FEBRUARY, 1912.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 51 
through more solid substances than others. No plant should have the 
compost placed so lightly around it that it acts like a sponge, holding a 
great deal of water for a time and then quickly drying up. Each plant should 
be potted in such a manner that the compost is of an even texture all round 
it, and just as firm, and no firmer, than its roots are capable of pushing 
through. The potting of plants should be pushed on as much as possible, 
as the more that we can do at this early season the more time remains for 
those that follow after. I ama great advocate for a nice sweet rooting 
medium for all Orchids, and if the compost is at all decayed or sour I do 
not hesitate to repot it into new. The water conditions afterwards is the 
great thing that needs attention. Do not give the plant one drop more 
than is necessary, but do not let it get into that over-dry condition, when 
water will not properly penetrate. 
Compost.—I am still of the opinion that could we get fibrous peat as 
good as formerly there is nothing to equal it, but as this seems impossible, 
we have to make a compromise, and that is why I recommend the different 
fibres now in use. Polypodium is a very fine soft fibre which many plants 
appreciate, while osmunda and Ar fibre add toughness, which many of the 
strong rooting Cattleyas, Leliocattleyas, and Brassocattleyas revel in. 
Oak leaves, to my mind, are more or less a stimulant, and must be used 
judiciously. The plants will soon speak for themselves, and my advice to 
all cultivators is that, if successful with any particular plant, they should 
still proceed on their own lines. All composts should be of the best 
procurable of their several kinds. 
CYPRIPEDIUMS of the insigne family may be repotted as they pass out of 
flower, should they require it. The compost I find them to succeed best in 
is as follows: One part of good fibrous peat; one part polypodium fibre, 
half a part of loam fibre, and sphagnum moss. I get finer and better flowers 
from this compost than from any other. Any of the green-leaved section 
may have attention in the same way, as they pass out of flower, should they 
need it. Those of the tessellated-leaved section, such as C. Lawrenceanum, 
Dayanum, and others, are better without the loam. For C. bellatulum 
concolor, and niveum, I use a compost of equal parts of each of the above. 
DENDROBIUMS of the nobile section are fast pushing up their flowers, 
and, if not already done, should be cleaned, and put in their flowering 
quarters. A temperature of about 60° will suit them admirably. D. Wardi- 
anum will succeed under the same conditions, but in no case must they 
receive an excess of water. 
L2LIA ANCEPs and its allies bloom at a season when flowers are doubly 
valuable, owing to the blank between the flowering periods of C. labiata and 
C. Triane and Percivaliana. They are now passing out of bloom, and may 
be repotted or repanned—should they require it—as soon as new roots are 
