332 THE ORCHID REVIEW. (NOVEMBER, 1912. 
THE AMATEUR’S COLLECTION. 
By C. ALwyn Harrison, F.R.H.S. 
CooL House. 
Tuis month marks the starting point of winter treatment of Orchids, for, 
with few exceptions, the same cultural details may be continued till the 
following April. Writing some time before this appears in print, it is 
impossible to state exactly how much air and water should be given to the 
plants, but should the weather prove seasonable, carry out as far is_practic- 
able, the undermentioned rules for the various cultural operations :— 
Throughout this and the following-month, maintain an average tempera- 
ture of 55° to 60° Fahr. by day, and 50° to 55° by night. Too much 
emphasis cannot be laid upon keeping an even degree of warmth at all 
times, fluctuations of temperature being most injurious. Damping and 
watering should be done as advised in my last month’s article, but should 
either severe weather or much rain set in, be careful not to have the house 
cold and damp, as this causes spot on the leaves, and other fungoid dis- 
eases. It should be borne in mind that it is better to have the temperature 
a few degrees below the prescribed height in inclement weather, and only 
damp down lightly, than to close the ventilators early in the day, and thereby 
maintain the stated degree of warmth. Fresh air must always be admitted 
throughout the year, for Orchids derive much nourishment from this, and in 
greater proportion than other plants. The roof glass should always be 
washed after a fog, for all possible light is of vital importance to these Cool- 
house Orchids. 
Should thrip be troublesome, and the usual method of checking it prove 
unavailing, sptinkle some sulphur on the hot water pipes, but where this is 
practised, all Orchids in bud and flower must first be removed, as the fumes 
injure them. During the usually damp weather now prevailing slugs are 
again active, and careful watch must be kept to prevent them from eating 
the young roots and flower spikes. A few fresh lettuce leaves laid on the 
staging offers great attraction to these pests, and cotton wool wrapt round 
the base of a spike prevents their reaching it, but the wool must be kept dry 
or it ceases to be of any use. 
Odontoglossum grande should now be making a lovely show at the 
warmest end of this house, whilst some of the earlier winter-blooming 
Odontoglossumsare now opening:their blossoms. There is no doubt that 
Odontoglossum crispum is the most useful Orchid for an amateur’s 
collection, for one can see varieties of this plant in flower at any season of 
the year, and its long arching spikes of white and tinted blossoms are 
extremely graceful and continue long in perfection. Some of its hybrids 
also flower at this season. 
