118 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
Catasetums, etc., until last, reversing the order of procedure when taking 
the shading off in the afternoon. 
Potting, re-surfacing, and other associated operations will now become 
numerous and general, and the wished for success will, to a great extent. 
depend on when and how the respective operations are performed, it 
being a well-known cynicism that one has only to pot an Orchid in 
the proper material, at the right time, place it in a suitable position, 
treat it aright, and it will succeed; and who can gainsay it? But there 
is also an old saw which says, “It is easy to talk, but to do is the thing,” 
and that is where the difficulty lies. With regard to the question, When 
ought an Orchid to be potted? we may conclude that it is a pretty 
safe rule to follow, to repot, or give new material, immediately new roots 
appear from the base of the last made bulb or rhizome, but to say how 
it ought to be done cannot now be given in detail, but will be treated 
of as we go along. 
One of the first subjects to be performed upon this month is the 
grand old Ccelogyne cristata and its different varieties. The flowering 
season having gone by the plants are commencing to grow again, and 
any that need making up anew should be done at once. These grow 
and thrive a long time without being repotted or top-dressed, and where 
there are a number of specimen plants, one or two should be done 
annually, so that a loss of a season’s bloom will not be felt. Those 
selected should be turned out of their receptacles and carefully pulled 
to pieces, each séparate growth having four or five bulbs, and as many 
roots as it is possible to save. Pans of a suitable width and depth 
should be filled to within two inches of the rim with clean drainage, 
over which place a good layer of rough moss. The compost ought to 
be prepared a day or two previous, and should consist of one half good 
fibrous yellow loam, to one half of lumpy peat, a little moss and sand— 
or, better still, finely broken crocks—being added to keep the compost 
open. As it is advantageous both to the well-being of the plant, as well 
as regards its appearance, to have the centre higher than the sides, this 
should be taken into account when crocking the pan, so that the depth 
of compost will be the same in the middle as at the side. In making 
up the specimen a commencement should be made in the centre, working 
in the different pieces and sufficient compost at the same time. Give 
each a fair amount of room, otherwise the growth will soon become 
crowded, and hence need pulling to pieces again. When completed, 
§ive a good soaking to settle the soil about the roots, and then let them 
go for some considerable time before giving another dose; they may, 
however, be syringed overhead on warm and bright days. The position 
best suited to their requirements is the coolest and most shaded part 
