THE ORCHID REVIEW. 23 
portions, mixed in the above way. Polypodium fibre is all very well for 
imported plants, but for established plants I perfer good peat. 
After being potted they are very carefully watered; giving them a 
thorough good soaking, and no more until quite dry. I find over-watering 
very injurious to these plants, especially after potting, and during the winter 
months, when, the outside atmosphere being damp, they do not dry up the 
same as in summer time, when more air and light is. given. At that time 
they need a good supply at the roots, and a thorough good soaking is given 
on each occasion. Feeding with manure is a thing I do not practice, as I 
have found it no advantage. 
Damping down is done very carefully, and during the winter months it 
is ceased altogether ; as I find the watering of the plants gives sufficient 
ist il watering time comes round again, which is in about four or five 
days. During the summer time they get a thorough damping down each 
morning, except on wet days when the outside air is charged with moisture, 
and on hot days they are doused over-head about two p.m. with “ Stott’s 
fertilizing sprayer,” which I find a very useful thing in Orchid houses. 
I give plenty of air, both top and bottom, during the summer, 
both night and day, and in winter our bottom ventilators are seldom 
closed, except in severe weather, when the cold wind is blowing 
strong, and on a very mild day the top ones are open too. I find Odonto- 
glossums enjoy plenty of air. 
In regard to shading, we use the ordinary tiffany blinds on rollers. We 
commence to shade about the middle of February, but as the season 
advances the ordinary tiffany is not sufficient to keep the temperature down 
on hot sunny days, and I like to put a good coating of white-wash on the 
glass about the beginning of June, leaving the roller blinds up a little later 
in the morning and drawing them up a little earlier in the afternoon. This 
whitening is washed off again in September, after which the blinds give 
sufficient shade until they are taken off at the end of October. As to the 
lath blinds which are in use on the Continent and other places, I have not 
given them sufficient trial to form any definite opinion; having only tried 
them at the end of last season. I think, however, that they will prove to be 
a great acquisition. 
As regards temperature, I try in summertime to keep as near to 60° Fahr. 
as possible in the day-time, allowing it at night to fall to 55°, but in winter- 
time 55° by day, and 50°, at night, excepting on severe nights, when I do 
not mind it falling down to 45°, providing the atmosphere is kept dry. 
Odontoglossums are subject to a good many pests, the worst being 
yellow thrip ; but I have no difficulty in keeping it down by the frequent 
use of ‘‘ Campbell’s fumigators,” which I have used for the last three years. 
For the last two years we have not had a single thrip on any of our plants, 
