: HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 105 



pseudobulbs shrivel a little, as this will do no harm providing excessive 

 shrivelling is avoided. It is difficult to state exactly how often to 

 water this Orchid when resting as so much depends upon the state of 

 the weather, sometimes once a week will suffice, at other times once a 

 fortnight. It should be grown at the coolest end of the house and will 

 enjoy as much light as Cattleyas generally require, too much direct 

 sunlight upon the plants being most fatal to them. Supposing the 

 new pseudobulbs to be of a fair average size the plant may reasonably 

 be expected to flower with such treatment, and the spikes will, as 

 before stated, appear from the centre of the young growth about 

 April, and these should be protected from slugs or woodlice by 

 wrapping a piece of cotton wool round the growth, after the spike 

 has appeared the plant may gradually receive a larger supply of water ; 

 should the spikes not appear, however, by the end of April, and the 

 tips of the new leaves become visible, with the new growths extending, 

 it shows that in all probability there will be no flowers that season, 

 and the plant may then be watered and grown on accordingly for 

 another year. The flower spikes should not be tied in an upright 

 position to sticks, but allowed to take their own course and drooping 

 downwards ; the colour is white, more or less tinged with rose, and 

 varieties frequently produce blooms with the lip of a beautiful dark 

 rose colour. 



Good plants of this species should be purchased at from 3s. 6d., 5s. 

 to 7s. 6d. per leading bulb for newly imported or established plants. 



DENDROBIUM THYRSIFLORUM. From Moulmein. 

 There are not many of the family of Dendrobes which can be said 

 to grow thoroughly well in an intermediate temperature, this however 

 is one of the exceptions, but, coming as it does from a hot climate, it 

 should be placed at the warmest part of the Intermediate house. It is 

 generally grown in pots, and can also be cultivated in baskets, but is 

 an Orchid which does not like disturbance at the root, still repotting 

 becomes necessary sometimes,' it being safer to err on the side of 

 repotting too often than to allow the roots to perish in decomposed 

 material. It should be potted in good fibrous peat and sphagnum 

 in equal proportions, half filling the pot with drainage, potting 

 moderately firm but not to cover the base of the pseudobulb, yet 

 bringing the compost well up to the base, so that the young roots 

 enter the compost when immediately pushing into growth. When 

 repotting, all dead or decaying matter should be removed from the 

 roots, and the live roots carefully handled and evenly distributed in 

 the new pot. This operation should take place in spring, directly the 

 plants have finished blooming, which is generally in April, after which 

 time the plant should be encouraged as much as possible to make new 

 growth by being placed in a shady position and very gently damped 



