152 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [May, 1922. 
have many points in their favour when used for plants accustomed to a free 
circulation of the atmosphere. 
One sometimes sees an old straggling plant of an Odontoglossum that 
would be greatly improved if some of the back bulbs were removed and the 
more recent portion placed in a shallow pot with fresh, sweet compost. By 
removing the flower spike for a season or two considerable assistance will 
be given towards the quick recovery of its former vigour. Owing to the 
moisture present in an Orchid house at almost all seasons of the year, there 
is much work to be done in keeping the pots clean, and frequent washings. 
are needed to remove the green slime and moss that chokes up the pores of > 
the pots and so retards ventilation. Some makes of pots are more porous. 
than others, but all in time need cleansing. 
When placing the compost around the plant always take care that the 
roots are arranged in as natural a way as possible. On no account should 
they be compressed into a solid mass. Carefully work in the compost by 
means of a potting stick, an old tooth brush handle makes a capital tool 
for small pots, making it fairly tight as each additional portion is used. 
Some amateurs are apt to pot much too lightly, which is a great mistake. A 
rough guide is to hold the plant up by its bulbs or leaves, and if the pot 
drops off, or the compost comes out, then it has been potted too: lightly. 
In placing the compost in the pot, it is not advisable to arrange it in 
horizontal layers more than can be helped, for the chances are that the top 
layer will spring off. Always fill up the central area around the plant first, 
gradually working towards the inner surface of the pot. By this means the 
compost will be maintained in position by side pressure. Any final 
tightening up can be accomplished by forcing in small lumps of sphagnum 
moss around the inside edge of the pot. When all the required compost 
has been inserted, the surface should be trimmed with scissors to give it a 
neat appearance. 
With newly potted plants it is not often that much water is required, 
until the roots become active in the new compost, but care must be taken 
to ensure that the old ball of compost does not become injuriously dry. 
The newly used and fresh sphagnum moss should be kept green by slight 
dampings. This moss is always a good guide to the state of the compost, 
for when dry it assumes a whitish appearance. It is as well to remined 
amateurs that rain-water should be used whenever possible, and that it 
should be of about the same temperature as the house. On this account 
the storage tanks should be placed inside the house. In times of drought, the 
rain-water should be reserved for the plants, and all damping-down done with 
water from the main supply, or from an outside source. It is as well to remind 
amateurs that in the majority of cases manure water has a very detrimental 
effect. A few notes on this matter will be given in a subsequent issue- 
