34 
THE ORCHID WORLD. 
OUR AMATEURS' PAGE. 
TREATMENT OF NEWLY IMPORTED 
PLANTS. 
Considerable anxiety is often shown by 
amateurs when imported plants arrive, either 
direct from their native land or through the 
trade establishments, as to what is the best 
thing- to do with them, the general impres- 
sion being that the plants having been with- 
out light and water for many weeks are unable 
to withstand this unnatural treatment any 
longer, and that unless these wants are 
speedily forthcoming they will quickly per.sh. 
When this notion prevails an amateur will 
often place his newly purchased imported 
plants in the warmest and brightest part of 
the greenhouse, put them at once into large 
pots completely filled with compost, and 
drench them with water. Such treatment as 
this invariably brings failure, and quickly k'lls 
the plant. 
As soon as the ]ilants are received they 
should be carefully gone over, and all dead 
parts removed with a sharp knife, every bulb 
and leaf should then be sponged with insecti- 
cide in order to remove the many kinds of 
scale and small insects, all of which are great 
pests to the orchid grower. 
After this cleaning process they should be 
laid on some fairly dry mosis, or even hung up 
as they are, and be carefully shaded from the 
sun's rays for the first few days, the moisture 
of the house being generally sufficient durmg 
this period. More light may be afterwards 
given, and on bright warm days a slight 
r,prinkling of tepid water will be beneficial ; 
this should be done early in the morning in 
order that the surplus water may dry up 
before night time. This treatment may last 
a few days or several weeks, much depending 
on the class and condition of the orchid and 
the season of the year. 
After this stage it is advisable to place the 
plants in the pots in which they are to grow, 
filling them with small pieces of broken crock, 
no compost being given until new roots can 
be discerned ; more water can now be sup- 
plied without fear of rotting them and 
generally with advantage to the plant 
One of the greatest mistakes that amateurs 
can possibly make, and when commencing 
orchid culture they invariably do it, is to place 
the plants in pots or pans several sizes too 
large. A pot should be just large enough to 
comfortably take the plant and leave sufficient 
room for one or two more bulbs to be made. 
If the plant has several growths place it in the 
pot in such a way that as many as possible 
of them may be equidistant from the rim of 
the pot, and always make quite sure that the 
plant will not wriggle about, by tying it to a 
stick firmly embedded in the crocks, or in the 
case of a pan, to the wires with which it is 
suspended. As soon as root action com- 
mences many of the crocks can be removed 
and their place taken by some compost. 
Frequently the imported plants are ill- 
shaped, and this is a good opportunity to 
divide the plant, and replace the parts 
together in order that the leading growths 
may take their proper position, and at this 
stage it can be done without the slightest 
injury, so long as three or more good bulbs 
are left to support each leading eye or growth. 
It is never considered good policy to leave 
a mass of dead or broken roots on the 
imported plant, for when confined to pots, 
they soon decay and become a mass of sod- 
dened matter, which is most objectionable to 
any new roots. Carefully cut away all such 
matter, and if only a few roots, several inches 
in length, are left, they will quickly break out 
and re-establish themselves. 
When divided plants are being potted it is 
not necessary to replace all the pieces in the 
same pot, they will often grow better when 
potted singly in smaller pots ; each piece 
should be labelled, so that if one plant flowers 
the nature of the variety can be written on 
the labels of the other pieces, and in the case 
of a good variety turning up this will often 
prove of great advantage as the other plants 
now known to be valuable need not be 
allowed to flower until strong enough ; it is a 
very great check to a plant to flower before 
it is thoroughly established and has made 
almost full-sized bulbs. 
