i8 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



AUTUMN NOTES. 



THE advent of autumn is a remnider 

 that the growing season of many 

 Orchids has come to an end. The 

 occupants of the Cattleya house have done 

 exceedingly well during this record year of 

 sunshine ; large plump bulbs with strong 

 healthy leaves are to be seen in almost every 

 collection. This encouraging result wil! 

 greatly assist the plants through the forth- 

 coming winter, and enable them to produce 

 their flowers in great perfection. The ten- 

 dency to produce second growths must 

 always be discouraged, for, except in a few- 

 favourable chmates, the season does not 

 extend sufficiently to allow their completion. 

 As soon as a plant has almost finished making 

 its bulb it should be removed to a cooler and 

 drier atmosphere, only sufficient water being 

 given to prevent shrivelling. This pre\ention 

 of further growth will allow the plant to con- 

 centrate all its energies on the production of 

 thick textured flowers of lasting properties. 



Dendrobiums require treatment somewhat 

 similar, but even more sunshine may be given 

 with beneficial results. These plants have 

 the advantage of being able to withstand, 

 during their season of rest, even cooler tem- 

 peratures than those accorded to Cattleyas. 

 In some instances multiplication of the exist- 

 ing stock may be desired in preference to an 

 abundance of flowers. This can easily be 

 accomplished with Dendrobiums, for if the 

 plants are kept in a warm and moist atmo- 

 sphere during tlie autunna and winter, ripening 

 of the bulbs will be prevented, and in place 

 of the usual flower buds in the spring-time 

 many of the nodes will produce young plants. 

 These, after a few months, will produce roots 

 of their own, and may then, with a piece of 

 the old bulb, be potted separately. The 

 autumn, tlierefore, is the time to decide 

 whether flowers or young plants are required. 



Odontoglossums have, by this time of the 

 year, made new growths of considerable size. 

 Although much of the necessary potting has 

 already been done, there are always a few 

 late plants which require attention during the 

 month of October. It is not advisable to 



repot any Orchid during the depth of winter, 

 gTowth IS then very slow and the plant takes 

 considerable time to re-establish itself. 

 Therefore, any plants not read)- for potting 

 at the end of this month had better be left 

 until early in the new year. 



Cypripediums are, undoubtedly, at their 

 best during the autumn months. The supply 

 of flowers from tliese plants continues till well 

 into the new year, many of the individual 

 flowers lasting a month in perfection. Cypri- 

 pediums must always be kept moist and 

 continually watched for the presence of thrips 

 on the flower buds and in the centres of the 

 new growths. 



Shading on all houses may now be entirely 

 dispensed with. Where Orchid houses are 

 situated near large towns the plants will be 

 greatly benefited by having the glass washed 

 on frequent occasions. It is surprising what 

 a large amount of sooty matter is annually 

 deposited. Many growers advocate the fre- 

 quent washing of the inside of the house with 

 a good insecticide for the removal of injurious 

 insects. 



Fires will now be required at night time. 

 Coke burns up quickly, but does not last for 

 long, it is useful at the present time when only 

 a little fire heat is wanted. Later on, when 

 continual artificial heat is necessary, there is 

 nothing to equal good anthracite coal, it burns 

 steadily for many hours and gives off a great 

 amount of heat. Nothing is more vexing 

 than to have trouble with the heating- 

 apparatus. It, therefore, behoves everyone to 

 have a good boiler well capable of doing the 

 work required, and to see that all the pipes 

 and fittings are in thorough working order 

 before the coldness of winter approaches. 



Those growers who ha\ e the adx antage of 

 lath roller blinds can leave them on the 

 houses through the winter months. On cold 

 nights they may be used for protection against 

 wind and frost ; several degrees of heat are 

 saved, and the formation of drip is less likely 

 to occur. In exposed positions some means 

 should be used for fastening them at the 

 loose or bottom ends. 



