THE ORCHID REVIEW. 343 
CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR NOVEMBER. 
By H. A. BURBERRY, Highbury, Moor Green, Birmingham. 
THE temperatures for the different departments will continue much the 
same as advised for last month. If any difference is made, the tendency 
should naturally lean to a few degrees lower rather than higher. The 
frequency of damping down is now much a question of the outside 
conditions of the weather, and the amount of fire heat which it may be 
necessary to use. If the weather should be mild and murky once a day 
will probably suffice. © But should it be cold and frosty, with drying winds, 
then twice, or even three times in the warm departments, may be 
necessary. 
Those quaint Orchids, Cycnoches, Catasetum, and Mormodes, have 
now finished flowering, and must be given a long dry rest throughout the 
winter months. They object to a cold temperature at any time, even when 
they are perfectly dry and resting. They will pass the winter very well 
placed at the warmest and dryest end of the Cattleya house, or it will be 
quite safe to keep them in the East Indian department altogether. Too 
much cold and wet is the ruination of this class of Orchid; even when in 
full growth during summer, and when the compost sparkles with bristling 
live roots, it is necessary to water very carefully, otherwise the new growths 
may damp off. The roots of all the above species invariably perish when 
the plants are resting, but this fact does not seem to much matter so long 
as new compost, small receptacles, and plenty of warmth is given when they 
again start to grow in the spring. 
The lovely Cattleya labiata will, of course, be the greatest attraction this 
month. The more I make the acquaintance of this species, the more Iam 
convinced that it has not a robust constitution. It seems to require some- 
thing a little different from the general conditions of the Cattleya house, 
which contain and grow most others of the same genus so well. What 
that something is I am not quite prepared to say, but from observations 
made this year I shall try a new experiment next spring by subjecting a few 
plants to much more shade. I may say the same by C. Dowiana aurea and 
and C. Mendelii, all three of which seemed to me to suffer during the early 
part of this summer. What could be the cause other than the excessive 
sunshine is to me a puzzle. I don’t mean to say that they went seriously 
wrong; but what I do say is, that beyond doubt they shrivelled up a good 
deal more than I care to see them, and I think also beyond what they 
should by nature do. I never like to see Cattleyas, or, indeed, any other 
Orchid, shrivel too much; it is best to keep them plump, if possible. 
Cattleya Schrodere and C. maxima are two othérs that I think should be 
kept pretty well shaded, especially during spring and early summer. Some 
