THE BOOK OF ORCHIDS 



this is known, cut the spike at once. By giving the 

 plants a short period of rest, keeping them rather on 

 the dry side as regards waterings, and afterwards afford- 

 ing them such treatment that they may grow vigorously, 

 many valuable plants may be saved and next season be 

 enabled to send out strong flower spikes without loss 

 of strength. 



Evergreen terrestrial Orchids, like Calanthe veratrifolia, 

 C. Sanderiana and Phaius, from warm countries should be 

 potted immediately on their arrival. They prefer a 

 mixture of good fibrous loam, peat, leaf soil and sand, 

 and, though plenty of drainage is necessary, the potting 

 required is more like that accorded to ordinary plants. 

 After being potted they should be put in the warm 

 house, and, when the plants begin to grow, light water- 

 ings must be given at long intervals. As the roots and 

 growth increase, water more frequently until at last the 

 plants are properly established. 



Materials for Potting 



To amateurs and others who may now be commencing 

 to interest themselves in Orchid cultivation, as also to 

 those who have had considerable experience, a few words 

 as to materials for potting may prove useful. Some 

 few years ago when visiting the establishment of M. 

 Delanghe, the well-known horticulturist of Brussels, I 

 was astonished to see a large batch of Cattleya Mossioe 

 in the most luxuriant health, and flowering most pro- 

 fusely, not only from the leading pseudo bulbs, but also 

 from smaller growths which had grown out from the 

 back bulbs ; and, in addition, a large quantity of 

 Oncidium sarcodes, whose pseudo bulbs had attained 

 extraordinary proportions. Being naturally anxious to 

 learn how to attain such marvellous results I asked for 



