40 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[November, 1913. 



are those made in contact with the inside of 

 the pot, where they obtain a supply of air 

 through the porous material. The applic ,ticn 

 of water to the compost always carries some 

 of the nutriment to these roots, and on 

 account of their healthy and vigorous 

 condition they are at once able to absorb it 

 for the general good of the plant. 



Sphagnum moss forms one of the best 

 guides to the amount of moisture in the 

 compost. A few living heads should always 

 be visible on the surface. When the compost 

 becomes dry the moss assumes a whitish 

 nature, and when water is applied it rapidly 

 turns to a bright green colour. 



Although fresh air is very needful, care 

 must always be taken to ensure protection 

 from draughts. There is always the chance 

 of suspending plants too near one of the 

 roof ventilators, and thereby placing them in 

 direct contact with the outside air, which is 

 either too cold or else too dry for their 

 welfare. The same remarks apply to those 

 houses constructed with side ventilators above 

 good method of avoiding 

 th ese direct currents of cold air is to cover 

 the opening with tiffany, or other material 

 used for summer shading. This prevents 

 sudden gusts of cold air entering the house, 

 yet at the same time allows sufficient 

 ventilation. Very strong and well-ripened 

 plants can withstand much ventilation, and, 

 in fact, greatly benefit by its reasonable use, 

 but small and sickly plants require it less 

 frequently and in a smaller degree. In 

 practice it will be found much better to allow 

 a continuous, yet small ventilation, rather 

 than a sudden change created by opening all 

 the ventilators at the same time. Excessive 

 ventilation allows too much of the atmospheric 

 moisture to escape, while insufficient ven- 

 tilation causes the moisture to condense on 

 the roof and sash-bars, with the result that 

 drops of cold water are continually falling 

 upon the plants and doing much damage. 



Many growers use the blinds on the houses 

 during the whole of the year, and on all 

 cold winter nights place them over the glass 

 to prevent a loss of heat, and thus save some 

 of the fuel. 



Orchid Sale. — Duplicate plants from 

 Mr. Wm. Bolton's collection were sold by 

 auction by Messrs. Protheroe and Morris, at 

 Warrington, October i/th, 1913- The 

 following prices are of interest : Odonto- 

 glossum ardentissimum Dons, three bulbs, 

 one lead, 10 gns. ; O. crispum The Nyzam, 

 four bulbs, one growth, 8 gns. ; O. crispum 

 Marie, 7 gns. ; O. crispum Luciani, 10 gns. ; 

 Miltonia vexillaria chelseaensis, one bulb, one 

 growth, 4 gns.; M. vexillaria alba Bolton's var., 

 one bulb, one strong growth, 7 gns. ; Cattleya 

 Souvenir de Queen Victoria, five large bulbs, 

 16 gns.; C. Warscewiczii Frau Melanie 

 Beyrodt, five bulbs, 5 gns. ; C. Suzanne Hye 

 de Crom, four large bulbs, in sheath, 10 gns. ; 

 Cypripedium Dreadnought, one old and one 

 new growth, 5 gns. ; C. Boltoni, one old and 

 one new growth, part of the original certifi- 

 cated plant, 14 gns. ; a similar plant showing 

 flower, 1 5 gns. ; and C. Lion, two strong 

 growths, 5 gns. 



MaxILLARIA LUTEO-ALBA.— Oar illustra- 

 tion on next page shows a remarkable 

 specimen of Maxillana luteo-alba flowering 

 in Mr. Walter Cobb's collection at Norman- 

 hurst. Many of the Maxillarias are well 

 worthy of more care and interest being given 

 them than they usually receive, and their 

 attractiveness, when grown to the high state 

 of perfection as the illustration shows, is a 

 strong point in their favour. 



■sj u 



Dendrobium DeAREI. — The illustration 

 on page 42 shows Dendrobium Dearei, 

 McBean's variety, an exceedingly fine form, 

 which received a First-class Certificate, July 

 15th, 1913, when exhibited by Messrs. J. and 

 A. McBean. This plant has since passed into 

 Mr. O. O. Wrigley's noted collection at Bridge 

 Hall, Bury. We are indebted to the 

 Gardeners Magazine for kind permission to 

 use the block. 



p SJE 



