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THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 



We may safely assume that with the advent of May the summer treat- 

 ment of Orchids should commence, and as a general guide to the 

 temperature which should be maintained the following figures may be 



East Indian House.— Day, with sun heat, 85 ; without sun, 70° to 

 75°; night, 70 ; morning 6o° to 65 ; the early moining lemperature 

 being the coldest in their native habitats. 



Cattleya and INTERMEDIATE HOUSES. — The inmates of these depart- 

 ments are fond of plenty of heat from now onwards, and these houses 

 may now range from 70^ to 8o°, or higher during sunny, warm weather 

 with a right temperature of 6o° to 65°. 



Cool or Odontoglossum House.— This structure should now be 

 kept as cool as possible, both night and day, for strong heat is most 

 distasteful to Odontoglossums, and especially so if insufficiently venti- 

 lated. The cultivator cannot prevent the temperature rising in hot 

 weather, inside as well as out, but by giving air he can avoid a close, 

 stuffy atmosphere. 



Fire Heat cannot very well be dispensed with yet awhile ; and in 

 the warmest house it must yet be given at night for some time to 

 come, and also during dull, sunless and cold days. The intermediate 

 departments will likewise, unless the weather very much alter, still 

 require a little at night for some few weeks, but during the day, un. 

 less the weather be exceptionally cold and cheerless, none should be 

 needed. Fire heat should only be used when really necessary ; at other 

 times it is an evil, and does more harm than good. 



Moisture. — As we are now entering on the growing season proper, 

 when the days are long and the sun powerful, let there be no lack of 

 atmospheric moisture. This is most necessary at the present time, as 

 everything is bristling with new roots and new growths, which must 

 be encouraged by every possible means. Make use of the syringe about 

 the house, two or three times a day at least, in fact it is now almost 

 impossible to create too much moisture, that is if the ventilators are 

 properly manipulated. 



Watering.— It will scarcely be possible now, generally speaking, to go 

 far wrong in the matter of watering at the root. Much larger supplies are, 

 of course, necessary than in winter. A pretty safe guide to follow is to 

 allow the surface compost to become whitish in appearance, denoting that 

 the under part is also getting dr>% and then to give a good watering with a 

 spouted pot. One can quickly learn if the compost is in a sound and well- 



