Orchid Culture. 231 



basket, four for the next, etc., the wire being wedged, after passing 

 through each rod, with small wooden pegs, and the basket is ready for 

 use. Baskets made in this way have a rustic appearance, and look very 

 well, and, where you have plenty of time to make them, are, perhaps, 

 the best ; but another basket, made of galvanized v.'ire, I have lately 

 been using, which is much cheaper, and answers every purpose ; they 

 are made round and shallow, the largest size, which is fourteen inches 

 across the top, and six inches deep, costing but sixty cents each, the 

 basket being lined with sphagnum (or bog moss) ; after the plant is 

 put in and finished, the sphagnum may be trimmed off with scissors, 

 and it will look neat and clean. 



Pots. - — The kind of pots best for orchids are wide, shallow ones, the 

 proportions being about as follows : three inches deep, and five wide at 

 the top, all inside measure ; larger ones to be about the same propor- 

 tion. These can be ordered at any pot manufactory, and will cost no 

 more than ordinary pots. The latter may be used, but must be filled up 

 very much, say one half, with broken potsherds ; but they are not as 

 good as those before-mentioned. When ordering, it is a good idea to 

 get a few without holes at the bottom (large size ones), and keep them 

 filled with water and placed at regular distances near the hot-water 

 pipes. These will be found very useful, not only for additional evapora- 

 tion, but for syringing and watering, the water being always warm. 

 Pots with holes in the sides should also be procured ; they will be 

 found very useful for many of the Indian species, such as Aerides, 

 Vandas, etc. 



Syringe. — There are many good ones, and you must make your 

 own choice of kinds that you get ; but with it get at least two roses, one 

 a fine one, and the other a medium size, or coarser ; the first will be 

 found very useful to form a gentle shower over the plants like dew, 

 while they are growing ; the latter for showering the soil in the baskets 

 heavily, washing off insects, and for general use. 



Watering Pot. — There should always be one, for the orchid house, 

 of a medium size, and with it should be a long spout which can be put 

 on as required for use, and which will be found very convenient for 

 watering plants at a distance. 



There should also be a good potting bench of a fair size, if possible, 

 in a room attached to the orchid house, so that when the plants are re- 

 moved from the orchid house for potting, they will not be subject to any 

 sudden change of temperature. This room should be so arranged that a 

 door should open from the orchid house into it, which will warm it at any 

 time ; and under the bench may be built small size bins for the storing of 



