TREATMENT DURING THE TIME OF BEST. 13 



Vanda, Saccolahium, Phalcenopsis, Zygopetalwn, and similar 

 kinds. These wUl require water at the roots to keep them 

 increasing, but care should be taken not to wet the young 

 shoots, for if they get wet they will be very apt to rot. Those 

 that are growing should be placed at the warmest end of the 

 house. 



Some Orchids are deciduous, losing their leaves after they 

 have finished their growth. To this class belong the species 

 of Cyriopodium, Barkena, Cycnoches, Thunia alba, T. Ben- 

 sonia, and some of the Dendrobiums, with Pldone maeulata, 

 P. Wallichiana, P. lagenaria, and many others. These should 

 be always so placed that they may have as much light and 

 sun during their season of rest as possible. This is the only 

 way to ripen their pseudobulbs,- which causes them to grow 

 stronger, and flower more freely. When at rest the pre- 

 viously named kinds require but very little water, but when 

 those without pseudobulbs, e. g., Vanda, Angraciifln, Aerides, 

 Saccolabium, and Phalanopsis are at rest, they should never 

 be allowed to get too dry at the roots ; the moss about them 

 should always be kept a little damp, for the stems and leaves 

 are very apt to shrivel if kept too dry, and this often causes 

 them to lose their bottom leaves. - Moreover, they require but 

 a short season of rest. Those which are growing on blocks will 

 require more water than those which are in pots or baskets, 

 and they should be watered about twice or three times a-week 

 if the weather be fine, just to keep them moist, but in duU 

 weather they will not require it so often. Water should be 

 poured over the paths and walks every fine morning, with a 

 view to create a moist atmosphere, but the moisture in the 

 house must be regulated according to the weather outside — 

 a very important point to be attended to. If the weather be 

 dull outside, the house inside must be kept rather dry. The 

 glass and roof should always be perfectly clean, so that the 



