282 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
without the necessary supply of air to counteract such enervating 
influences, by which an Orchid may get like an over-fed, cooped-up hen, 
with the same inevitable results. 
Vanda ccerulea is another beautiful Orchid for present blooming, and one 
finding favour with most growers. That it is not more amenable to good 
culture is generally regretted, for few growers can boast of keeping it for 
many years in succession in anything like a happy condition. It gets that 
watery spot on the leaves which afterwards turns black, eventually having 
to be cut out, thus leaving a permanent disfigurement. After a good deal 
of practice and many experiments with this species, I find that it is better 
to treat it rather differently from most others, and instead of trying the 
orthodox system of growing Orchids—namely, pots and baskets with the 
usual complements of crocks and surfacing with sphagnum—to plant it out 
in a suitable position where it is unlikely to again be disturbed. Select a 
house where there is a good deal of warmth during the summer months, 
such, for instance, as a Cattleya house, or it may be a stove, if not kept too 
hot ; then select a position not too far from the glass, and where there is a 
good amount of light and air. Then procure a quantity of clinkers from 
the stokehole fire, which have been exposed to the weather for at least 
a month, place these in a lump at the selected place, and place on them the 
plants, keeping them well moistened several times daily until the roots are 
sufficiently established down in the moist crevices of the clinkers, after 
which they are better able to derive their own support. The winter 
temperature of this house may descend as low as 40° if the atmosphere is 
dry, without doing the least injury, though it is, of course, safer to keep it 
nearer 50°. It may be asked, Why not plant out in brickbats, crocks, or 
charcoal? to which I would reply, Because the properties emitted from a 
clinker have been found to be of great value to Orchidaceous plants in 
general, greatly assisting them both in building up new growth and warding 
off disease. Moreover, clinkers are clean, so far as troublesome insect life 
is concerned. And I would even advise that all Orchid pots and baskets be 
crocked with clinkers instead of the burnt earth or brick rubbish before 
mentioned. This planting out system is good for all Vandas; also Aérides, 
Saccolabiums, and Angrecums, although it may not be necessary to 
recommend it for others, as they are easily managed by the usual methods. 
Vanda Kimballiana is another species now in full bloom. This grows 
well in a basket—with just sufficient material to keep it stable—suspended 
in the Cattleya house, where the air can circulate freely round it. Syringe 
it pretty freely during growth, and the roots will soon show their apprecia- 
tion of this method of watering by growing out and hanging down in 
clusters. 
Then, again, we have that sweetly pretty Miltonia spectabilis, which 
