150 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
Cyrtopodiums are now starting to grow. These species are rather shy 
bloomers, and rarely do so until very fine large bulbs have been grown, 
which in their turn have been thoroughly well rested throughout the winter. 
The flower spikes should now soon be showing. They appear from the new 
growth when it is about two inches high. The plant should therefore be 
stinted with water in order to force the spike. Should the growth push 
rapidly and commence to produce its leaves, the spike need not be expected, 
and the plant may be watered and grown on in a warm, sunny temperature. 
Proceed with the required re-potting in all directions wherever possible, 
remembering that the roots are now getting very active, and the sooner the 
potting is done the more quickly will the plants again become re-established 
and settle down to grow. Never forget to well shade recently-potted plants 
and to keep pretty well of moisture about them. 
What a beautiful flower! I wonder if I could grow it? I wish I knew 
_ for certain if there is any probability of my being able to grow so-and-so 
under my existing conveniences. Such are the questions, the doubts and 
uncertainties one sometimes hears. I will try and answer these questions 
and trust that my remarks may be of some use to all whom it may concern. 
Under the simple and easily obtainable conditions which I shall here- 
after describe, it is really wonderful what an enormous quantity of different 
species of Orchids can be collected from various parts of the world into one 
or two small houses and there succeed well together, growing and flowering 
freely. There are two important groups, generally known as Intermediate 
house Orchids and Cool house Orchids, which chiefly differ in the former’s 
requiring more warmth during the summer months, when they are making 
their growth, or in other words, their growing season in their native habitats 
is much warmer than their winter or resting season. With the latter section 
there is but little climatic difference between winter and summer, or their 
growing and resting season, it is, I have been told, like one perpetual spring. 
Now, regarding the warmer section, the extra warmth preferred when 
growing offers no difficulties, as nature supplies us with that in the form of 
increased power and warmth from the sun. We may maintain during the 
summer almost any degree we want, and, in fact, if we don’t pay due 
attention to little details such as shading and ventilating, it is quite easy to 
have too much warmth. Now, in order to grow both of these sections up 
to a high standard ot excellence, it will at once be seen that there should 
either be two separate houses or one house divided off in the centre by a 
glass partition, so that the one department may be given more warmth 
during the summer months than the other. In other words the one may 
during summer resemble the Intermediate house and the other the Cool 
house, but during winter, both departments should resemble the Cool house, 
_ and the same amount of hot-water piping will therefore be suitable for both 
