THE BOOK OF ORCHIDS 



broken crocks, and a little peat fibre. After being 

 potted, they appear more attractive if six or eight plants 

 are plunged in moss in a large shallow pan, and a bell- 

 glass with a hole at the apex placed over them. This 

 hole should be stopped with a cork, so that till the 

 plants begin to grow they may, during the greater part 

 of the time, be kept close. The compost used should 

 be kept in a moist but not wet state, and the interior of 

 the bell-glass wiped dry every morning. When the 

 plants have become established and begin to grow, the 

 bell-glass may be tilted a little during the daytime, and 

 the cork removed, but at night it should be closed again. 

 They require plenty of shade, but it is advisable to shade 

 one side of the glass only. When the plants have done 

 growing, the flower spikes push up» These may be 

 pinched off and the plants stood in a corner of the 

 Cattleya house, there to be rested. Whilst here, the 

 plants should not be allowed to get quite dry, but the 

 compost should be always kept moist. If the plants do 

 well, the space within the bell-glass will soon be filled, 

 and the leading growths, as soon as young roots appear, 

 may be divided and repotted into separate pots. Anacto- 

 chilus petola, being the least difficult to manage, is the 

 best variety with which to make a beginning, and, if 

 success eventually followed, the other beautiful varieties 

 could be added to the collection. 



Ansellia 



The genus Ansellia is closely allied to Cymbidium, 

 and comprises the following varieties : — A. AJricana, 

 A. confusa, A. congoensis, A. gigantea, A. humilis and A. 

 nilotica. They require the highest temperature available 

 in our houses, and prefer a compost containing peat of 

 good quality, and a little silver sand. When growing 



