230 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [AuGUST, 1909. 
some time yet, and do not check the plants in any way if it can 
be avoided. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISPUM.—Towards the end of this month is one of 
the best seasons for potting Odontoglossum crispum, and any of the hybrids 
that have their growths about half made up, for the cooler conditions 
outside and the heavy dews at night help them to get established quickly. 
Do not overpot, or it will take two seasons before a good spike can be got 
out of the plant, and be careful not to break more roots than is absolutely 
necessary, especially in repotting specimen plants. Remove all useless 
back bulbs, and if they are needed for propagation, they can be potted up 
in small pots, and placed by themselves where they can have a little extra 
attention, especially when they are valuable varieties. Two bulbs and the 
young growth are quite enough to leave on, especially in the case of 
specimen plants, as then they will go on for several seasons without 
repotting. Turn the young growth inwards, not over the edge of the pots, 
and then they will root into the compost, instead of over the side of the 
pot. The same thing applies in repotting the smaller plants. When the 
old bulbs have been removed the plant will repot into the same size, or just 
one size larger, and if the young growth is in the centre of the pot it will 
give it, and also the next bulb, plenty of room to root without getting over 
the side of the pot and looking unsightly. Work the material carefully in 
between the roots, and not push all the roots to the bottom of the pot, as is 
so often done, and then wonder why the plant does not grow, when all 
the time the fault is to be found in the potting. For a compost, use three 
parts polypodium fibre or fern fibre and one part leaves, and top the plants 
neatly with clean moss. Do not get the plants above the rim of the pots. 
Stage all newly-potted plants by themselves, so that no mistakes will 
occur in watering, and syringe them overhead several times daily until they 
get re-established. Plants that do not need repotting but are looking 
shabby should have all the old moss carefully picked out and re-topped with 
fresh, which will be a great aid to the new roots, and also make the plants 
look much smarter. When using a lot of new moss a sharp look-out must 
be kept for slugs, for no matter how well moss is washed, slugs always 
make their appearance after it has been on for a short time. Lettuce 
leaves laid on the stages are a very good trap for them, especially when 
looked over with a lamp after dark. By this means they can soon be 
cleared out with a little trouble. With open stages slugs have not much 
chance of hiding, but where ash stages are used it is much more trouble to 
get rid of them. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM GRANDE will be pushing up its spikes, and will require 
plenty of water until the flowers are open. These should be placed in an 
airy position, and close to the glass, then they will make sturdy spikes and 
