POTTING AND BASKETING 23 



condition, or which are showing flower-spikes, should 

 be allowed to remain until their flowering time has 

 passed. 



As a general rule, it may be said that the best time to 

 perform the operation is soon after the flowering season 

 has passed, and that no plant should be repotted unless 

 it really requires it ; but any plant which has become in 

 a bad condition in the pot by being in unsuitable material 

 should be repotted at once, no matter what season it 

 may be. 



Care should be taken to use the pots and crocks in a 

 thoroughly clean condition. Broken crocks are generally 

 used for drainage, although they are not now placed in 

 the pots to the depth of one-half or more, as they used 

 to be. The depth of the crocks varies from about one- 

 third in Cypripediums and terrestrial Orchids generally, 

 to a rather greater depth for Cattleyas, Laelias, and similar 

 Orchids, the depth of crocks also being varied according 

 to the density of the material used, fewer crocks being 

 necessary when a mixture of Osmunda fibre, or other 

 material which lets the water through quickly, is employed 

 in place of peat. 



Sand and crushed crocks or potsherds are used by many 

 for mixing with the potting material, but they may easily 

 be dispensed with, or used only in very small quantities. 



Turfy loam carefully broken up and mixed in suitable 

 proportions with peat and Sphagnum-moss, or Osmunda, 

 or Polypodium fibre, is necessary for Cypripediums, the 

 proportion of loam being greatest for the stronger-growing 

 plants ; certain Selenipediums and Cypripediums require 

 quite one-half of that ingredient. Some good growers 



