18 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [JANUARY, 1914 
By T. W. Briscor, Late Foreman of Messrs. Veitch’s 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR JANUARY. ¥ 
ai 
i Hybridising Department. 
ITH the commencement of a new year, the Orchid grower’s thoughts 
naturally turn towards the longer, brighter days that are so essential 
to the health of plant life generally and Orchids in particular. He will 
begin to think about repotting, and it is advisable to procure a good stock 
of osmunda and other fibres, which may be prepared during the present 
month. For cutting up these fibres in quantity there is no_ better 
implement than an old chaff-cutting machine with one knife removed. 
Such a machine can sometimes be purchased fairly cheap at the 
Michaelmas sales in agricultural districts, or in towns where motors have 
replaced that beautiful creature, the horse. In the case of amateurs who 
only cultivate a few plants, a pair of ordinary sheep shears will answer the 
purpose. Pots and pans should be washed ready for the busy season, and a 
quantity of broken flower pots may also be treated in a similar way to be 
eventually used for drainage. 
WEAKLY PLANTS.—I have found from time to time that a plant in a 
poor condition can be restored to its former vigour by adding a few partly 
decayed oak or beech leaves to the usual compost, and if any reader feels 
disposed to adopt this method now is a suitable time to collect them, 
afterwards storing in a dry but well-ventilated shed. All the sticks and 
rubbish should be removed, and then the leaves should be rubbed through 
a half-inch mesh sieve as required, and when the dust is taken out a nice 
light flaky material is left, which is enjoyed by certain Orchids that do not 
seem to get sufficient nourishment from the ordinary compost generally 
recommended for Orchids. Miltonias, Disas, Odontoglossums, &c., should 
certainly be tried in this mixture, if the previous results are not satisfactory. 
Biinps.—The present is a good time to overhaul the blinds to ascertain 
which will need renewing, for with the advent of March the cool-growing 
- Orchids will need some protection from the sun during the middle of the day. 
Where fresh blinds are wanted no time ought to be lost in despatching the 
order, because there is often a rush on the sundriesman or nurseryman in 
the early spring, which occasionally makes it difficult for him to execute 
the demand at once. Both canvas and wooden lath blinds are used, some 
growers selecting one and some the other. Personally, I prefer the former 
for Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, and their allies, but for seedlings, Cypripediums, 
and Odontoglossums I fancy the latter are better. In the Midlands and 
North it may be advantageous to run down the blinds at night when the 
weather is cold and frosty, and if such a course is decided upon then those 
made of wooden laths should be chosen, for it is impossible to remove 
