108 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [ APRIL, 1907. 
passed through a 3 inch sieve. For all Odontoglossums, except seedlings 
in pots under 23 inches, I like to leave enough room for a surfacing of 
chopped sphagnum. 
The Odontoglossum house will now be gay for some time. Many plants 
‘suffer considerably during the flowering season by allowing the spikes to 
remain on the plants too long. It is all very well to allow a large-bulbed 
and thoroughly rooted plant to carry its spike for a long season, and I have 
‘done it freely without any apparent harm accruing, but when the pseudo- 
bulbs show signs of distress before the flowers begin to expand, the spike 
‘should, for the plant’s sake, be cut off as soon as it is partially open. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM BICTONIENSE.—This pretty species is best suited when 
grown ina house a shade warmer than the Odontogloasum house. The 
growths will now be sufficiently advanced to enable any necessary work 
being done. When the growths have well. extended, water may be given 
freely till they are complete, but at other seasons allow them to become 
well dry previous to watering. 
O. UROSKINNERI.—This quickly overgrows the sides of the pot, but 
fine plants can soon be made by cutting off the leading bulb when the young 
growth is emitting new roots, working out as many as possible of the roots 
attached to the leading bulb. Place these pieces in a very shady position 
where they can be kept well sprayed over, when the check will be scarcely 
perceptible, and the old plant will soon make new leads if it is not 
disturbed. In potting this species do not firm the compost anything like so 
much as is desirable for such forms as O. crispum and its allies, as the thick 
fleshy roots are better able to work in a somewhat light material. 
Pualius.—Thanks to the efforts of the hybridists, we now have some 
most beautiful varieties, which under fair conditions are of easy culture, 
giving splendid spikes of good flowers freely. In most of the species we 
had excessive foliage, necessitating considerable room, and the spikes on 
well-grown plants were often five feet in height, but now the length of leaf 
and spike has been reduced by hybridising that beautiful yet difficult . 
species, P. simulans, with the tall growing forms. The outcome isa most — 
beautiful set of decorative Orchids, both good for exhibition and for beauti- 
fying the houses, and they also make fine materials for cutting for room 
decoration. Among the best are P. x Cooksoni, P. x Norman, and P. X 
amabilis, which have the direct influence of P. simulans, then many of the 
P. Humblotii hybrids are most desirable, such as P. xX Cooksonie and 
P. X Pheebe, and these, together with the secondary hybrids, make one % 
the greatest successes that has attended the efforts of the hybridist. On 
the one hand we had two difficult species, while the other parents, although 4 
very beautilul, were coarse in growth and took up too much room. But a 
Mr. Cookson has altered all this, and has gocd reason to reflect on his 
d 
