576 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Of course, this operation must be governed by the amount of 

 roots the plant has below the lowest leaves. In repotting a 

 clean pot should always be used. A layer of large crocks should 

 be placed at the bottom, the plants then placed in position, and 

 as many roots as possible got in. A stick sufficiently long and 

 strong enough to sustain the plant should then be fixed. After 

 this has been done, the whole of the space between the roots 

 should be filled with clean broken crocks to within an inch or 

 so of the top, filling the remainder with chopped sphagnum 

 moss, slightly raised in the centre, and making it moderately 

 firm with a stick in preference to using the fingers_, which 

 latter practice has a tendency to turn the moss sour. Other 

 plants that are well furnished with foliage to the base should 

 not be turned out of the pots ; they should have all the sour 

 material removed, and replaced with good living sphagnum moss 

 and clean broken crocks, the whole being made moderately firm 

 about the roots. After potting the plants should be thoroughly 

 watered, using a moderately fine-rosed water-can. The water used 

 is an essential consideration if it is desired to keep the moss 

 in a green and growing condition in any class of Orchids. If 



Fig. 360. — Vanda teres. 



possible rain-water only should be employed. Hard water* soon 

 has disastrous effects on the moss. 



The best varieties of Vandas to grow are those of the 

 F. tricolor section, of which there are varied forms, and all are 

 interesting. V. De7iisoniana is creamy-white, and a desirable kind ; 

 V. cosrulea^ with its azure - blue flowers, is one of the finest in 



