296 THE ORCHID REVIEW. {[OcTOBER, 1912. 
THE AMATEUR'S COLLECTION. 
By C. Atwyn HARRISON, F.R.H.S. 
Coot House. 
Wirt the beginning of this month, winter treatment must come into 
operation, and fire heat must be employed regularly at night, and even 
during the day should cold and damp weather be experienced. One of the 
main factors in the successful culture of Orchids is to maintain an even and 
regular temperature throughout, and an average of 55° to 60° Fahr. by day 
and 50° to 55° by night must be adhered to as closely as possible. Now 
that most Orchids have finished their growth, and are preparing to rest, an 
abundance of fresh air must be admitted. No shade will now be required, 
and all the liquid’shading which was applied to the roof glass early in the 
summer, must be washed off. Damping down will be needed twice a day, 
at 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Water will be needed in restricted quantity now 
that the cooler weather has set in, and the following may be taken as a 
rough guide. To all plants in bud and full growth give'a good dose every 
other day, and to those at rest every four or five days. 
It is now fairly gay in the Cool house, for the hybridist has produced 
many magnificent autumn-flowering Odontoglossums. Give any of these 
all the light possible, for if kept in too Sony pa wane the buds will 
turn yellow and drop off. 
CATTLEYA House. 
Watering and damping will be needed as advised for the Cool house. 
An average’ temperature of 60° to 70° Fahr. by day and 58° to 63° by night 
indicates the degree of warmth now necessary for the inmates of this house. 
Do not repot any Cattleyas unless they need it, as I am firmly convinced 
that May and June are the best months for potting all members of this class, 
exception being made of those which bloom during these months. Sponge 
the leaves of all these Orchids with tepid rain water every fortnight, and 
keep a thorough watch for scale and thrip. For scale, the affected parts 
should be sponged with methylated spirit, and ie Dye fumigation must be 
resorted to. 
Several autumn-flowering ‘Cattleyas should-now be out or in sheath, 
namely, C. labiata, C. Dowiana aurea, C. Harrisoniana, and a number of 
hybrids partly derived from these species. It should be remarked that 
whenever the flowers are seen to be pushing up the base of the sheath, 
water should be cautiously applied until the blooms are half-way up, for, if 
too much water be given during the early stages, the blossoms are liable to 
damp off. Vanda ccerulea and Kimballiana; with some of the Brazilian 
Miltonias and Oncidiums, are also gay at this season, and some of the 
autumn-flowering Cypripediums are beginning to open. 
