44 orchid-grower's manual. 



effects of that practice in many Orchid collections. The 

 practice is indeed very dangerous, and growers often wonder 

 at their plants not looking well, when it is entirely due to 

 over-syringing. Nevertheless, water, judiciously applied, is 

 one of the most important items in the culture of these 

 valuable plants. Those of them which are growing on blocks 

 of wood should be syringed twice a day in the summer time ; 

 and we also find it beneficial, during the growing season, to 

 take the blocks down about twice or three times in a week, 

 and dip them in water till the surface of the wood and the 

 moss are thoroughly soaked. Plants in baskets should like- 

 wise be taken down and examined, and, if they are dry, they 

 should also be soaked in a similar manner. This is a good 

 mode of getting rid of many hurtful creatures that harbour in 

 the moss, such as the woodlouse and the cockroach, which, 

 when the moss is plunged and kept for a while under water, 

 will come to the top, and then may be easily killed. 



We have elsewhere observed (Orchid Album) that " rain 

 water is the best for Orchids and for all kinds of plants, this 

 being the water supplied in their natural habitats. Rain water 

 is easily to be obtained by providing tanks under the stages, 

 and allowing the rain water to enter from the roof. In this 

 way no room is lost. A pump should be affixed, in case the 

 water should get low in dry weather, by which means it can 

 easily be raised to the requned height. The plan we adopt is 

 to have a deep cemented tank in the centre of the house under 

 the stage, so that the top may be open ; this allows the water 

 which is standing in the tank to become somewhat warmed by 

 contact with the atmosphere of the house, which is very bene- 

 ficial. In fact. Orchids should never be watered with water 

 that has not had the chill taken off, as cold water, especially 

 in winter time, causes spot, and may rot the growths, and 

 injure the roots. Into this tank the rain water runs from the 



