120 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



perature, I will briefly state the mode of treatment where- 

 by I have had the most success. 



When a tyro in the culture of Epiphytal Orchids, I 

 commenced by fastening the plants, as imported, upon 

 blocks of wood and pieces of cork. While some did tolera- 

 bly well, the greater part did not grow to my satisfaction. 

 In our hot, dry weather it was almost impossible to keep 

 up the proper degree of moisture and a free circulation of 

 air. So I soon found that by placing them in perforated 

 pots or baskets, I was enabled to keep the roots moist and 

 give plenty of air ; by this treatment the plants began to 

 improve daily. 



The best material I ever found for potting was a very 

 fibrous kind of turf, found in a dry part of a fresh water 

 swamp. It could be -torn up in thin sheets or broken into 

 blocks of any size. This, mixed with sphagnum, broken 

 pots, and charcoal in lumps, is the best mixture I ever 

 tried. The plant should be well raised above the level of 

 the pot or basket, so that no water may lodge around its 

 neck, and the mixture built so as to hold it firmly in its 

 place ; and to give a neat, fresh-like appearance, chop some 

 green sphagnum up fine, and put a layer over the whole. 

 Baskets and pots of various sizes and patterns may be used, 

 square, octagonal, etc., as the fancy of the owner may dic- 

 tate. The best material for the baskets is locust or red 

 cedar, as they last long and are not apt to be attacked by 

 insects. 



In potting Terrestrial Orchids, place them a little below 

 the level of the pot (the same as any ordinary plant, and 

 not raised as for the Epiphytal ones,) in a compost of rough, 

 turfy loam, leaf mould, sand, and broken pots, and subject 

 them to the same temperature as the Epiphytal species. 



Water and syringe early in the morning, so that the 

 sun may soon dry the foliage. 



When the growing season is over, gradually lower the tem- 

 perature, and decrease the Quantity of water ; during the pe- 



