JANUARY, 1907.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 13 
baskets, for when it is necessary to keep them dry, they will go much longer 
without water without any harm accruing, and I believe one root working 
away from the direct influence of light and air, such as is possible in a 
pot or non-perforated pan, will take up more food than two under the 
other conditions. 
Newly potted plants will not require much water for some time. I 
consider the most essential point in producing flower spikes on the white 
forms is to try and keep them back from starting into growth as long as 
possible. It does not matter much how strong an early growth may come, 
it rarely produces a flower spike, yet with good treatment a large per- 
centage of the growths that start away late, evenif they are not anything 
like as strong as the early made ones, produce spikes. 
The best way I have found of keeping them back is to place them at 
the coolest end of this house, well exposed to a!l light and sunshine, only 
giving enough water to prevent shrivelling, maintaining this course as long 
as it is possible without causing injury to the foliage. Even then some will 
break away, and when this happens it will be necessary to afford more 
water than the dormant ones are receiving. 
MiLTonras.—In this house the autumn flowering Miltonias will need 
attention. The young roots are emitted soon after the new growth gets. 
away, and when these are visible any work, such as repotting, resurfacing, 
or propagating, should be accomplished. I do not advise potting unless 
they have over-grown the pots, or the compost is in a soured state, but it is: 
generally advisable to remove some of the surface material, and add new 
for the young roots to take hold of. The stock can easily be increased by 
cutting away the last made pseudobulb with the new growth, just when 
new roots are being sent out. When this is done, do not disturb the old 
plant till it has made a new lead. A suitable compost consists of two parts. 
peat, two parts sphagnum, and one part leaf soil, mixed with some small 
crocks and coarse sand. Place a few crocks over the hole in the pot, 
and fill to the depth of one-half with bracken rhizomes, and pot rather 
firmly, keeping the lead on a level with the rim of the pot, and leaving 
enough room for a surfacing of sphagnum. No heavy watering will be 
required for some time, as damping the surface moss as it becomes dry will 
suffice till the roots have well entered the compost. When growing, they 
like a humid position, and frequent damping between the pots will be: 
helpful on all favourable days. Later on overhead spraying will be 
beneficial. Miltonias Regnellii, M. Clowesii, M. candida, M. spectabilis 
and their varieties, are very beautiful, and should be more generally seen, 
and in the hybrids, such as M. X Joiceyana, M. X Binoti, and M. xX. 
leucoglossa, we have colours not met with often, and most of them provide 
good material for button-hole work. 
* 
