THE MOST USEFUL ORCHIDS 59 



amount of loam if he finds by experiment that such a procedure is 

 desirable. Some growers are unnecessarily " faddy " over the 

 compost for Cypripediums, especially those who grow hardly any 

 other kind of Orchid ; but, judged by results, there is far more 

 virtue in careful watering, and a close moist atmosphere for a few 

 weeks after re-potting, than in a highly specialised potting 

 mixture. 



The species and hybrids that need the heat of a stove or 

 East Indian House thrive better in the peat, sphagnum, and loam 

 than in a heavier material, and the writer always fancies they like a 

 surfacing of live sphagnum, which, by the way, the cool section 

 neither specially likes or dislikes. Live green moss around the 

 plants produces a tidy, healthy appearance in a house of 

 Orchids, and most of us are willing to take some little trouble for 

 the sake of a good appearance. The heat loving Cypripediums 

 need potting soon after they pass out of flower, and as they bloom 

 at various seasons of the year there is no one special season for the 

 work, as in the case of their cooler brethren. Good drainage, 

 a temperature never lower than 50 degrees, with practically no 

 upward limit when the blinds are down and the bottom ventilators 

 open, and abundance of moisture at the roots (except for a short 

 time after potting) and in the atmosphere, are the chief points to 

 bear in mind in connection with the culture of this section. The 

 species and hybrids referred to in the following notes and descrip- 

 tions need tropical conditions unless otherwise stated. 



One other little group of Cypripediums remains to be dealt 

 with. It consists of a few species and varieties from the Tropics 

 of the far East, and includes C. concolor, C. bellatulum, C. Godefroya, 

 C. Godefroya kucochilum^ and C. niveum. These are all dwart 

 growers and have rounded, fleshy flowers. They are frequently 

 found growing on limestone cliffvs and in far more sunshine than the 



