360 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [DECEMBER, 1906 
May to the end of September. Tanks, as usual, are under the stages, and 
small iron cisterns placed along the paths, to dip the can into, complete this 
most successful group of houses. 
‘The potting compost used is oak leaves and sphagnum in equal parts; 
the leaves are gathered in autumn from the woods and kept in the open 
under a little shed ; they are used after rubbing through a half inch sieve. 
To this mixture is added about one-sixth silver sand, and into that go the 
plants with no drainage of either crocks or rhizomes. Out of that compost 
come plants that are as good as man can wish for, and into the pot go the 
roots in great quantity and in quality, such as no man can wish for better. 
“There are some 80,000 Odontoglossums, and in some of the houses 
are a few of the old régime still hanging up on the roof in the moss (alone) 
that used to be the order of the day then. You do not need to look at 
them more than once to see the benefit of the new treatment, under which 
they are all going the same way, viz., from little plants into big ones. 
‘“‘ The largest crispums and luteos are a sight to see, immense growths 
coming up everywhere and double breaks in quantity. To particularise 
them would be a positive labour; I measured one luteopurpureum growth 
of 2} inches wide at base and 18 inches high, and the bulb had only just 
began to form. Of these there are 30 plants in 8 to 12-inch pots, a couple 
of which have three heads. Large crispum plants are here by hundreds.” 
After mentioning some of the fine varieties of crispum grown, also O. X 
Wilckeanum Stevensii, ‘‘ under its second name of crispum Alpha (kept on 
it to mark its origin),” Mr. Crawshay proceeds :—‘‘ Garden hybrids are 
here by the hundred, and rapid propagation of these is being practiced, for 
it is found that they are in increasing demand annually, and Mr. Bolton is 
not afraid of their value falling to bed-rock level, as some people fear they 
will. Of course, as is well known, these garden hybrids grow themselves, 
but they do not always succeed in dividing themselves, so that each plant 
makes two of the same size, as will shortly be the case here. 
‘‘ The change in the quality of the growth is one of the most remarkable 
things I have seen in Orchid culture in so short a time, and if it continues 
upon its present lines (I see no reason why it should not) Wilderspool will 
be one of the sights of the North.” 
Mr. Crawshay concludes with a note on i remarking that 
the insigne and bellatulum sections do well at Wilderspool. ‘‘ Of insigne 
Sanderz there are some 500 plants, many dozens of them being in 8 to 
1o-inch pots, and with a dozen growths or more. They grow like Trades- 
cantia, under a damp stage, and it is no trouble to propagate them as fast 
as may be desired. When in bloom this house will be an extraordinary 
sight indeed, and well worth a journey to see them alone. C. Fairrieanum 
is here in hundreds, and at present seems to like a coolish treatment.” 
