12 DENDROBIUM. 



new growths begin to emit roots, the plants must be liberally supplied 

 with water daily till they have completed their growth, when a 

 diminution in quantity should be gradually made until the plants 

 are again at rest ; and so with the sprinkling of the floors, stages, 

 side-walls, etc., with water, or "damping down," as it is called. While 

 in the winter and during cold weather, once or twice a Aveek may be 

 found sufficient to maintain the plants in health, in the spring months 

 the sprinkling must be performed daily, or even oftener, according to 

 the state of the weather, till on hot summer days three or even four 

 times a day will not be found too much. A corresponding diminution 

 in frequency must be made during the declining months of the year 

 till winter again comes round. 



Ventilation. — This must be regulated according to the conditions of 

 the external atmosphere. The rule is — give as much top and bottom 

 ventdation as possible, provided no direct draught is caused thereby. 

 During the summer months, and at all other times when the tempera- 

 ture of the external air is above the freezing point, there should be 

 a gentle current passing through the lower ventilators, both day and 

 night when possible. When, as is sometimes the case in spring, bright 

 sunshine and cold winds occur contemporaneously, the ventilators must 

 be so regulated as to prevent a strong draught, as well as too close an 

 atmosphere within. 



Shading. — No shading is required from the middle of October to the 

 middle of March, when, on bright days, a slight shading may be used 

 for an hour or two before and after mid-day. As the sun approaches 

 the northern tropic, the time during which the shading should be used 

 must be gradually extended, till in June and July, on hot bright days, 

 the house should be shaded from six to seven hours, more or less, 

 according to its position (orientation). From August to October the 

 duration of shading may be diminished with the advance of the season. 



Potting, etc. — The species included in the sub-section FascicuJata, 

 which are chiefly those with pendulous stems and deciduous foliage, 

 should be grown in teak baskets or, whde the plants are small, in 

 shallow pans, or even in pots, if convenience demands such an arrange- 

 ment, there being an attachment of wire by which they can be 

 suspended near the roof-glass of the house. In each case, a layer of 

 clean crocks should be placed at the bottom, then more crocks mixed 

 with pieces of charcoal ; the remaining space, which should not exceed 

 two inches in depth, should be filled with a mixture of sphagnum 

 and fibrous peat in equal proportions, and in this the plants should 

 be set, being held firmly in their place by wire or strips of raffia if 

 needed. Plants that are unstable in their rooting material take a long 

 time to get established. » 



The evergreen species, especially those belonging to the sub-section 

 Calostachyai, and with which should be included, for cultural purposes, 



