OECHIDS. 53 



amount of shade, working on a roller with pulley and rope, 

 so that it may be run down or up at pleasure, as the state of 

 the weather renders necessary. 



The cultural requirements of orchids demand careful study 

 and considerable experience to enable the grower to have them 

 in perfection at a given date for exhibition. With a know- 

 ledge of the conditions under which they thrive in their 

 natural habitats, and the length of time they require to make 

 and ripen their growth, and the period at which they have to 

 be started to have them in full flower by a certain date, an 

 exhibitor will be on the right road to success, especially as 

 many species are easily forced if late, and as easily retarded 

 if too early. The packing of orchids for transport to an 

 exhibition requires special attention, and the utmost care 

 should be taken to support every flower-stem and every flower 

 by proper stakes standing well over the spikes, which are 

 securely tied to them, using a layer of wadding round each 

 stake and flower-stem, and tying with soft flat raflia. The 

 flowers should also be kept in position, and safe from being 

 rubbed in transit, by pads of wadding placed around and 

 between them, and secured by a tie when necessary for safety. 

 When the specimens are set on the exhibition table, every 

 scrap of packing material — stakes, wadding, and ties — must 

 be removed, so that the specimens may appear as natural as 

 possible. 



AEEIDES. 



A large genus of epiphytal orchids, the name of which is 

 derived from the fact that most of the species obtain their 

 nourishment from a moisture-laden atmosphere. Many of the 

 species are very handsome plants, freely producing beautiful 

 spikes of richly coloured flowers, and forming most useful 

 specimens to the exhibitor. Among the finest species for 

 exhibition are A. affine, A. Fieldingi, and A. Lobhii, all noted 

 for their long drooping spikes of delightfully fragrant flowers, 

 which, although not so showy as the flowers of some other 

 genera, have a very telling effect in a competitive collection. 



Specimen plants are best grown in perforated pots, three 



