322 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



moss. To this may be added a liberal sprinkling of fibrous loam and 

 sufficient rough sand, or finely broken crock, to retain an open and 

 porous condition. In town districts the use of loam must be avoided. 

 C. bellatulum and its allies may be potted only in lime rubble, or the 

 latter mixed with fibrous peat. The plants should also have a light 

 position close to the roof glass. The pots used should be drained to 

 two-thirds their depth with clean broken crocks, and only be sufficiently 

 large to contain them comfortably. After the plants have been put 

 in position the potting compost may be pressed moderately firm about 

 the roots, mounding slightly towards the centre, and finishing with the 

 base of the plant just below the rim of the pot. After potting water 

 thoroughly with soft rain water, which should be poured through a 

 moderately coarse rose on the can. Rain water is most necessary, as 

 when hard water is used it soon kills the moss, which quickly turns 

 sour, and, decay thus commenced, quickly spreads into the remaining 

 portions of the compost. Water must be carefully given until the 

 roots get hold of the new compost, then more liberal conditions may be 

 afforded. Damp down the floors and staging twice a day in winter 

 when the temperature is normal. When the temperature is low, owing 

 to unfavourable conditions outside, the atmosphere must not be too 

 moist. During the hotter months of the year charge the house heavily 

 with atmospheric moisture, which may be easily provided by frequent 

 dampings. The house may also be freely ventilated when the tempera- 

 ture has advanced above 60 degrees. In ventilating take care to avoid 

 direct draughts, and give careful shading in bright weather. 



The cool-house Cypripediums require a temperature of about 50 

 degrees Fahr.,and their requirements may be provided by anyone in the 

 possession of a greenhouse, where the above-mentioned temperature 

 can be maintained in cold weather. The potting compost is the same 

 as advised for the intermediate-house section. The cool-growing kinds 

 are perhaps the most useful of the whole of the Cypripediums ; they 

 bloom when other flowers are scarce, i.e. during the winter months 

 from the end of October to the beginning of April. Their varied 

 characteristics, combined with good substance and lasting qualities, 

 render them useful for market and to use as cut flowers. Plants may 

 in most cases be procured for a modest outlay of a few shillings. One 

 of the best is Cypripedium insigne, a species which was until recently 

 regarded as almost too common to grow ; but since Orchids have be- 

 come more popular for cutting it has proved one of the most useful 

 kinds for the purpose. So much is it valued that one of the largest 

 market growers says that even in the glut of the season he could 

 easily procure threepence each for the flowers, and after the New Year 

 they realised much higher prices. Later importations of C. insigne have 

 yielded some wonderful varieties, among them many of dark colours 

 and heavily spotted forms of large proportions, others delicately tinted 

 with green and yellow. Several among them, though purchased for a 

 few shillings, have proved of most priceless value, as much as 150 guineas 

 having been paid for small plants in some instances. This illustrates 



