AERIDES. 



69 



to ventilate the house wherein they are grown somewhat freely in the early morning, 

 and to keep the blinds up until the foliage begins to feel warm to the touch through 

 the action of the sun. The compost will consist of live, clean sphagnum moss, with 

 numerous large lumps of charcoal or pottery ballast incorporated, as the potting or 

 basketing proceeds, to prevent closeness and secure abundance of air to the roots. 



The best time to re-basket or surface-dress the plants is in early spring. The roots 

 of these orchids are the best indicators of the time to carry out various details of 

 culture. In spring they commence growing, the tip of each root losing the clouded 

 white appearance, and becoming green and soft. This shows that active growth is 

 imminent, and is, therefore, the right time to allow a little more moisture than they 

 have been receiving during the winter. When growth is almost finished for the year 

 these tips cloud over again, indicating the fact that it is time to again reduce the water 

 supply. 



Be careful not to unduly disturb the plants when re-potting, do not retain a single 

 decayed root, and avoid breaking or bruising any that are healthy. When old- 

 established specimens are well rooted, both inside the pot and out, it is better to 

 break the pot than to try and force the plants out, this causing great damage to the 

 roots. A long, straight root may often be removed from the pot by well soaking with 

 warm water. It is a good plan when re-potting to cut off the bottom of any plant that 

 may be unhealthy, this preventing decay from spreading to other parts. Syringing is 

 of great benefit to these orchids while growing, provided the weather is fine and the 

 water is not used in too great volume. A gentle spray is better than a heavy douche, 

 and the water should be soft— or, at any rate, not greatly impregnated with lime. 

 Scale is the worst insect enemy, the eradication of which is treated on page 66. 



Eepresentative Species. 



Aerides crassifolium.— A stout, free-growing spe- 

 cies, producing long, pendulous racemes of 

 flowers of a bright rosy- purple tint. Moulrnein, 

 1864 (h). 



A. crispum. — A variable kind, many of the forms 

 having special names, as A. c. Lindleyanum, A. 

 c. Warneri, and others. Stems often tinged with 

 purple ; flower spikes on strong plants a yard 

 long ; blossoms two inches across, white, with 

 spots of purple. Southern India, 1840 (h). 



A. falcatum. — A popular species, met with under 

 various names. Leaves broad and handsome ; 



flowers numerous, white, spotted crimson, pro- 

 duced in racemes in summer. Burmah, 1847 (h). 



A. Fieldingi (the Eox Brush Aerides, so named on 

 account of the contour of the racemes). — A medium 

 grower, but very floriferous ; the flowers small 

 individually, but the racemes magnificent ; seg- 

 ments white, irregularly spotted with purple. 

 Sikkim, 1850 (/). 



A. Lawrenci/e. — A grand species; habit strong; spikes 

 large ; flowers richly coloured, fragrant, waxy 

 white, with magenta tips ; lip spurred, centre lobe 

 amethyst. Mindanao, 1883. 



