orchids: now to grow titem successfully. 107 



<'ondition, a ycai- or two must elapst; before? strong flowoiing 

 ^owths can ho luado. On the other hand, newly imported i)lants 

 <;an be purchased at a much cheaper rate. 



Healthy established pieces should be obtained for from o/- to 

 7/6 per strong healthy gi'owth, whilst newly imported pieces can 

 usually be bought for 3/- to o/- i)er loading growth. 



Lycaste Skixxerii. From Guatemala. 



A very lovely winter-flowering Orchid, the flowers of which are 

 of large size, of a thick wax-like tendency, and are borne on erect 

 footstalks. There is considerable variation in the colouring, the light 

 or delicate forms being mostly admired, the sepals and petals of which 

 are of a beautiful blush white. Lycaste Skinnerii alba is a pure 

 white variety and very handsome, and much more expensive on 

 account of its rarity. L. Skinnerii should be grown in pots half filled 

 with drainage, using peat and sphagnum in about equal parts, and 

 although I do not recommend a bad quality peat to be used, still it 

 need not be of the best fibrous quality for this species. The plants 

 should be repotted in early spring, only doing this when really 

 necessary, say once in two or three years. Some growers use 

 a little fibrous loam in the compost, which may do good, but, 

 generally speaking, I do not regard it as necessary, success in 

 cultivation depending in a much larger degree — as with all other 

 Orchids — upon temperature, atmosphere, wateiing, and general 

 attention. 



I have found that every care must be exercised in watering 

 this species, and it is much safer to give too little than too much 

 moisture, even when the plant is in active growth during the 

 summer watering must be very carefully done so as not to get the 

 compost soddenod, which causes spot to appear both in the leaves 

 and pseudo bulbs, and this is generally known as disease. 



Established plants, if healthy, of this species may be purchased, 

 but those which prove most satisfactory are newly imported or 

 semi-established plants, as they always grow more freely. The 

 flowers appear from the base of the newly made pseudo bulb during 

 the autumn or early winter months, according to the health or 

 strength of the plant. This is a deciduous species, losing its 

 leaves in early spring. 



Plants may be purchased from about ;3 - to o - per leading 

 growth. 



