POTTING EPIPHYTAL OKCHIDS. 37 



be bored within one inch from the ends, taking care to have 

 all the holes bored at the same distance : there should be 

 four lengths of copper wire, one for each corner, and this 

 wire being fastened at the bottom, should be put through the 

 hole in each piece of wood, and be afterwards brought up to 

 form the handle for suspending the plants from the roof. 

 Copper wire only should be used in making baskets, for any 

 other is probably injurious to the plants. Cylinders, rafts, 

 boats, &c., made of teak, as shown on page 35, are now 

 largely employed for Orchid culture. 



The best kinds of wood for blocks are teak, acacia, apple, 

 pear, plum, maple, hazel, or cork. The w'ood should be cut 

 into lengths suitable for the size of the plants ; some copper 

 nails should be driven in at each end, to which should be 

 fastened copper wire to form the handle ; wind the wire round 

 each nail, and leave the handle about ten inches high. Small 

 copper nails, driven in on the surface of the block, serve, by 

 means of copper wire, to fasten the plants on to the blocks. 

 There are some imitation blocks made with pottery ware, 

 which are very neat, and last a long time, but it is question- 

 able if they are so congenial to the plants as wood. The 

 great advantage of growing Orchids on blocks or in baskets, 

 is that of being able to get the plants near the glass, where 

 they may reap the full benefits of sun and light. 



POTTING EPIPHYTAL OKCHIDS. 



I HEN the season of rest is over, many Orchids will 

 require re-potting, but in our practice we have not 

 confined ourselves to that time only. No season 

 can absolutely be determined on as the proper one for this 



