ORCHID-HOUSE. 



691 



rather drier and cooler, and for this reason 

 should be placed in the warmest part of the 

 intermediate house. In the month of April, if 

 they can be accommodated with a temperature 

 of 75° by day, and kept still moderately dry, 

 their wood will ripen, and flower-buds be induced 

 to form. Afterwards, if again placed in the 

 warmer division with plenty of moisture, they 

 will flower freely. 



SELECTION OF ORCHIDS WHICH SHOULD BE 

 GROWN IN POTS. 



Anguloa. — A genus of fine-flowering, free- 

 growing plants ; they are natives of the tempe- 

 rate parts of South America ; therefore during 

 their season of rest they require little more 

 than exclusion from frost. During their grow- 

 ing period they require a day temperature of 

 from 65° to 70°, accompanied with a correspond- 

 ing degree of humidity. Their season of rest 

 should extend from the end of September to 

 the middle of March. 



Anoectochilus. — A genus of exceedingly beau- 

 tiful leaved plants, but without any particular 

 beauty in their flowers. They are natives of 

 Borneo, Java, and Ceylon, found on moist 

 shaded rocks; they prosper well in pots well 

 drained and filled with sandy peat, small frag- 

 ments of rotten twigs, and covered with green 

 moss. (We cover ours with dwarf Lycopods). 

 They should be kept covered with a bell - glass, 

 and never be allowed to flower, particularly 

 while young and weak. As the leaves are their 

 greatest beauty, the flowers may safely be sacri- 

 ficed to them. A shaded moist part of a warm 

 orchid -house we have found best for these 

 plants. 



Arundina. — Require a high temperature, 

 being natives of the warmer parts of India. As 

 they retain their leaves at all times, they require 

 a moderate supply of water, even during the 

 season of rest, which, with our plants, seems to 

 coincide with our natural winter. They seem 

 to prefer a soil of half peat and half semi- 

 decayed tree-leaves. 



Bletia. — Some of this genus have been 

 amongst our longest cultivated orchids. They 

 are truly terrestrial, being always found growing 

 in soil in their native habitats. They appear to 

 thrive in strong loam in their native country, 

 but the same soil has been found unfitted for 

 them in a cultivated state, light fibrous sandy 

 loam seeming to suit them best ; and although 

 some recommend the addition of peat earth, we 

 have not found it beneficial. Deciduous terres- 

 trial orchids, such as these are, are seldom found 

 in anything like perfection in our collections. 

 Their culture, indeed, has been little understood. 

 The season of potting most suitable appears to 

 be February, when the old soil should be com- 

 pletely shaken from the roots. In potting, let 

 the bulbs be just covered, and no more, with the 

 fresh compost, which should be turfy fibrous 

 light loam. The pots should then be set in an 

 intermediate temperature, slightly watered, and 

 placed as near to the glass as possible, until the 

 shoots and leaves appear, after which the quan- 

 tity of water should be increased ; for during 



the growth of the leaves and the production of 

 the flower stems they can scarcely have too 

 much water, air, and full exposure to light. ^ As 

 the new bulbs attain their full size, the foliage 

 will begin to show symptoms of ripeness by 

 changing to a yellowish hue. After this, water 

 should be gradually withheld, and the pots re- 

 moved to a cool house or cold pit. Keep them 

 in a state of rest till February, and re-pot them 

 as before. 



Brassia. — Although this genus succeeds very 

 well in pots, we grow most of ours in baskets ; 

 but these are not suspended. The genus occu- 

 pies a great range of latitude, and consequently 

 requires some difference .in temperature. This 

 must be considered and acted upon. 



Burlingtonia Candida and regida, as we have 

 already stated, thrive better in pots than treated 

 like the rest of the genus. The latter requires 

 to be placed in a thoroughly drained pot in very 

 porous material ; and as it is naturally a plant of 

 shade, it should be placed in the warmest divi- 

 sion of the orchid-house in a moderately shaded 

 place, and supplied abundantly with water 

 throughout the spring and summer, which is its 

 growing period. During its season of rest, 

 which coincides^ with our natural autumn and 

 winter, give it less water and heat. 



Calanthe. — The treatment recommended for 

 Bletia is applicable to Calanthe, excepting that 

 the species of that genus which retain their 

 leaves requires more water during their season 

 of rest, as well as a rather higher degree of tem- 

 perature. They also require a greater degree of 

 heat and moisture while in their growing state. 



Catasetum. — We have already stated that this 

 singular genus will thrive when grown on blocks 

 of wood ; and we might readily take this for 

 granted, seeing they inhabit the highest branches 

 of trees in the hottest of the South American 

 forests. In culture, however, they are found to 

 thrive equally well when planted in pots in very 

 fibrous and porous material, provided with 

 ample drainage. Being naturally exposed to 

 the sun, they should occupy a place in the orchid- 

 house where as much light as possible may 

 reach them. 



Cattleya. — We have already given the names 

 of those of this genus which prefer growing 

 upon blocks ; a much greater number, however, 

 and those of a high degree of merit, in this 

 splendid family, are found to prosper in pots in 

 properly prepared compost. And this compost 

 should consist of the most fibrous material pos- 

 sible, such as the remaining vegetable matter 

 in turfy peat, after the finer or more decom- 

 posed parts are separated by beating it well and 

 sifting. To this add sphagnum chopped small, 

 with lumps of sandstone about an inch cube, 

 and a few broken fragments of pots. The tem- 

 perature throughout the growing season should 

 range from 75° to 80°, and during sunshine it 

 may rise to 85°, while during night from 65° to 

 70° will be ample. Water freely during the 

 growing time, but be careful that none lodge in 

 the centres of the young shoots. The tem- 

 perature during the season of rest should be 

 regulated to from 55° at night to 65° during 

 the day, at which time watering should be 



