8 THE ORCHID-GROWER'S MANUAL. 



are many insects that harbour about them, such as the cock- 

 roach, and different kinds of scale, which are great pests. 

 When clean they should be laid on dry moss and placed in 

 some shady part of the house where it is rather cool and 

 dry. Too much light, heat, and moisture at first is injurious 

 to them. The moss should be gradually moistened, and 

 when they begin to grow and make roots they should be 

 potted or put on blocks or in baskets, but care should be 

 taken not to have the pots too large, over-potting being- 

 dangerous. 



As soon as they begin to grow, those which come from the 

 hotter parts of India should be put at the warmest end of the 

 house, but they should not have too much moisture at first : 

 those which come from the more temperate regions should 

 be kept in the coolest part of the house, and they should 

 not be allowed to stand under drip, as this frequently rots 

 the young shoots as soon as they appear. Such plants as 

 Vandas, Saccolabiums, Aerides, Angrcecums, Phalcenopsis, are 

 fastened on blocks as soon as they are received, and I place 

 them so that the plants hang downwards, in order that no 

 water may lodge about them, till they begin to grow and 

 form new roots : this is much the safest mode of treating 

 these valuable Orchids. 



ADVICE TO COLLECTORS. 



THERE are many different ways of importing Orchids to 

 this country. I have seen some that have arrived in good 

 condition while others have been completely destroyed by 

 not being properly prepared before starting. The first and 

 most important thing is to send the plants away at the 

 proper time ; the next thing is to prepare them for their 

 journey. My opinion is, that the plants should be sent away 

 from their native country during the dry season, which is 



