SEASONS OF GROWTH AND XEST. 63 



full development is with most plants the flowering sea- 

 son, and usually after the flowers fade comes the season 

 of rest. The plants should then be placed in the resting 

 house ; that is, the East Indian or Stove Orchids be re- 

 moved to the Mexican house, and the Mexican Orchids 

 to the greenhouse. Water should be gradually withheld, 

 only enough being given to prevent the roots and pseudo- 

 bulbs from shriveling. The season of the year during 

 which the plants should rest, is from November to the 

 middle of February. There are, however, some plants 

 which will not conform to the general rule, but grow 

 during the winter months ; such are many of the Aerifies, 

 Vandas, Saccolabiums, Phalcznopses, Zygopetalums, and sim- 

 ilar species. These will require water at the roots to 

 keep them in growth, but care should be taken not to 

 wet the young shoots, for they are apt to rot at this sea- 

 son of the year. Those that are growing should be 

 placed at the warmer end of the house. 



Certain species vary from the general rule : this is the 

 case with Dendrobiums. The period of repose in these 

 plants is known when the shoots have reached the usual 

 size, and when the foliage on the old shoots assumes a 

 yellow tinge. The season of growth is known by the 

 appearance of swelling eyes, or flower buds around the 

 stems at the base of the old leaves, or where the leaves 

 have fallen, and the budding of eyes at the base for new 

 shoots. 



Then the plants should be started into growth that 

 these buds may be fully developed, but care must be 

 taken not to water the plants thus budding over much, or 

 the flower-buds will not come out, or will produce un- 

 sightly leaf stalks, and the whole plant start into vigorous 

 growth. 



