244 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[August, 1912. 



ilk. 



l^hoio by\ 



Phalanopsis amahilis, a specimen plant 

 exhibited by Sir Qeorge Holford 



Successful importers have obtained the best 

 results by semi-establishing the plants on 

 small blocks of wood before packing them in 

 the strong boxes in which they travel to 

 Europe. When the plants are unpacked on 

 arrival at their destination all the treatment 

 that is required for the first few weeks is an 

 occasional damping- with warm rain-water ; 

 this is quickly absorbed by the semi-estab- 

 lished roots, and the plants soon recover and 

 assume a plump, healthy appearance. When 

 the roots show^ signs of activity the plants 

 should be placed in teak-wood baskets or 

 shallow pans, and the roots surrounded with a 

 compost of peat, or other fibre, and sphagnum 

 moss. 



The roots of Phaia?nopses delight in having 

 something to which they may attach them- 

 selves. A good cultural method is to place 

 the pan or basket upon a large pot or, as is 

 sometimes used, an unglazed drain-pipe 

 placed in an upright position. In this way 

 the plant may be moved without fear of 

 damaging its roots, an event which frequently 

 takes place when the pan or basket is placed 

 directly on the staging. 



grown by Mr. H. Q. ^/llexander, and ^' ' 

 at the recent International Show. 



The growing season extends from spring to 

 late autumn, during which time every atten- 

 tion should be given the plant to enable it to 

 create the strength necessary for the forma- 

 tion of its handsome spike of many pure 

 white flowers. An excess of water, especially 

 if stagnant, causes the leaves to become 

 spotted and assume a yellow appearance. 

 This may also occur when the compost is sour, 

 the quickest remedy being immediate repot- 

 ting with fresh, sweet material. 



Phalasnopses do not often succeed well m 

 proximity to large manufacturing towns ; 

 apart from the frequent unsuitable chemical 

 condition of the atmosphere there is usually a 

 considerable amount of fog and, conse- 

 quently, deficient light during the winter 

 months. It does not, however, follow that 

 Phalaenopses require as much sunshine as 

 Cattleyas ; they are, in fact, shade-loving 

 plants which delight in an atmosphere made 

 warm by the sun's rays in preference to heat 

 artificially obtained from hot-water pipes. 

 Except during winter months direct sunshine 

 is to be at all times carefully avoided, an 

 effectual shading being coarse, rather thick 



