56 THE ORCHID REVIEW, 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR FEBRUARY. 
By H. A. BuRBERRY, Highbury, Moor Green, Birmingham. 
THE temperature and general management of the plants for the present 
month should be as recommended for January, namely :—by treating them 
as liberally with air, warmth, and moisture as the outside conditions will 
permit. Up to the time of writing, the weather for January has been 
quite exceptional for its mildness, enabling us to apply fresh air more freely 
than usual at this time of year, a fact which it is needless to add must 
promote a healthy and beneficial effect. The ph too, ideri 
its mild and damp nature, is tolerably clear, resulting in a good average 
amount of sunshine and light. Of course, as the days lengthen and the 
light increases so may the thermometer gradually rise, and a little more 
moisture be supplied, which will tend to encourage new growth. But by 
all means let everything in this direction be done gradually, or the result 
may be the reverse of satisfactory, for the weather just yet is not to be 
telied upon; and a spell of lovely warm spring-like weather may be 
followed by another of almost Arctic severity. It is at such times that 
those plants, having been unduly hastened into growth, receive a check 
from which they sometimes never fully recover. 
The successful wintering of the plants in all departments necessarily 
depends largely upon the health and stamina which they possess. No 
plant can remain vigorous if the compost in which it is growing is decayed, 
for it follows that the roots also will be more or less decayed, and when 
this is the case, a very little drought will suffice to cause great exhaustion— 
shrivelling, loss of leaves, &c. The plant having a good supply of healthy — 
roots must necessarily be in good compost, and is pretty sure to get along 
all right under rational treatment, and continue to improve and increase in 
size. To achieve this, neither excessive drying up in the winter is desirable, 
nor excessive watering during the summer; all that is required being a com- 
mon-sense method of treatment, which is one of moderation at all times, 
avoiding anything approaching coddling or excess in any direction. Under 
such circumstances strong plants will thrive, but it is the sick ones which give 
the greatest trouble, and are apt to go from bad to worse during the winter 
months, unless specially cared for. By way of illustration let us suppose 
we have two Cattleyas ; one is in vigorous health with plenty of roots in 
good sound sweet compost, the other a weakly specimen having little or 
no roots, although in this case the compost may likewise be all that is 
necessary. In all probability the latter plant has been allowed to get too 
bad before it was repotted, whereby 
greatly prolonged. 
all times more atte 
iD 
its period of convalescence will be 
It is only natural that such a plant should demand at 
ntion. For instance, a little more water during the 
