20 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



grapes, which every one knows full well how to 

 utilise, while the leaves will afford an agreeable 

 shade to the plants. In the Peruvian House, in 

 addition to cool country Ferns, we advise the roof 

 to be thinly covered with the shoots of the red and 

 white forms of Lapagorias. The temperature will 

 suit these plants exactly, and their beautiful pen- 

 dulous bell-shaped flowers will produce an effect not 

 often realised, but never to be forgotten. 



Potting. — It wiU not be necessary to enlarge 

 upon the potting or basketing of Orchids, as the 

 details will be given in treating of each genus sepa- 

 rately. Suffice it to say that the material used for the 

 epiphytal kinds should be living Sphagnum, and 

 the fibrous portion of peat which is left after all 

 the fine soil has been beaten out. Such plants, how- 

 ever, as Vandas, Aerides, Angraecums, Saccolabiums, 

 &c. &c., do not like peat fibre, but should have 

 Sphagnum only. 



In potting epiphytes with pseudo-bulbs, the mate- 

 rial should be raised above the rim of the pot into 

 the form of a little cone, and the base of the pseudo- 

 bulbs must sit upon the summit. This system is 

 necessary in order to prevent decay to the eyes, 

 which spring from the base. The same also will 

 apply to Dendrobriums, &c., which have stem-like 

 pseudo-bulbs, but is not material in the case of the 

 distichous kinds, such as Aerides and Vandas, which 

 continue to grow from the summit. 



Orchid-pots have already been treated upon, the 

 perforated ones being the most preferable, because 

 they allow the roots to push into the air, and thus, 

 instead of the roots djdng, as they too frequently do 

 in close pots, they continue healthy and give proper 

 nourishment to the plants. With the terrestrial 

 kinds, however, the case is very different. Here the 

 ordinary pots must be used, and the soil required 

 is much closer, in some instances even stiff loam 

 being the most suitable. With these plants the soil 

 does not require elevating above the rim of the pot, 

 but in all and every case the drainage must be 

 perfect. 



The plants grown upon blocks require but a very 

 small quantity of moss ; this should be fastened on 

 with fine copper wire. There is no doubt that this 

 is the most natural mode of treatment, but very much 

 more care is required in their culture, it being almost 

 impossible to keep the atmosphere sufficiently charged 

 with moisture for their sustenance. 



Rest.— Orchids for the most part require a period 

 of rest which corresponds with the dry season 

 of their native habitats, although some of the 

 mountain species from New Grenada and Peru 

 would appear to have no season of repose. We 



often read of the terrible drought which vegetation 

 has to endure in many parts of Asia, and no doubt 

 hundreds of plants never survive the ordeal ; but as 

 the Orchid-grower at home wishes every one of his 

 plants to awake, the trial must not be too severe. 

 Resting is an operation which requires discretion. 

 After growth is completed and well set up, the 

 temperature should be lowered, and the supply of 

 water gradually withdrawn. When the plant 

 appears to be quite dormant, the supply may be 

 stopped, and unless the leaves or pseudo-bulbs show 

 signs of distress by shrivelling, no more should be 

 given until the time comes round for again starting 

 it into growth. 



Diseases. — These plants like aU others are 

 subject to disease, which in some instances is 

 brought about through the agency of insect pests. 

 A disease called the spot," from the cauker-like 

 blotciies which show themselves on the leaves, and 

 which in many instances spreads rapidly, causing 

 destruction to the symmetry of the plant, and even 

 death, has to a very great extent disappeared 

 lately from our collections. This we attribute 

 to the more rational treatment which these plants 

 now receive, the disease arising from a super- 

 abundance of moisture diiring winter, combined 

 with a foul and stagnant atmosphere. But even 

 this is not a disease brought about b}- cultivation, 

 for we have seen marks of it on the leaves of newly- 

 imported plants, thus proving that the plants may 

 meet with uncongenial surroundings even in a 

 state of nature. 



Orchids, especially the kinds with two-ranked 

 leaves, are very much disfigured at times by their 

 young leaves turning a dirty rust- colour, instead of 

 bright green. These have had all the colour drawn 

 out of them by an insect called the red-thrip. It 

 is perhaps the worst pest the cultivator has to 

 contend with. Some advise fumigating as the best 

 means of destroying them. We are, however, opposed 

 to fumigating Orchids, having found that such plants 

 as Vandas invariably lose some of the lower leaves a 

 few days after the operation, which of course de- 

 stroyed the symmetry of the plants and reduced their 

 value. Our experience with the red-thrip proves 

 that dusting the parts affected with tobacco-powder, 

 allowing it to remain on for a day or two without 

 becoming wet, completely exterminated them with- 

 out injury to the plant. The other pests which 

 attack Orchidaceous plants are yellow-fly, green-fly, 

 black-thrip, white and brown scale, and mealy-bug. 

 For all these we prefer washing the parts affected 

 with a sponge, using a mixture of soft-soap and 

 tobacco- water, to applying any violent remedy, 

 which may perchance prove more detrimental than 



