THE ORCHID REVIEW. 43 
FIGURES OF CERTIFICATED ORCHIDS. 
AN important step has now been taken by the Royal Horticultural Society 
in the matter of obtaining drawings of Certificated Orchids, to which 
allusion was made at page 356 of our last volume. In the Council’s Report 
we note :—“ At the unanimous request of the Orchid Committee, and on 
certain Members of it undertaking to pay a third of the expense, the Council 
have arranged to have paintings made of all the flowers Certificated by this 
Committee. Exhibitors must, therefore, distinctly understand that in sub- 
mitting their flowers in future to the Committee they thereby tacitly consent 
to their being painted should they obtain any award, and must hold them- 
selves ready to give all reasonable facility to the Society’s artist to do so. 
The Orchid Committee desire to have these paintings as an accurate record 
of the characters and peculiarities of the plants to which awards are made, 
finding it practically impossible for their Members to bear in mind the 
details of numerous flowers often seen but once.” 
AMMONIA FOR ORCHIDS. 
THIS subject has interested me for years, and I have made many experi- 
ments to satisfy myself if stimulants were beneficial or prejudicial to the 
growth of an Orchid. I have tried manures, both in a liquid and solid 
form, for epiphytes and terrestrial Orchids, and have never found any 
lasting benefit to result from the application, but usually the reverse effect, 
in the way of decaying roots and the general ill-health of the plants. I 
have, however, for upwards of six years, treated my plants to atmospheric 
stimulant, in the form of ammoniacal vapour, with the most beneficial 
results, not only as shewn in the increased vigour of the plants, but also in 
respect to the improved colour of the leaves of all Orchids which have been 
Subjected to this vapour. During this period all my Orchids have been 
treated to an ammoniacal vapour-bath on every Monday and Thursday 
night, after the houses have been thoroughly damped on floors and stages, 
and all ventilators tightly closed. The method is simple, but effective. 
Soot and lime are the two substances used for the production of the 
ammoniacal vapour, but instead of mixing these ingredients together, and 
using the mixture dry, as some do,I prefer to have the ammonia in solution, 
as I have found there is much less risk of injury to the leaves by the use of 
the liquid solution than of the solid mixture. The liquid can be spread 
more evenly over the cinder-covered stages, and gives off its ammonia more 
slowly, and with less risk to the plants. 
In mixing the soot and lime, one bucketful of soot and half-a-bucketful 
