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CULTURAL OPERATIONS. 



POTTING AND BASKETING la a 1 ! operations connected with 

 Orchids it must be remembered that the roots cannot be safely treated 

 like those of many plants in general cul libation ; they are much more 

 delicate and readily injured, consequently in potting or basketing 

 much care is needed. If the old roots are adhering to the sides of 

 the pots or the drainage, the pots must be broken, and these, or the 

 pieces of crocks, placed ia the new pors, disturbing the roots as little 

 as possible. All dead roots must, however, be cut away, and it' any 

 of the others appear unhealthy, or if the compost was old or much 

 decayed, they should be washed in tepid water. When it is desired 

 tj transfer a plant from a small basket to a larger one, and the roots 

 are much interlaced amongst and adhering to the bars, as is often the 

 case with epiphytal species, it is usually a safer plan to employ a 

 basket of sufficient siz-3 to allow the old one being placed in ir, filling 

 the intervening space with the compost. Pots should be thoroughly 

 drained, the largest having smaller sized ones inverted in them, and 

 the space round these filled with clean potsherds, or these can be used 

 alone. For all large specimen epiphytal Orchids the drainage should 

 be two-thirds the depth of the pot ; for terrestrial Orchids less will 

 be required according to the strength of the individuil plant and the 

 character of the species. Large pieces of potsherds are arranged 

 hollow aide downwards, but charcoal, or rough burnt clay, suoh as is 

 termed ballast, can be used for the same purpose. Over this place a 

 layer of sphagnum, and then put the plant in position, filling with 

 the compost which may have been either previously mix 3d, or the 

 peat, &c , can be introduced separately, firming it amongsc the roots 

 sufficiently to hold the plant steady, but not pressing it down as is 

 practised with other plants. In the case of large heavy Cattleyas, 

 Lselias, &c., it is sometimes needful to employ a few pegs, or a stake, 

 to assist iu holding them steady until established. It is advisable in 

 most cases to raise the base of pseudo-bulbous Orchids slightly above 

 the rim of the pots, making an even rounded surface of peat, covering 

 this with the selected sphagnum previously mentioned. Some have 

 tried other native mosses, such as are usually found in abundance in 

 woods or shady places, for this purpose, and in the cool houses they 

 bucceed well, having a pretty and more diversified appearance than 

 the sphagnum ; such material, however, needs very careful examina- 

 tion, or many destructive insects may be introduced with it. For a 

 number of the muie delicate epiphytal Orchids grown in baskets, 

 potsherds, charcoal, or a few lu ups of peat are sufficient, or the two 

 former alone, rather loosely arranged, especially for species of the 

 Stauhopea and Acineta type, which force out their flower spikes from 

 the base in a downward direction. Orchids grown in the small 

 shallow perforated pots already noted require scarcely anything but 

 peat and a surfacing of moss. Blocks are not so frequently employed 



