562 



THE GAEDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



commence to grow and root, and then, and not 

 till then, should they be finally potted. The 

 length of time after arrival in this country 

 before the plants start into growth differs 

 according to the state in which they were col- 

 lected abroad, &c. Species that require a long 

 rest, and which were collected at the beginning 

 of their resting season, are slow to start, whilst 

 others may begin to grow vigorously in a few 

 days. The condition of the growing-point or 

 bud of the plant must also be considered; if 

 injured or broken off during manipulation by 

 the collector it will be slower to get away again 

 than if it had escaped injury. 



Plants with no distinct pseudo-bulb, or with 

 more or less woody stems and fleshy distichous 

 leaves, such as Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Aerides, 

 Saccolabium, and Cypripedium, are more liable 

 to injury through importation. As soon, there- 

 fore, as they are unpacked they should be 

 saturated by immersing them in a rain-water 

 tank for half an hour, afterwards suspending 

 them singly, head downward, in a shaded house, 

 taking them down and giving them a dip every 

 morning until they are plump, when they 

 should be crocked up in pots or baskets as 

 recommended for pseudo-bulbous kinds. No 

 matter how high a temperature an Orchid may 

 require when established, it should, if freshly 

 imported, be placed in a moderate temperature 

 until it is seen to be about to grow and root 

 freely, when it should be potted and placed 

 with the established plants. 



Table of Temperatures. 



Months. 



January ... 

 February . 

 March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 

 September 

 October ... 

 November 

 December 



Warm House 

 (East Indian). 



Day 



1 >egrees. 



65-70 

 (55-70 

 65-70 

 65-70 

 70-75 

 75-80 

 75-S5 

 75-S5 

 75-SO 

 70-75 

 65-70 

 65-70 



Night 

 I >egrees. 



60 



60 

 60 

 60 

 65 

 70 

 70 

 70 

 70 

 65 

 60 

 60 



Intermediate 



House. 

 Cattleyas, &c. 



Day Night 

 Degrees. Degrees. 



60-65 55 



60-65 

 60-65 

 60-65 

 65-70 

 70-75 

 70-80 

 70-80 

 70-75 

 65-70 

 60-65 

 60-65 



5o 

 55 

 55 

 60 

 65 

 65 

 65 

 65 

 60 

 55 

 55 



Cool House. 



Odontoglos- 



sums <fcc 



Day Night 

 Degrees. Degrees. 



50-55 

 50-55 

 55-60 

 55-60 

 60-65 

 60-65 

 60-70 

 60-70 

 60-65 

 60-65 

 55-60 

 50-55 



4 5 

 45 

 50 

 50 

 55 

 55 

 55 

 55 

 55 

 55 

 50 

 4.3 



The day temperatures to be attained by sun-heat when 

 possible. 



Temperatures. — Orchids grown under compara- 

 tively cool treatment are as a rule the healthiest. 

 A temperature much lower at night than in the 

 day is of vital importance. A thermometer 

 should be in every house, and the required tem- 

 peratures indicated on a tablet attached. Care 



should be taken that the temperature at night 

 does not fall below that prescribed, especially 

 in the case of the lower temperatures; the run- 

 ning up of the temperature in the daytime by 

 sun-heat on hot days, even much beyond that 

 here recommended, need not cause anxiety if 

 the house is properly damped down, ventilated, 

 and shaded. Extra heat, if caused by the sun, 

 is more beneficial than otherwise. Fire-heat, on 

 the contrary, is a necessary evil, and if the 

 temperatures indicated could be maintained 

 without its use, the plants would be all the 

 healthier, excess of artificial heat being too 

 often the cause of the bad health, or even the 

 death, of large numbers of Orchids. 



Humidity of atmosphere is secured by liberally 

 and frequently sprinkling water on the floors 

 and under the stages, and by syringing the 

 walls. It used to be the custom to have 

 evaporating troughs on the hot-water pipes, 

 and to raise steam by syringing the hot pipes, 

 but the practice has been wisely discontinued 

 as it always injures the plants, and sufficient 

 moisture can be maintained in a more natural, 

 simple, and beneficial manner. 



Potting materials. — There is nothing to equal 

 good brown fibre from bracken-peat and living 

 sphagnum moss for all epiphytal Orchids. Where 

 these are to be had nothing else is needed. The 

 fibre of Polypodium vulgare is also used, and 

 is perhaps the next best thing to the bracken- 

 peat fibre, but in this country it is not likely, 

 for many reasons, to get into general use. Un- 

 fortunately a good light, thick sample of the 

 right sort of Orchid peat is difficult to obtain; 

 but rather than pot in bad peat, it is better, 

 where possible, to defer repotting until the 

 best quality can be got. It should be broken 

 up by hand, and on no account beaten to pieces 

 with spade or chopper. The stout bracken 

 rhizomes should be set on one side to be placed 

 over the crocks in the larger pots, as it is excel- 

 lent material for the roots to run amongst, and 

 lasts for years. The sphagnum should be picked 

 over to remove bits of wood and other debris, 

 and if not wanted for immediate use it will 

 keep alive for a considerable time if simply 

 covered with mats and allowed to take the 

 weather under a north wall outside, or in a 

 cold open shed; in no case should it be allowed 

 to get dry, or it will die. 



Potting Epiphytal Orchids. — There can be no 

 set time for potting or basketing Orchids. 

 There are, however, two main seasons in which 

 the whole of the plants should be gone through, 

 and those which require it shifted into new 



