34 ORCHID-GROWER'S MANUAL. 



WATERING ORCHIDS. 



THIS operation should be performed with, great care, especially in the 

 case of plants just starting into growth, for if watered too profusely 

 the young shoots are apt to be affected by the atmospheric moisture, and 

 become liable to what is termed damping off. Whilst, therefore, the 

 shoots are young, only enough water should be given to keep the moss 

 or peat in which the plants are growing just moist. As they advance in 

 growth, more may be given ; and when the pseudobulbs are about half 

 grown the roots may receive a good supply. This, however, will greatly 

 depend upon how the plants are potted. If potted according to the 

 directions laid down in this book the water will pass away quickly, 

 which is very essential to the well-being of the plants. We have known 

 Orchid growers try many kinds of potting material, but bave never seen 

 any to succeed better than rough fibrous peat and living sphagnum moss, 

 and (he roots of the common Polypody; by using these materials as 

 recommended, there is less liability of the plants suffering injury. Some 

 growers use fine soil, mixed with sand and moss : this we consider bad 

 for epiphytal Orchids, because it soon gets soddened and consolidated 

 round the roots — a condition exceedingly obnoxious to this class of 

 plants, which are not subjects to be tampered with. When plants are 

 potted in this fine soil they require less water, and will also need the soil 

 to be frequently renewed, but to this system we are entirely opposed. 



Our practice is to shut up the Orchid house in the spring of the year 

 about 3 P.M., and in May, June, July, August, and September about an 

 hour later, when the heat of the sun is on the decline. We then usually 

 give a gentle syringing with water as nearly as may be of the same 

 temperature as that of the house. In fine weather, the temperature from 

 sunheat will rise frequently as high as 95°, or even more ; but we have 

 never observed any injury to befall the plants in consequence of this 

 heat, so long as the house was saturated with moisture. The atmosphere 

 should be dried up once a day, if possible, by means of ventilation. In 

 syringing be careful not to wet the young shoots too much. The syringe 

 should be furnished with a fine rose attached, so as to cause the water to 

 fall on the plants in imitation of a gentle shower of fine rain; but this 

 syringing should only take place after a hot sunny day, and should 

 never be carried to excess, for we have seen the ill effects of that practice 



