POTTING AND BASKETING 23 
condition, or which are showing flower-spikes, should 
be allowed to remain until their flowering time has 
passed. 
As a general rule, it may be said that the best time to 
perform the operation is soon after the flowering season 
has passed, and that no plant should be repotted unless 
it really requires it; but any plant which has become in 
a bad condition in the pot by being in unsuitable material 
should be repotted at once, no matter what season it 
may be. 
Care should be taken to use the pots and crocks in a 
thoroughly clean condition. Broken crocks are generally 
used for drainage, although they are not now placed in 
the pots to the depth of one-half or more, as they used 
to be. The depth of the crocks varies from about one- 
third in Cypripediums and terrestrial Orchids generally, 
to a rather greater depth for Cattleyas, Lzelias, and similar 
Orchids, the depth of crocks also being varied according 
to the density of the material used, fewer crocks being 
necessary when a mixture of Osmunda fibre, or other 
material which lets the water through quickly, is employed 
in place of peat. 
Sand and crushed crocks or potsherds are used by many 
for mixing with the potting material, but they may easily 
be dispensed with, or used only in very small quantities. 
Turfy loam carefully broken up and mixed in suitable 
proportions with peat and Sphagnum-moss, or Osmunda, 
or Polypodium fibre, is necessary for Cypripediums, the 
proportion of loam being greatest for the stronger-growing 
plants ; certain Selenipediums and Cypripediums require 
quite one-half of that ingredient. Some good growers 
