﻿April, 1904.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 109 



As regards Odontoglossum crispum, and the other inhabitants of the 

 Cool house, I cannot speak with much knowledge. One thing I have 

 resolved, viz., never again will I endeavour to establish imported crispum in 

 the new material. I lost nearly 40 per cent, of an importation by trying 

 it, and we were very careful with the watering, but perhaps not careful 

 enough. As I have said above, I do not like it for weak plants or plants 

 without roots, though I may say here that I have used it for imported 

 Cattleya labiata, and never lost one. The Cool house Oncidiums all do 

 well in it. Odontoglossum Pescatorei seems to revel in it ; hung up near the 

 light, it makes very fine bulbs, and throws large branched spikes ; one 

 plant recently flowering for the first time, had about one hundred flowers 

 on one spike. 



Otherwise my only trial of it with O. crispum was with a lot of 

 established plants ; but we made the mistake of surfacing the material with 

 a layer of peat and moss. The result was interesting though not satisfactory. 

 On turning out the plants, the roots in the majority of cases were strong 

 and healthy so long as they kept to the peat and moss ; but died as soon as 

 they touched the leaf-mould. The latter was a caked sodden mass ; why ? 

 Because the plants were watered when the peat wanted it, and it wanted it 

 long before the leaf-mould did. Here and there we found a different 

 condition of affairs. Some plants had escaped this over-watering, whether 

 by chance or because of better drainage I cannot say, and their roots were 

 strong, healthy, and permeating the mould in every direction. No better 

 proof was needed that it was only the watering that did the mischief. I 

 have not tried it further for O. crispum. Those that survived of the imported 

 plants referred to previously, are doing excellently, but I really cannot 

 conscientiously say that they are doing better than the rest of my crispums 

 that are in peat. The latter do so well that I hesitate to make the change ; 

 still I mean to go on making fresh trials, and it is quite possible I may yet 

 have all my established crispums in the new material. 



I may say that I do not consider the syringe is a good instrument to 

 use ; too much water gets into the pots. Our plants get their refreshment 

 frequently during the day in suitable weather, from a very tine automatic 

 sprayer. The outside weather conditions are the sole guide as to it use. 



In conclusion, let me say that I am absolutely convinced that leaf- 

 mould, v, ith proper care, gives far and away better results than peat for 

 the plants mentioned in the preceding remarks. The reservation I have 

 made in these two words ''proper care," means everything. I do not 

 think written words will teach anyone ; nothing but actual experience is of 

 much use. Therefore to any amateurs who are thinking of trying it, let me 

 advise them only to pot up a few plants to begin with, and as the 

 experience is gained let them extend their operations to their more valuable 



