18 TEEEESTEIAL SPECIES POTTING. 



if the plant does not stand firm of itself, thrust in some sticks 

 and tie the pseudo-bulbs to them in a neat and tidy manner ; set 

 the plant down on the floor, and take the syringe with the coarsest 

 rose on it, fill it with milkwarm water, and, holding it very near 

 to the compost in the pot, force the water out all over it, being 

 careful not to wet the plant. This settles the compost, giving it 

 a neat, even appearance, and finishes the operation. Carry 

 the plant into the house and take the next plant in hand, repot 

 it in a similar way, and so proceed till all are potted that 

 require it at that time. The above directions refer to the epi- 

 phytal species. Terrestrial species require a somewhat different 

 mode. 



TERRESTRIAL SPECIES. 



POTTINQ. The earth-growing stove Orchids are found mostly 

 in thickets and open glades of forests in tropical regions, grow- 

 ing in a continually increasing decomposing vegetable soil, 

 rich, unctuous and moist. In order to succeed well we must 

 imitate this soil. I can give an instance of successful culture 

 of one of the most beautiful of terrestrial Orchids I mean 

 Calantlie vestita, which I saw in the stove at Summerfield 

 H. Micholls, Esq., near Manchester. This successful hit wa 

 achieved by Mr. T. Baines, the gardener there, a most zealous 

 and persevering cultivator of Orchids. He grows this species in 

 a rich, strong compost of fibrous lumps of loam, leaf mould not 

 too much decayed, and flakes of dried, cakey cowdung, the whole 

 mixed with small pieces of charcoal. He selects the strongest 

 and nearly equal-sized pseudo-bulbs, eight or ten in number, 

 when they are starting to grow, and plants them in his compost 

 in a large pot, just covering the lower part of the bulbs. Yery 

 great was the success that attended this mode. They grew strong 

 and flowered magnificently. The pseudo-bulbs were the largest 

 I ever saw. The same method has been adopted for several years 

 with the same success. The small tubers are potted in small 



