310 THE ORCHID REVIEN. 
through being kept too wet at the roots. They should not, of course, be 
baked up with drought, so as to cause shrivelling ; but I am certain that 
it is far safer to err on the dry side than on the wet. I speak of all 
plants, in whatever stage of growth they may chance to be. You may 
keep your plants in a continually saturated atmosphere, and always wet 
at the root, and try to force growth the whole year round, and with more 
or less success, but growth will never be free and robust, and the trouble 
they give is great. Never will they grow luxuriantly and freely until it is 
recognised that rest, at some period of the year, is equally as important 
for Orchids as for all other plants. 
The inmates of the Intermediate house should likewise be kept drier. 
The fore-going remarks on damping down and watering will exactly apply 
here. More warmth from the pipes will, of course, be necessary, inasmuch 
as the degree to be maintained is higher. But, even here, there will 
probably be many days and nights during this month when but very little 
artificial heat will be necessary. Bear in mind that when a little fire-heat 
may be advantageous to assist in securing a suitable atmosphere, much 
may have an opposite effect, and be almost as bad as thcugh none at all 
were employed. Let the top ventilators be used in accordance with the 
outside weather, as late into the season as possible, for the plants will now 
be comparatively hardy and able to withstand larger volumes of air at this 
autumn season than they will in spring. Manage this month to have more 
or less bottom air on, night and day. 
The East Indian house:—In this department little can be added to the 
instructions given for the previous one. For some little time longer this will 
probably require to be damped down twice daily pretty regularly. Give air 
at all times whenever possible, though, of course, a greater amount of 
caution in doing so has here to be adopted. Commence also to reduce 
considerably the amount of water given to the plants. 
The deciduous Calanthes will now almost have completed their new 
pseudodulbs, and begin to push up their spikes for blooming a month or 
two hence, and a much less supply of water is now required. The large 
green foliage will gradually decay until none are left, and the flowers 
will then gradually expand, requiring but little water to assist them. They 
come on and expand much better in the Warm house where they have 
been grown, but last longer if then removed into an Intermediate 
department. 
As mentioned last month, Cattleya labiata and C. Dowiana aurea 
are now very beautiful. I think I have before warned growers that these 
two species are very apt to be weakened and disfigured by the partial 
loss of their new bulbs directly after flowering, unless they are then 
looked after and prevented from doing so. This decay sets in from 
