CHAPTER VII. 



SEASONS OF GROWTH AND REST. 



ORCHIDS, like all other plants, have seasons of 

 growth, flowering, and rest. 



In Orchid culture, great care should be given to make 

 the plants observe these seasons ; in their native coun- 

 tries the change is produced by wet and dry seasons ; but 

 if in our Orchid houses we keep the same degree of heat 

 and moisture, the plants will continue to grow, and at all 

 seasons will put forth shoots and flowers. The result 

 will be, the exhaustion of the plant, which will give 

 weaker shoots and poorer flowers, and finally none at 

 all. 



At the close of the resting season, the time for 

 growth will always be indicated by the pushing forth of 

 the new shoots, or the development of eyes. It is then 

 we must begin watering, and must increase the moisture 

 according to the growth. This is the season to remove 

 plants from the resting house to the stove. 



The season which naturally follows that of growth, 

 is that of flowering, but we see certain plants, particu- 

 larly those of the Vanda tribe, send forth their flower- 

 stalks at the time of the formation of the new bulbs. 

 This is the case with Ontidiums, Miltonias, Odontoglos- 

 sums, Burlingtonias, and others. The increase in the 

 quantity of moisture afforded should always be gradual. 



When the pseudo-bulbs and foliage have reached their 



