42 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [FeBRUARY, 1914, 
in a temperature of 60°, but during their season of growth a somewhat 
higher temperature is given. A humid atmosphere is maintained at all 
times, although during their flowering season the house is kept drier than at 
other periods. I find that a low temperature is not conducive to the 
production of either fine plants or flowers, though it is quite obvions that 
hybrids derived from species inhabiting diverse regions will show differences 
in their individual requirements. 
Soon after flowering all plants that are in want of new rooting material 
are examined and potted. Top-dressing is not practised, as I firmly believe 
repotting is much the better and simpler process. Owing to the great difficulty 
of obtaining good Orchid peat—which I should have greatly preferred—I 
decided, as an experiment, to make up a compost without a particle of peat 
fibre in it: Its ingredients are as follows: Equal portions of osmunda, 
polypodium, and Ar fibres, sphagnum moss, and a small quantity of good 
loam fibre, all thoroughly mixed together. This is now my favourite 
compost for all the green-leaved Cypripediums, and the plant of C. 
Leeanum Gratrixiz figured on page 41 was grown in it. Having used 
osmunda fibre and loam fibre in different quantities for these plants, I have 
never been satisfied with the results as compared with those obtained in the 
above-mentioned compost. I do not advocate the use of fibrous loam to — 
the extent of even a fifth, and this after turning piants out of their pots from 
nearly all sources, and in nearly all kinds of materials. I favour a nice clean 
healthy porous rooting medium, in which the plants make abundance of 
roots, and take up an abundance of water when in full growth. When 
loam is used in large quantities the root action is not so free as it isin a 
compost like the one prescribed. | 
In the production of large fine flowers with long stalks, the plants must 
not be cut to pieces continually, but be allowed to develop, each according to 
its will. The drainage of the pots must have careful consideration ; about 
a third of their depth is sufficient, and the crocks should be carefully placed 
in position. The plants should also be potted firmly. During hot weather 
the plants must be protected from the sun, and cleanliness must be observed 
at all times. Strong, vigorous plants should be the aim of the grower, and 
these, under suitable treatment, may be trusted to produce a fine crop of 
bloom at the proper season. 
The tessellated-leaved Cypripediums should have no loam added to the 
compost, but this should be replaced by another part of peat fibre. In 
such a compost the majority of my plants of this section, both large and 
small, are grown. 
Cypripedium niveum, concolor, bellatulum, and their hybrids are grown 
in a different material, which at some future time I hope to have the 
pleasure of describing in detail, with a photograph to illustrate their vigour, 
