THE ORCHID REVIEW. 333 



and the plants have been in this compost for two seasons. And the group 

 of Orchids staged by Mr. Bradshaw at the last R.H.S. Meeting were in 

 excellent condition, especially a number of plants of Odontoglossum grande, 

 some Cattleya labiata and a plant of Masdevallia Veitchiana, all of them 

 being in the most robust health, and equally fioriferous. — Ed.] 



Mr. W. P. Bound, gardener to Jeremiah Colman, Esq., Gatton Park, 

 Reigate, is of opinion that a portion of leaf-mould will in the future be used 

 in most Orchid composts, as he finds that it is of assistance to most 

 Orchids. He uses it in a proportion of about one-fifth, but finds that 

 additional care is required in watering. Just sufficient to damp the 

 compost should be given, and frequently damping between the pots is 

 better than direct application to the compost. He has tried the best 

 English oak leaf-mould, but prefers that from Belgium, though it looks 

 like rubbish compared with the other. — Gard. Chroti., p. 270. 



Mr. A. Harrison, Beech Lodge, Roundhay, Leeds, has used Oak-leaves 

 for about two years, more particularly in potting Oncidiums and Odonto- 

 glossums, and in all cases with good results. He uses them soon after 

 they have fallen, rubbing them with a coarse-meshed sieve, to break them 

 up, and shaking out the smaller particles, afterwards adding a sprinkling of 

 fresh moss, a little fibrous peat, and a few small pieces of charcoal, and 

 mixing all together. He uses a shallow layer of drainage, pots moderately 

 firm, and surfaces with a little fresh moss. The roots permeate this 

 compost like those of ordinary plants, and he finds that they want more . 

 water than when in peat and moss, but the leaves do not get sour nearly so 

 soon. The term " leaf-soil " he thinks inapplicable, for at first he tried 

 thoroughly decayed leaves, which formed a fine soil, became sodden, and 

 the plants in consequence failed to thrive. But the more open mixture is a 

 success, for exhausted plants, Oncidiums especially, commence a new 

 life, and grow and flower perfectly. — I. c, p. 290. 



Messrs. Charlesworth & Co. have adopted the new treatment extensively, 

 and with great success, as pointed out at pages 250 and 298 of our last volume, 

 and some further details which they now give are important. For years 

 experiments with " terre de bruyere," and some modifications of it, had 

 been made at Bradford, though with little success, but experience proved 

 that all soil or mould had to be got rid of, and decayed leaves procured 

 having no more soil among them than is usually found in Orchid peat. 

 Oak leaves, sufficiently decayed to be rubbed through a coarse-meshed sieve, 

 were found to be the best, and these are now only used. All sticks and 

 rubbish are first removed, and after the material has been rubbed through 



