orchids: irow to grow ttiem successfully. 103 



lumpy peat, and made; secure from shaking about until it has 

 rooted firndy, and tlic pans or baskets suspend(.'d from the roof. 

 This Orcliid suffers much from beinp^ disturbed, therefore, it should 

 not bo shifted into larger pans or baskets more than once in four or 

 five years, supposing the leading pseudo bulbs are not go wing over 

 the side. After it has been shifted into a larger sized pan or basket, 

 it should be kept in a shaded pla(;(! until re-estabhshed to some 

 extent, and dunng its growing season in summer it should be kept 

 moist at the roots until its growth is completed (and this will be 

 about October), after this it should be gradually dried off by giving 

 a lesser supply of water, until about the end of November, keeping 

 it very dry during the remaining part of the winter in order to 

 ensure flower spikes, which grow from the centre of the young 

 growth in March and April. If the plant is kept moist from 

 November until March, probably no flower spikes will appear. It 

 should be allowed to get dust dry before giving it water, even if 

 the pseudo bulbs shrivel a little, as this will do no harm providing 

 excessive shrivelling is avoided. It is difficult to state exactly how 

 often to water this Orchid as so much depends upon the state of 

 the weather, sometimes once a week will suffice, at other times once 

 a fortnight. It should be grown at the coolest end of the house 

 and wiU enjoy as much light as Cattleyas generally require, too 

 much direct sunlight upon the plants being most fatal to them. 

 Supposing the new pseudo bulbs to be of a fair average size the 

 plant may reasonably be expected to flower wdth such treatment, 

 and the spikes will, as before stated, appear from the centre of the 

 young growth about April, and these should be protected from 

 slugs or woodlice by wrapping a piece of cotton wool round the 

 growth, and after the spike has appeared the plant may gradually 

 receive a larger supply of water ; should the spikes not appear, 

 however, by the end of April, and the tips of the new leaves be- 

 come \asible, with the new gi-owths extending, it shows that in all 

 probability there will be no flowers that season, and the plant may 

 then be watered and grown on accordingly for another year. The 

 flower spikes shoidd not be tied in an upright position to sticks, but 

 allowed to take their own course and drooping dowTiwards ; the 

 colour is white, more or less tinged with, rose, and varieties fre- 

 quently produce blooms TN-ith the lip of a beautiful dark rose colour. 

 Good plants of this species should be purchased at from 3 6, 5/- 

 to 7/6 per leading bulb for newly imported or established plants. 



