104 orchids: how to grow them successfully. 



Dexdrobium thyrsiflorum. From Moulmein. 

 There are not many of the family of Dendrobes which can be 

 said to grow thoroughly well in an intermediate temperature, this 

 however is one of the exceptions, but, coming as it does from a hot 

 cHmate, it should be placed at the warmest part of the Intermediate 

 house. It is generally grown in pots, and can also be cultivated 

 in baskets, but is an Orchid which does not like disturbance at the 

 root, still repotting becomes necessary sometimes, it being safer to 

 err on the side of repotting too often than to allow the roots to 

 perish in decomposed material. It should be potted in good 

 fibrous peat and sphagnum in equal proportions, half filling the 

 pot with drainage, potting moderately firm but not to cover the 

 base of the pseudo bulb, yet bringing the compost well up to the 

 base, so that the young roots enter the compost when immediately 

 pushing into growth. When repotting, all dead or decaying matter 

 should be removed from the roots, and the live roots carefully 

 liandled and evenly distributed in the new pot. This operation 

 should take place in spring, directly the plants have finished bloom- 

 ing, which is generally in April, after which time the plant should 

 be encouraged as much as possible to make new growth by being 

 placed in a shady position and very gently damped over with a 

 syringe once a day. The new compost must be kept just moist 

 only, and on no account should it become saturated until the 

 summer is further advanced and active growth sets in. It is 

 always an important point in repotting Orchids to use a few neat 

 sticks firmly fixed into the crocks, to which some of the pseudo 

 bulbs can be tied, in order to make the entire plant secure and not 

 shake about in handling the pot, or it does not readily get re-estab- 

 lished. This Dendrobe does not last long in flower, but the grower 

 is amply compensated by the great beauty of the flowers, which 

 are white and yellow, and borne on drooping racemes. When in a 

 growing state, this plant requires a reasonable amount of water, 

 and as it is an evergreen kind it does not require so much rest as 

 most of the other kinds of Dendrobiums during winter, and when 

 kept in a dry state it should never be allowed to shrivel on any 

 account, and kept at the warmest end of the house and well up to 

 the light. Yellow thrip are sometimes troublesome on this species 

 but may be kept down by sprinkling or puffing tobacco powder 

 down the new growths and over the foHage, and should they 

 make too much headway, then resort to fumigation also. 



