Octul 



llll': OKCllll) WOKl.l). 



7 



watering pot. In justification of this slalc- 

 mcnt 1 would call attention to the weak and 

 sai)i)y nature ol a large propoiiidii ol the 

 plants offered for sale in our Orchid auclion 

 rooms. 



Many J.cTlio-("atlleyas, apart from their 

 usefuhiess as inter-season flowernig plants, 

 arc strongly reeoniniendcd on accf)unt of their 

 floriferous nature, as, for nistance, man)' 

 L;elia purpurata hybrids, of which callisto- 

 glossa and Canhamiana are well-known 

 examples. It is advisalole to a\-oid any large 

 quantities of sjiecies or hybrids of other 

 colours than mauve, pink, or white with 

 coloured hps, for which there is always a sure 

 demand at one price or another, whereas 

 yellow and similar shades are more often than 

 not a chance trade pure and simple. Cattleya 

 Dowiana and C. aurea might, [jcrhaps, be 

 classed as an cxce])tion to this rule, as they 

 generally sell on sight, hut it is questionable 

 whether there would e\er be that sure 

 demand for this gcjrgeous member of the 

 aristocracy of the flora 1 wurki as exists for 

 those of rnauxe tints. -A. R. M. 



OVER-POTTING. 



THE cjuestion of o\'er-potting is, perhaps, 

 more far-reaching in its effects m 

 regard to Orchidaceous [)lants than 

 to any class of j^ot-plant. It is also more 

 applicable to the e})iphytal than to the terres- 

 trial section of these woiulerful denizens of 

 almost all parts of the earth. 



The term over-potting is not so much 

 applicable to the size of the pot as to the 

 quantity of compost which it contains, 

 whether the excess be in regard to breadth, 

 or depth, or both combined. The subsequent 

 harm does not arrive in the mere })rovision of 

 this over-supply of rooting material, but in its 

 effects u])oii the after treatment of the plant 

 in regard to wdtering ;iiid the getting rid of 

 excessive moisture. 



To the grower who lias studied his plants 

 this should be easily apparent, lor when one 

 considers the rapidity with which all surplus 

 water must disappear frcjiii the roots of such 



epiphytal subjects when under natural 

 conditions, it should be readily conceivable 

 that any superabundance of moisture retaining 

 material about the roots must have a 

 detrimental effect. 



Many a grower understands this and 

 applies it m jiracticc with regard to the size 

 of the pots he uses, and yet fails to s(>e its 

 ap])licatioii in regard to tlu^ depth of the 

 material, capable of holding nujisture for any 

 length of time, which he places therein. 



It should be evident that even if pkuits arc 

 ever-potted in regard to the size of the pots, 

 the question of harm resulting through any 

 stagnation of moisture must depend largely 

 u])on the deptli of the material liable to cause 

 '^uch a state, its texture and the extent of the 

 root action of tlic i)lant m regard thereto. 

 Therefore, provided the compost l)e of 

 shallow depth and open nature, and the root 

 action of the plant vigurous, little harm is 

 likely to accrue from the use of pots of 

 too large a size, other than the general 

 unsightliness that attaches to such treatment. 



There can scarcely be any hard and fast 

 rule laid down with regard to this question of 

 pcjttmg any more than to watering, since eacli 

 IS to a large extent dependent on the other, 

 and both upon the condition of the plant at 

 the roots, but a little thought m regard to all 

 three conditions should serve to guide the 

 grower to a well balanced and successful 

 application of both points under c(jiisideration. 



One fact particularly worthy of note is the 

 rapidity with which a period of dryness at the 

 root will cause fresh roots to api)ear, and also 

 the equal rapidity with which any stagnation 

 of moisture will cause them to rot. The fact 

 should never be lost sight of that the confining 

 of the roots of epiphytes into small spaces is 

 quite in contrast to their natural conditions, 

 and as evidence of the rajjid drainage which 

 they enjoy when so enclosed one has but to 

 note the manner in which they will cling to 

 the sides of the pot and ramble amongst the 

 drainage material rather than endure the less 

 rapid drainage of the potting compost it.self. 



In the light of these facts it should be 

 readily understood that the smaller the 

 receptacle used the less danger is there of the 



