OKCHIDS : HOW TO GKOW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. IgJ 



having too low a temperature, the plant at the same time being very wet. Is 

 the compost in good condition ? 



H. B. E., BRISTOL, writes : I think it would add much interest to your 

 book if you could and would give us in the case of each plant : First, when it 

 flowers, either during growth, as soon as growth is made, or after resting ; 

 Second, where the flowers spring from, top, bottom, or side. To give an 

 illustration of what I mean, Dendrobium nobile flowers after resting. D. 

 chrysanthum on new made growth ; D. bigibbum as soon as growth is finished. 

 Again, with Cattleyas, an amateur loses many flowers for a year or two through 

 not understanding which he has to rest, and which to keep growing till the 

 flower appears. To a beginner a knowledge of these matters would be a great 

 help. 



REPLY. Thanks ; your suggestions have my attention and I have 

 prepared a tabulated explanation of these little matters you regard as worth 

 knowing (see page 146) with index. I may, however, say here that Cattleyas 

 need not cause any uncertainty in the matter . of flowering. If the bulbs are 

 strong enough they nearly always push their flowers at the right season. If the 

 proper time of flowering is directly the bulb is formed, the flower will push up 

 before there is time for resting, and if not then, it will fail to do so altogether, 

 and the plant should be treated exactly the same as those which have flowered. 



M. E. H., DEVONSHIRE, writes : I have found your Orchid book of great 

 service in every way, and I should like a list of Orchids given that require 

 resting in a cooler house with little water. I have only one warm Intermediate 

 house leading out of a greenhouse, and keep a good many Cool Odontoglossums 

 and Masdevallias there, and they do not flourish, yet I am afraid to put them in 

 the greenhouse. Your book gives so much information, but I thought a list of 

 Orchids that must be rested in another house would be a great help. 



REPLY. There are so many Orchids that require resting in a cooler 

 temperature, that your question opens up a very wide range of explanation as 

 " resting " virtually applies to all Orchids which are inactive for a time, whilst 

 the Intermediate-house Orchids that require rest in another house are very few. 

 It is easy to understand that your Cool growing Odontoglossums and 

 Masdevallias would not do well in a warm Intermediate house, although in such 

 a house Intermediate Orchids can be grown perfectly well without moving them 

 to another house to rest. If the winter temperature was kept right, it would be 

 cold enough, giving quite from 10 to 20 difference of temperature below 

 that of summei. ^ome Dendrobiums and many Cypripediums could also be 

 grown in a warm Intermediate temperature, and a few of the former could be 

 rested in the greenhouse, such as D. nobile and D. Wardianum, but as a general 

 rule, a cool greenhouse is too cold for wintering Intermediate or Warm Orchids. 

 It is best to be very cautious as to placing cool growing Orchids in an ordinary 

 -greenhouse, for although the thermometer might indicate the proper degree of 

 temperature, still the atmosphere would be far too arid and harsh, and the 

 conditions generally unfavourable to the Orchids, unless a moister atmosphere 

 was maintained in the greenhouse than is usual. Could you not partition a 

 portion of the greenhouse off which could be kept moist ? 



