THE ORCHID REVIEW. 247 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR AUGUST. 
By W. H. YOuNG, Clare Lawn, East Sheen. 
THE daily routine of the Orchid grower’s life during this month will be on a 
parallel with that of the last, watering, damping, shading, cleaning, &c., 
almost fully occupying his time, with few breaks in this somewhat 
monotonous procedure. However, to a person who loves his work life will 
to him be full of interest, for during the daily rounds of examining his plants 
the progress of each is noted, and, in many cases, the advancement made 
from day to day is so evident that one has material facts to support its 
continuance. In the Cattleya house, for instance, those species that bloom 
in the autumn, winter, or early spring are developing their growths, and each 
day the expectant observer will find the ever welcome sheaths appearing, 
which to him is an almost sure indication that the plant will in due time 
produce flowers according to its kind. No one knows but the ardent 
Orchidist what a thrill of pleasure is occasioned by the appearance of a 
sheath, or other indications of floral production, in a plant from which great 
things are expected. Of course, the advent of sheaths is not the only 
pleasure obtainable, for there is the condition of the plants and the progress 
made since they were potted or top-dressed; and the practical lessons to be 
learnt from observations made on the above should be stored up for future 
use. 
The usual prevailing climatic conditions of this and the next month are 
more in accord with those existing where the cool Andine Orchids come 
from—the hot days and dewy nights being very congenial to the occupants 
of the Cattleya and Mexican houses, and the cool dewy nights to the 
inhabitants of the Cool houses, means food and drink, and consequent health 
and renewed vigour. To give the plants every chance of deriving benefit 
from the cool and dewy night air, the ventilators should be left open to their 
fullest extent on the latter houses, and those of the other houses, excepting 
the Phaleenopsis house, should be opened sufficiently to admit a good volume 
of air at night whenever the outside conditions are favourable for such a 
procedure. Also, to strengthen and solidify the new growth in bulbs and 
leaves, the shading may be removed earlier in the afternoon as the season 
declines, the plants at this end of the season being much better able to 
withstand strong light and more air than they are at the beginning. 
The Dendrobiums will have to be looked over frequently now, so that 
none remain a day longer in the Warm house than is necessary for the 
completion of their growths, for a secondary one often starts away which 
would under ordinary circumstances have a poor chance of attaining any 
degree of maturity before the dark days of winter set in. This is more 
especially the case with D. Wardianum, a habit which, to a great extent, 
