removed. Cut off all dead and injured roots. Then take a clean pot (preferably 
new), soak it for 10-15 minutes in clean water, and allow to dry out. Select a 
quantity of clean crocks and place these on their edges in the bottom of the pot. 
Select a suitable stake—of rounded hardwood, if possible—and wedge it firmly 
between the crocks, so that it stands rigidly in position. Take a quantity of clean 
wood-charcoal in pieces about the size of a walnut and place these on top of the 
crocks. Next, thoroughly clean a quantity of the potting material (whatever it 
may be), break or cut it into pieces of suitable size and ram it down into the pot— 
gradually building up a tight mound round the stake. When the summit of this 
mound is above or on a level with the top of the pot, place the Dendrobium upon 
it and tie it firmly to the stake in such a way as to allow the roots to spread as nicely 
as possible over the mound. If the roots are long enough to reach to the side of 
the pot, roll a few pieces of fibre into tight rolls and ram these down on top of the 
ends of the roots, thus helping to hold the plant in position until it has gripped 
the compost with new roots. If the roots are not long enough for this you can 
tie a few pieces of clean jute twine, or raffia, to the bases of the stems and cover 
them in the same way as suggested for the root ends. Take particular care with 
Dendrobiums that the plant is set on and not in the compost—if the little eyes 
at the base of each pseudobulb are covered they will probably die and you will 
thus lose all hope of making a new bulb from that stem. After potting, dip the 
plant into a bucket of tank water deep enough to submerge the whole of the 
compost—allow the pot to drain thoroughly. Then keep in a cool, shady place 
for a few days before placing it in its growing position. Do not overpot. Use 
the smallest pot that will accommodate your plant. 
BASKETS. E.2, 
These are made of wood, usually beech, but sometimes of Australian hardwood, 
which is quite as satisfactory. They are easily made, and are comparatively in- 
expensive to buy. See that the fastenings are made of copper wire, which will 
not rust, and which is not as harmful to the orchid roots as is tinned iron wire. 
As the bottoms of these wooden baskets are open (consisting of a few well-spaced 
bars), drainage is not an important factor, but I usually line the bottom with a 
few large pieces of wood-charcoal, which helps to provide aeration, and counter- 
acts any tendency of the compost to ferment. The procedure is otherwise similar 
to the potting method—the compost being built into a tight mound, and the 
Dendrobe planted upon it. The pseudobulbs can be tied, where necessary, to the 
hanging wires, thus ensuring stability. Baskets are particularly suitable for those 
species which require maximum moisture and light, for it is easy to suspend 
them in a position which will furnish both these requirements. 
PANS E.3, RAFTS E.4, AND BLOCKS E.5. 
These media are suited to awkward specimens of all species, but are particularly 
convenient for those Dendrobes belonging to Group A.J. For pans the compost 
should be built up into a mound as recommended for pots, the plant being pinned 
thereon with copper wire. Rafts (E.4) are formed by nailing (with copper nails) 
EE?" 2 
