The Culture of Greenhouse Orchids 



leaves are of oak alone. It is alleged that growers 

 who could not easily obtain the proper sort have 

 tried beech-leaf mould — with disastrous results. It 

 persistently bred fungus. Certainly the te,rre de 

 hncyere which we receive from Belgium is a curious 

 kind of earth, unlike any that I have seen in 

 England. It must be stacked for two years to kill 

 fungoid growths ; but this is done before exporta- 

 tion. 



Baskets are discarded ; the vessel, whether pot 

 or pan, should have no holes except the one at 

 bottom. It must not be filled to the brim ; leave 

 three-quarters of an inch or so. Hitherto it has 

 been supposed that the roots of an orchid like to 

 feel the air ; therefore baskets were used, and pots 

 had holes in the sides, and the compost was very 

 lightly spread. All a mistake ! In that space of 

 three-quarters of an inch or so above the mould, 

 press chopped moss firmly, never less than half an 

 inch thick, for the express purpose of excluding 

 air. It seems to be a flat defiance not only of 

 ancestral wisdom but als<j of common sense ; but 

 when we see that the outrage is not resented it 

 becomes necessary to find a reason. And that is 

 not difficult. Doubtless orchids like to have fresh 

 air about their roots, but far more strongly they 

 dislike to have sour or decaying matter there. 



48 



