282 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
powder rubbed on to the tender young spikes is a capital protection against 
most insects, and even slugs do not care to travel over it. The latter 
should be diligently sought for at night, and killed. A scooped-out potato 
is, I think, still the very best kind of trap in which to catch the greatest 
variety of pests, including slugs. 
If any of these Cool Orchids still require attention in the matter of 
repotting or top-dressing, no time must now be lost. As I have said before, 
I never recommend repotting Orchids later than this month. It is best 
to err on the safest side. In some localities I admit it can be done with 
impunity,.even throughout the winter months, but that is where the air is 
clear, and consequently the light is good. In other places sunlight during 
the winter months is a rare commodity, and it is in such places where the 
greatest difficulties applying to cultivation occur. 
In the Mexican house, also, very little assistance from the hot water 
pipes will be required this month, unless the nights, or even the days, be 
unduly cold, when it is certainly by far the best and wisest plan to have a 
little warmth in the pipes, so that the ventilation need not be entirely 
closed. Nothing is more hurtful to Mexican Orchids than a stagnant 
atmosphere, and if a house is shut up close, without fire heat, ‘it is 
absolutely sure to become so. It is better, then, to have slight warmth in 
the pipes with ventilation, and the thermometer ranging at night about 60°, 
a little more or less. In this house, flower spikes of Lelia anceps, L. 
Gouldiana, and others of the same type will now be showing in quantities. 
Let them have exactly the same kind of treatment in all respects as 
previously advised—viz., watering them when dry only, keeping them near 
the light, and giving them the full sun, and an abundance of air in favour- 
able weather. It is best, perhaps, now to discontinue syringing overhead 
at night, doing it only the first thing in the morning ; otherwise a few spikes 
may be lost through damping. Cattleyas of the Warscewiczii and Warneri 
sections should also receive similar treatment in this department, for if 
they remain now in a warm and moister place there is great danger of their 
starting a second growth. 
I find that the general conditions of the Mexican house suits Burling- 
tonias better than any other. This is a genus that is seldom seen growing 
well for any length of time, and it seems to me that the cause is their not 
being grown sufficiently hardy. What is more sweetly delicate and lovely 
than a well-grown and flowered plant of Burlingtonia fragrans ? but it is a 
sight rarely seen. It always grows freely when first imported, and also 
blooms well the first year ; after which it slowly but surely becomes smaller 
and weaker, until it finally disappears. I would advise growers who have 
hitherto been unsuccessful to try it suspended in this department in full sun, 
keeping it syringed during the growing season. In reality it seems to require 
