May, igt'.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 155 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
By J. T. Barker, THE West HI, HeEssie, E. Yorks. 
ALL our plants will now be on the move, and every encouragement should 
be given to induce them to build up their growths quickly. At the same 
time they should not be forced, and we must take care that growth is 
properly solidified, so as to be able to withstand the various hardships it 
may have hereafter to encounter. Soft sappy growth,.although perhaps 
extremely large, does not always produce the most, or the best flowers ; 
therefore our aim should be to grow our plants under those conditions 
which enables them to solidify themselves as they grow. 
TEMPERATURES,—The temperatures recommended for April will apply 
also to this month, but should the weather prove mild and sunny, a slight 
rise will do no harm, especially if the various houses are kept well charged 
with atmospheric moisture. The Cool house should be kept as near the 
following figures as possible :— 
Day, 60° to 65°; night, 60° (if a shade lower no harm will accrue). 
Speaking of temperatures, I may add that it is not from slight variations 
of a degree or two that harm occurs, but from drastic fluctuations, say of 
seven to ten degrees, and for several hours together. If these occur at this 
time of year, when all new growth is young and tender, irreparable damage 
is done; therefore care must be taken to keep them near the given figure. 
MoIsTURE.—As the weather gets brighter and warmer, more moisture 
must be maintained in the houses, to keep our plants ina healthy condition, 
and as a preventive of insect pests. When the weather is hot, the floors and 
staging of our houses cannot be kept too wet. 
WATERING.—The plants will now take up considerable quantities of 
water, but still all plants should be watered with caution, for, depend upon 
it, success or failure is the result of the amount of intelligence we bring to 
bear upon this branch of our practice. 
SHADING. —Great care must be taken in the way we treat our plants in 
respect to shading, for to some the sun is life, but to others too much of it is 
absolute death. I am firmly convinced that direct sunshine paralyses some 
of our plants ; and I must ask my readers to constantly use their powers of 
observation, which will be found one of the greatest aids to good cultivation. 
CypripepiuMs.—The potting of the winter-flowering section should be 
brought to a conclusion as soon as possible, for the longer the season of 
growth they get the better. The summer-flowering section, such as Cc. 
Lawrenceanum, niveum, Godefroye, Curtisii, and the various hybrids 
from them, should be cleaned and placed in their flowering quarters. 
CaTTLEyas.—Cattleyas, Lalias, and Leeliocattleyas now coming into 
flower should be thoroughly cleaned, and the flowering growths neatly 
