1921.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
ORCHID CULTIVATION ON BLOCKS OF WOOD. 
C HE photograph reproduced on this page, clearly shows that Orchids 
can be cultivated on blocks of wood, but only successfully when nutritive 
material surrounds the roots. The article on this subject in our last issue 
(p. 113) dealt more especially with securing the plants to dead logs of wood, 
with but little or no compost around them. In the present example, which 1 
was cultivated by Mr. Geo. Taylor, when Orchid grower to Sir John 
Ramsden, Bart., at Byram Hall, Ferrybridge, East Yorks, the plant has- 
responded to an ample supply of food material. Originally, it consisted of 
three or four small bulbs, but after some ten years it produced in one' 
season no less than 33 flowers. Mr. Taylor selected a block of Elder wood, 
because the bark of this peels off very cleanly, thus allowing the roots to- 
be removed with but little damage when transferring the plant to a new 
block. Osmunda and peat, with sphagnum moss, were secured around the 
base of the plant by means of copper wire, and this compost was replenished 
annually, or as occasion required. This interesting plant of Cattleya 
labiata was suspended in a moist airy house, and during the growing, 
season was frequently syringed overhead. 
