88 ORCHIDS. 



If the roots stretch away from the block, they may be 

 confined to it with lead wire. After they have made 

 spongioles on the wood, it is seldom they leave it. Dur- 

 ing the growing season, when the plant requires more 

 moisture, it is well to surround the plant with moss to re- 

 tain the water : this may be lessened or entirely removed, 

 as may be best, during the season of rest. 



Many species of the Epidendrea need very little mois- 

 ture at the roots, drawing all from the air ; for these it is 

 sufficient to bind a little moss around the plant itself, 

 leaving the roots free in the air. 



When the plants become established on the block, and 

 their roots are in good health, the inclination of the block 

 should be changed from forty-five degrees to fifteen or 

 twenty degrees, and in certain cases at the flowering 

 season the plant should be perfectly straight, especially 

 when the flower stalk is ascending. 



The true air plants, such as Vandas, Saccolabiums, Aer- 

 ides y Angrcecums, Phalcenopses, when planted in baskets 

 or blocks, send out their roots much stronger into the air, 

 and suck up the moisture, whereas if they are planted in 

 pots and have their roots covered with soil, they are very 

 apt to rot. 



