80 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 
composition of the potting material is of minor importance. 
For Cattleya and Lelia hybrids and a large number of 
epiphytes grown with them the compost is made by tearing 
up the materials with the hand, or in some other way which 
will not break the fibres very much. Osmunda fibre forms 
one-half to two-thirds of the compost, the other third being 
made up of good Sphagnum-moss and Oak leaves or other 
decayed, dryish leaves. We do not recommend leaf-soil 
or leaf-mould, which was formerly strongly advocated, 
especially by Continental growers, who used it with disas- 
trous results. The most that is done now is to mix a 
proportion of it with other potting material for Lycastes, 
Calanthes, Phaius, and similar strong-growing terrestrial 
Orchids. 
For mixing with the compost for hybrid Orchids, some 
use crushed crocks, sand, charcoal, and a small proportion 
of each or either may be employed safely, although there 
is no real need for such materials. 
Polypodium fibre may also be substituted for Osmunda 
fibre, or a proportion of each may be used. Orchid 
peat fibre, which used to be the chief potting material for 
Orchids, is still perhaps as good as any of the other fibres, 
provided a really good quality can be obtained, a matter 
which has become increasingly difficult. 
For Cypripediums, and especially Selenipediums, a pro- 
portion of good, fibrous loam should be added to the com- 
post recommended for epiphytal Orchids, the proportion of 
loam being increased as the plants get larger. Phaius, 
Calanthes, Zygopetalums, Zygocolax, and other plants of a 
similar character should also have a proportion of loam- 
fibre in the compost, and in these cases Orchid peat may 
