ANOECTOCHILUS. 107 



These plants require to be grown in a warm house or pit, where the 

 temperature ranges, in winter, by night from 55° to 60° (a few degrees 

 higher would not do them any harm), while the warmth may rise to 65° 

 by day, and by sun heat to 70° ; during March, April, and May the night 

 temperature may range from 60° to 70°, and afterwards a few degrees 

 higher will not be injurious. From March to October is the best time 

 for growth, during which they will require a good supply of moisture 

 at their roots ; in fact, they should never be allowed to get dry, for then 

 they will most likely perish ; but from October to March they should 

 only have sufficient water to keep the soil damp. They succeed best 

 imder bell-glasses, or in a glass case, with a little air always on to keep 

 the atmosphere fresh and sweet. Some will do without glasses, if in a 

 warm shady close house. We grow them in sphagnum, chopped into 

 small pieces, with a little good fibrous peat and silver sand, all well 

 mixed together. Clean river sand will, however, answer the same 

 purpose, if they are provided -with good drainage. 



These plants do not require large pots, as they make but little root, 

 but they succeed well in small pots ; and if bell-glasses are used, the 

 small pot may be plunged into a larger one, so that the bell-glass may 

 fit the outer one. If grown in cases, put them in small pots, and 

 arrange them in the case by placing good drainage at the bottom and 

 sphagnum on the top of the drainage, with some sand on the top of the 

 moss to set the pots on ; then arrange the kinds in the case so that the 

 contrast of the different colours may have a good effect. The pots should 

 be perfectly clean, with thorough drainage at the bottom, and should be 

 covered with a little moss, and filled up with the material recommended. 

 In placing the roots in the pots, raise the stem a little above the rim. 

 Established plants may be repotted once a year, and the end of February 

 or the beginning of March will be found the best time for doing this. 

 The glass or case in which they grow should be kept perfectly clean, in 

 order that they may have plenty of light, but no sun, the sun's rays 

 being injurious to them. 



They are propagated by cutting the plants into pieces just below the 

 first joint, and so as to have a root attached to each piece. For this 

 purpose strong plants should be selected, and, in cutting, care must be 

 taken that the bottom piece has two eyes, one to root from, and the 

 other to push into a. shoot; place them in small pots in the material 



