May-June, r919.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 83 
place. A shady position in a cool Intermediate house, with plenty of fresh 
air, answers their requirements, but they resent strong sunshine at all 
seasons. When well rooted and in-full growth, they need copious supplies 
of water at the roots, and may be syringed to prevent attacks of red spider. 
CYPRIPEDIUM niveum, bellatulum concolor, Godefroye, and any of 
their hybrids, which are now passing out of flower, and are in need of new 
rooting material, through becoming loose, or the material sour, should be 
overhauled as soon as possible after their flowering period is over. Speaking 
generally, these are difficult Orchids to keep in vigorous health. I believe 
most failures are attributed to keeping them much too dry, and potting them 
in shallow pans, as when in good health they are rather deep rooting subjects. 
Yet at times one meets with them thriving under quite contrary conditions, 
hence the adage no royal road to success. A compost I would recommend 
is composed as follows, one part good loam fibre, one of good fibrous peat, 
mixed with coarse sand, broken crocks, and sphagnum moss. Ordinary pots 
are suitable receptacles, and are preferable to pans. The pots should be 
well drained with soft broken porous bricks, which retain and give off the 
Moisture as the compost becomes dry. The water will have a free passage 
. through this compost, and when the plants become well rooted they will 
_ take up a considerable quantity, and it isan important point that they should 
never be allowed to remain dry for any length of time. The warm end of 
the warm Intermediate house is suitable for them, and plenty of moisture 
should be maintained around them during hot weather. Overhead syringing 
is detrimental, but slight spraying may be indulged in during very hot 
weather, which will-prevent attacks of thrip and other insect pests. 
ONcIDIUM MACRANTHUM, and others of this section, will now be in 
flower, and some will be over. Those plants that are not flowering will 
Probably be forward enough in growth to enable any necessary repotting to 
be done. By reason of the length of time the spikes remain on the plants, 
it is most essential that the plants should be in robust health, therefore, no 
weak or delicate plants should be allowed to carry flower spikes. Those 
Plants which are exhausted, from whatever cause, should be shaken out of 
_ the old material and placed in small pots, removing any back leafless bulbs. 
They delight in a sweet clean compost, made up of equal portions of peat, 
AI fibre, and sphagnum moss, to which some half decayed leaves may be 
added. They should be potted moderately firmly, as when potted loosely 
the compost soon becomes sour, which these plants detest. Newly-potted 
Plants will not require much water for some time, but as the growth and 
Toots develop the amount may be considerably increased. They revel in 
_ abundance of fresh air, and may be frequently syringed over head on bright 
days, which isa great aid to keeping them thoroughly clean. The ee 
bulbs taken off the plants, may be potted up into quite small pots, and in 
