26 orchid-grower's manual. 



TREATMENT OP PLANTS IN BLOOM. 



THERE are many Orchids that when in flower may be removed to a 

 much cooler house than that in which they are grown, or even to 

 a warm sitting-room. The advantage of keeping the plants during 

 their period of flowering in a cool and dry atmosphere, rather than, ns 

 is frequently the case, in a hot and moist house, is, that in the former 

 case the flowers last much longer than they do when retained in the 

 warmer and moister atmosphere. Perhaps there are not many culti- 

 vators who have studied this point more than we have done, and we 

 have never found the plants to be injured by this treatment. Some 

 imagine that if they are put in a cool place they will suffer damage ; but 

 this has not occurred in our experience. During the time they are in a 

 room or cool-house, the temperature should not fall below 50° at night ; 

 the room or house should be kept quite dry ; and before they are removed 

 from the stove they should be put at the coolest end of it ; or if there 

 are two houses, those that are in the hottest should be m.oved to the 

 cooler one for a few days before being taken into the room, and they 

 should be allowed to get nearly dry, that is, they should, while in 

 the cool apartment, receive but very little water — only enough to keep 

 the roots moist. 



We prefer to have a house or easily accessible compartment set 

 apart for the reception of flowering Orchids, where during their flowering ' 

 season they can be treated according to their special requirements. If 

 they are kept in the growing house they soon become spotted, and the 

 damp injures the flowers and causes them to decay. We have such a 

 house, and find it a great advantage for prolonging the flowering season. 



The following are a few of those which we have tried in a sitting- 

 room during the months of May, June, July, and August. We have 

 kept Saccolabium guttatum in this way for five weeks, and Aerides affine 

 for the same time. Aerides odoratum, A. roseum, and some of the 

 Dendrobiums, as D. nobile and D. coerulescem, we have kept in a room for 

 four or five weeks. Bend/robium Linawianum, D. superlum, B. pulchellum, 

 and B. Wardianum, last a much longer time in bloom if they are kept 

 cool than if in a high temperature. Various species of Brassia, Oncidium, 

 Epidendfrim, Odontoglossum, GyrtocUlum, Trichopilia, and Maxillaria, 

 with Lycaste Skinneri, L. aromatica, L. cruenta, Aspasia lunala, and all 



