inches above the flower spike ; some wad- 

 ding should then be fastened round the stick, and the flower 

 spike tied firmly to it, putting more wadding round eveiy 

 flower stalk, and tying each firmly to the flower spike. Begin 

 at the top of the spike, and tie every flower separately, so 

 that they do not touch one another. The leaves must not be 

 allowed to rub against the flowers. On arriving at the end 

 of their journey, untie them, remove the wadding, and tie 

 them out in the proper form. In tying, care should be taken 

 not to rub the flowers. 



Saccolahiums and Aerides do not require so much packing. 

 It is sufficient to put two or three sticks to each spike — one 

 at each end, and one in the centre, if the spike be long, 

 or two only if it is short. The stick, which should only be 

 long enough to support the spikes in the drooping way in 

 which they grow, should be fixed firmly in the basket or pot ; 

 a small piece of wadding should be placed on the top of the 

 stick, and to which the spike should be firmly tied. This will be 

 sufficient to ensm-e safety. The wadding should not be allowed 

 to touch the top part of the flowers, as it will stick to them, 

 and be very difficult to remove. 



Vandas require more packing, their flowers being larger and 

 fmiher apart ; place some wadding between each flower on the 

 spike, then fix some sticks firmly in the basket or pot, and tie 

 the spike to them, without letting the stick touch the flowers ; 



