56 



REPORT ON THE 



that Orchid roots and young growths did not like metallic 

 substances, and slate was employed to make baskets of different 

 shapes, which were fitted with wire suspenders. Later on the 

 designs were very varied and fanciful, baskets being made 

 of scollop-shells, cocoa-nut husks, rods of hazel, oak, and 

 maple, all of which were found objectionable for some reason or 

 other. 



During all this time the ordinary flower-pot was making 

 way, disguised to meet the case by having holes and slits to 

 accommodate the air roots. This fashion of flower-pot at length 

 became extensively used, but as it was alleged against it that it 

 harboured insects, it had to give way to the plain, common 

 garden pot, which is now doing such great service. But I am 

 sure that we have allowed the common flower-pot to encroach 

 too far, and that while we beat our predecessors with odonto- 

 glossums, masdevallias, and many other things which do per- 

 fectly well in pots, we have certainly lost ground with 

 saccolabiums, aerides, and plants of that nature ; so much so, 

 that they are but poorly represented in many otherwise good 

 collections. My own opinion is that it is solely through potting 

 them instead of basketing them, and that in pots the chances 

 are against them on many points. Their large fleshy roots do 

 not get the air in pots that they do in baskets, and when potted 

 they are generally placed on the stage too far from the glass, 

 and retain the water given them longer than these plants like. 



Against these arguments it is said, with much truth, that it 

 is impossible to suspend everything, and that when baskets are 

 used they are dangerous to the plant when decaying. To this 

 it may be answered that if it is for the benefit of the plant, some 

 means of raising it to a fair distance from the glass should be 

 loan J, and that if the saccolabiums and aerides have done well 

 in baskets, which w T ould have done badly in pots, the trouble of 

 removing the old basket and replacing it with a new one ought 

 not to be considered. The saccolabium specimens at Mrs. 

 Lawrence's, that with twenty spikes at Mr. Blandy's, and all the 

 others in those days w r ere in baskets, and I do not think their 

 equals will ever be found in pots. 



The Orchid baskets, too, are so much improved in the 

 present day that all objection to them has been removed, and I 

 venture to predict a great future for them. I should like those 

 who are not satisfied with their saccolabiums, aerides, and smaller 



