40 oechid-grower's manual. 



potting, which should he done in the same way as recom- 

 mended helow for basketing, he careful not to give too much 

 •water at first ; but when the plants begin to make fresh roots 

 they may have a more plentiful supply. 



The best material to be used for basketing the East Indian 

 kinds, such as A'e rides, Vanda, PhalcEnopsis, Saccolabium, and 

 similar growing kinds, is sphagnum moss and broken pot- 

 sherds. The basket should be suited to the size of the plant ; 

 it should not be too large, for it will not last more than 

 a few years if made of wood, by which time, probably, the 

 plant will require shifting into a larger one. There should 

 first be placed a layer of moss at the bottom of the basket, 

 then a few potsherds, and then the whole should be filled up 

 with moss and potsherds mixed. Take the plants carefully 

 out of the old basket, without breaking the roots, remove all 

 the old moss, place the plant on the new material, about level 

 with the top of the basket, fix a stick in the centre, to keep it 

 firm, cover the roots neatly with a layer of moss, and finish 

 off by giving a gentle watering. 



Those plants that require billets of wood to grow upon 

 should have live moss attached to the blocks, if by experience 

 they are found to require it. Some species, however, do 

 better on bare blocks, but they need more frequent waterings, 

 as they are then almost entirely dependent on what is 

 obtained from the atmosphere. The plants must be fastened 

 firmly on the blocks, by means of copper or galvanised iron 

 nails, which are to be driven into the block, and then, with 

 copper wire, the plants must be firmly secured to the surface 

 of the wood. As soon as they make fresh roots they will 

 cling to the block, and the wire may be taken away. 



