366 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
be desirable to divide the root in order to increase the number of plants. 
Lumpy peat two parts, sphagnum moss one part, with the fourth pait 
made up of turfy loam, broken mortar rubble or charcoal, and sharp river 
or road sand, makes a suitable compost. The pots should be well drained 
about one-third their depth. 
The deciduous Calanthe vestita, C. x Veitchii, and other pretty 
forms of the same type, will now be in full bloom, and will be found most 
serviceable. They should occupy an intermediate temperature, and if kept 
pretty dry, will last a longer time in perfection. As the flowers pass away, 
the pots should be placed on a warm, dry shelf, and but little water, if any, 
is necessary fora month or so. They will during that time enjoy the 
necessary rest, and be again ready to start into growth. They seem to grow 
-much more freely and strongly in country places, where the atmosphere 
is brighter, than in towns. 
Cymbidium giganteum is a most useful species, and is now in flower. 
It is, perhaps, not so handsome as C. Tracyanum or C. Lowianum, but the 
fact of its being a winter blooming species, makes it equally valuable. It 
grows well in the Cool house the whole year round, but flourishes also in 
the Intermediate house. After the flower spikes are cut, the plant should 
be kept fairly dry at the roots during the winter months, after which it will 
again burst strongly into growth. The compost above-named for 
Cypripediums is a very suitable one for this genus also, and. re-potting is 
only required when the pots are outgrown, or for purposes of division and 
propagation. Two other winter bloomers out at the present time, are 
C. Mastersii and C. elegans, both handsome and desirable kinds, which, 
although doing very well in the Cool house during summer, should have 
the benefit of the Intermediate department throughout the winter. The 
‘manner of re-potting and the materials employed, are similar for the whole 
genus. 
There are few, if any, Christmas bee cdue species more oe and 
beautiful than the very old and well-known Zygopetalum intermedium, and 
none more certain to bloom. It also lasts a very long time in perfection, 
either on or off the plant. It likes intermediate temperature, and under 
favourable circumstances will grow rampant enough, but if by any means it 
has got out of health, it is often a difficult task to pull it round again, and 
rarely can it be done except by thoroughly overhauling it; taking it out of 
its pot, shaking off all old material, and re-potting again in very small 
pots, thus giving it a fresh start in life. This is generally the best and the 
quickest plan to adopt. The compost and treatment generally should agree 
with that just recommended for Cymbidiums, keeping it rather dry 
for a time after blooming, and re-potting—whenever that operation may be 
deemed necessary—in the early spring before the new growths become very 
