8 ORCHIDS : HOW TO GllOW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



has some chance of success with the plants, selected to suit his 

 greenhouse, and other conditions of culture, and he will naturally 

 look forward to the pleasure they will afford him when in bloom. 

 But as such advice is not always within the reach of those who 

 need it, I shall do my best to supply that want and make my 

 meaning as clear as possible. There is one word of caution which 

 I here desire to impress upon buyers, and that is, do not on any 

 account buy rubbish, merely for the sake of saying, ' ' I grow 

 Orchids ! " and by no means be tempted to purchase small, 

 insignificant plants simply because they are cheap. Orchids are 

 slow growing plants and require special care and attention, as 

 well as the most judicious treatment, and if small and weakly bits 

 of back pseudo bulbs, or weak spindUng plants are bought, much 

 time is lost before they can be got into a favourable condition, and 

 a considerable period elapses before they reach the flowering stage, 

 so that the patience of the grower becomes exhausted, and the 

 plants are either allowed to linger on, or aie thrown away. 

 Overcrowding is another evil to be avoided, and when large 

 quantities are grown in limited spaces, it is one of the greatest 

 difficulties an Orchid cultivator has to contend with. Each plant 

 should be accessible and easily seen by the cultivator at all times, 

 but more especially dmdng the growing season, in order that he 

 may ascertain whether it requires water, or is not over watered, and 

 to see that the young roots are unmolested or destroyed by various 

 insect pests, such as wood hce, cockroaches, slugs, &c., and that 

 the fohage is free from thrip or green or yellow fly. In a large 

 collection, where plants are counted by the thousand, and a good 

 staff of assistants are kept, it is, even then, difficult to give every 

 plant necessary attention, so that the small grower has here an 

 advantage in being able to give full attention to the few plants 

 under his care. 



CATTLEYAS AND L^LIAS. 



Presuming that, in the formation of a small collection, 

 Cattleyas should have the first place, procuring Triano?, Mossise, 

 and Mendellii in their varieties, also labiata vera, and good plants 

 of these, with a leading growth, can readily be obtained at 4/-' each, 

 and with two leading growths at 7/6 each, the price varying 

 according to the strength, of the plant and the excellence of the 

 variety. I advise amateurs to start with such plants rather than 



