THE ORCHID REVIEW. 249 
for long, owing to their being of such a decided “‘ miffy ’’ character, though 
better results would, I think, be obtained if the plants were subjected to a 
more equable’ treatment, rather than giving them a wet and a dry season. 
With these it is absolutely necessary that the ‘‘ happy medium ”’ should be 
hit upon, in order to command success, for without it the plants are sure to 
fail. , They should be planted in baskets, with a large amount of drainage 
material, and a very small quantity of good fibrous peat, into which, for the 
sake of appearance, a few heads of sphagnum may be put, otherwise it is a 
superfluity. The baskets should be hung up in a moist and shady part of 
the East Indian house, and only watered when the material shows signs of 
getting too dry. This course of treatment should be followed throughout 
the year, though, of course, during the winter, if the plants are not growing, 
a longer interval will intervene between each watering. If, by any chance, 
water should lodge in the unfolded leaves, it should be removed with the 
aid of a soft brush or other suitable means, as they are so very susceptible 
_to damp. 
Plants of Ccelogyne cristata and its varieties are now growing and 
rooting freely, and in the case of those that were not potted this season, 
water may be poured into them almost daily, and all the plants syringed 
over twice a day. Newly-potted plants will not need such a liberal supply 
of water, for new material being more retentive of moisture, a too frequent 
application would sour and sodden it. The new C. Micholitzii has just 
flowered here, and in its general appearance it resembles C. speciosa, though 
it has white segments with a chocolate-coloured lip. It also resembles the 
above in habit, the bulbs, however, being less angular. It is growing ina 
pan in the usual mixture, and is standing on the stage in the stove, where 
it receives an abundance of water when growing, but only just sufficient to 
keep the bulbs firm when at rest. Since the flowering of Lelia purpurata, 
the plants have been kept on the dry side, for the reasons stated in last 
month’s Calendar, and by this time the growths have attained a length of 
six or eight inches, and new roots are making their appearance at the base, 
a condition that calls to our notice the fact that if any re-potting is needed 
it should be done at once, or, failing that, a little freshening of the surface. 
The operation of potting these should be performed in the same manner as 
for the Cattleyas, viz., instead of trying to knock the plants out of the pots 
the latter should be carefully broken with a hammer, and the pieces to 
which the roots are adhering should be placed in the new receptacle, which 
should be filled to within three inches of the top with drainage, and the 
remaining space filled up with good peat and a small quantity of living moss. 
Neat stakes should be fixed in the ball, to which some of the bulbs may be 
tied to keep the plant in a trim and shapely condition. If possible, the 
above should be fixed in previous to placing the peat to the plant, so as to 
