122 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [APRIL, 1914. 
Sophrocatlelia Marathon Leemann’s var., and Cypripedium Griffin No. 
2, from John Leemann, Esq. 
Odontoglossum Siren (Pluto X Etna), from R. Ashworth, Esq. 
Leliocattleya Dulce (C. Mendelii X L. anceps Sanderiana), from 
Messrs. Sander & Sons. 
es THE AMATEUR’S COLLECTION. 
By C. ALWYN HARRISON. 
b\ Vig are now coming to the time when our plants receive more light 
and sunshine, and hence an atmosphere well supplied with 
atmospheric moisture is needed. This is obviously attained by the 
practice of damping down, but it is not possible to state exactly how 
often this should be done, as every house differs in its power of retaining 
humidity, site, locality, aspect, and construction all contributing to cause 
vast differences. The grower, therefore, must judge when he deems it 
advisable to damp down, combining this with careful and judicious 
ventilation. All plants will, however, now delight in a gentle spray over 
their leaves, and most growers advocate this being performed at least once 
a day. 
The majority of the Dendrobiums will now be over, and should be 
placed together at the warmest end of the house, only slightly shaded, and 
their immediate surroundings kept moist, whilst water at the root will be 
needed in quantity. To enable these lovely Orchids to make a grand 
display the following year, everything depends now upon their new growths 
getting a satisfactory start, and hence light, a fresh and well-ventilated 
moist atmosphere, and a careful watch against thrips will contribute 
largely to their welfare. If thrips are present fumigation should be resorted 
to, removing from the house any plants in full bloom. 
If needing it, Dendrobiums may now be repotted, and they must be 
placed in pots or suspended in Orchid pans which are comparatively small 
in proportion to the plant’s size. All dead roots must be cut away; and 
two old bulbs left to support each lead, and when replanting set the plant 
in the centre of the receptacle, having the base of the bulbs just below the — 
surface of the compost. 
One point to which I attribute much ultimate success with these 
Orchids is to tie the bulbs to neat sticks inserted firmly in the compost, for 
if these long top-heavy growths are left to themselves they sway about with — 
every touch, and prevent the plant from getting a firm hold on the compost. 
For soil use a mixture of osmunda fibre and sphagnum moss, these being 
well chopped up and used in a damp state. 
The bulbs cut off previous to repotting can be laid on some damp noe 
