GARDENING CALENDAR FORJANUARV. 
17 
ORCHID HOUSE. 
Temperature. — The flowering house from 
60 to 65 degrees by day, and 55 to 60 degrees 
at night ; the resting house from 6 to 10 de- 
grees colder. 
Ventilation is not required further than 
what will take place through the apertures ; 
cover the house at night with awnings, or 
mats, which renders a less amount of fire heat 
necessary. 
Watering will hardly be necessary, except 
to those which are growing ; water must not 
be allowed to remain long at the base of the 
leaves, and the quantity must be lessened with 
those that are ripening off ; damp the floors 
moderately every day, increasing a little if 
the weather is clear. 
Insects are particularly destructive as the 
young shoots appear ; catch the wood-lice 
by using bean stalks, or any other hollow 
stalk, also potatoes cut in halves and hollowed 
out will entrap them ; these traps should be 
* examined every day, and the insects caught 
destroyed. For the cock-roaches use a compo- 
sition of spermaceti one-quarter pound, and 
arsenic two ounces, melted together, and put 
on one end of a short stick, the other end being 
stuck in the soil. There are many insects 
which increase and remain about the blocks 
and baskets ; an excellent way to get at them 
is to dip the basket almost to the top in the 
cistern, and allow it to remain for a few 
minutes, when the insects, in escaping from 
the water, will be found running upon the sur- 
face of the soil. 
Potting. — Those plants which are showing 
early signs of growth, should be shifted : if 
they have been kept very dry, steep them in 
tepid water, allowing them afterwards to stand 
for a few days before shifting them. 
Soils. — The Cyrtopodiums, Bletias, Sob- 
ralias, Phaiuses, Calanthes, Cypripediums, and 
such like, will do well in rich turfy loam, add- 
ing a little peat. These may be grown in pots, 
filling the pot half full of drainage, and also 
mixing with the soil some potsherds or char- 
coal ; plunge them in a. brisk bottom heat and 
keep them so, and well watered, until they 
have perfected their growth. Those Which 
require baskets are to be well elevated in the 
pots, as Oncidiums, Catasetums, Dendrobiums, 
Cattleyas, Epidendrums, Maxillarias, &a, grow 
in light peat earth, or what is nearly the same, 
rotten sphagnum, which should also be well 
mixed with broken crocks, or charcoal; the 
portion of soil elevated above the pots must be 
fastened together with pegs. Many sorts are 
found to do well on blocks, as Barkerias, 
Broughtonias, Phalsenopsis, Lrclias, Iluntleyas, 
&c. , in this case a little sphagnum is used 
below and above the roots, and the whole is 
48. 
fixed on with zinc fastened to copper tacks 
driven into the blocks. The Stanhopeas, 
Gongoras, and all whose flower spikes are 
pendant and thrown out from below, are grown 
in baskets, and require to be suspended ; they 
prefer a similar soil to the preceding. The 
whole will be found to agree generally, as re- 
gards heat and moisture, when in a growing 
state, but the Mexican sorts are hardier and 
require less warmth than the Indian species. 
The Cypripediums, and some others, are found 
to be almost hardy. In general turfy peat 
in small lumps is proper for these plants. 
This is mixed with broken pieces of crock, 
or of charcoal, when used. Some persons 
employ a mixture of turfy loam and old 
rotten wood ; others use sphagnum moss 
cut rather small, and suffered to partially 
decay. All these mediums are suitable to 
the plants, and it is not material which is 
preferred. 
Plants in Flower will be longer preserved 
by being kept cool, and may be sent to the 
drawing-room or conservatory, taking care not 
to expose them to draughts or currents of air. 
They will bear a pretty good supply of mois- 
ture when in a warm place whilst in flower, 
but when in a cold situation a very small 
quantity is required, and it must be given a 
little warmed. Small young plants, and such 
as are intended as specimens, should not be 
allowed to flower, but should be excited and 
kept shifted and growing on — the heat and the 
humidity being increased with the length of 
the days, and the strength of the natural 
H S ht. 
Mode of Potting, <j'c. — Some of this class 
of plants require to be grown in pots, others 
attached to blocks, and others planted in 
open baskets, &c. The mode of growth which 
is most suitable for the more important genera 
is here indicated : — In pots, not elevated : — 
Acanthophippium, Bletia, Calanthe, Cypripe- 
dium, Galeandra, Paxtonia, Phaius, Sobralia, 
Stenorrhynchus. In pots, elevated among 
open lumps of soil, or in open baskets : — 
Acineta, Aerides, Angroscum, Anguloa, 
Anajctochilus, Barkeria, Brasavola, Brassia, 
Catasetum, Cattleya, Cirrhsea, Coryanthes, 
Cymbidium, Cyrtochilum, Cyrtopodium, Den- 
drobium, Epidendrum,Eria, Ilnullettia, Laelia, 
Lycaste, Maxillaria, Miltonia, Odontoglossum, 
Oncidium, Paphinia, Peristeria, Promena^a, 
Sarcanthus, Trichopilia Warrea, Zygopeta- 
lum. In baskets : — Acropera, Aerides, An- 
gra;cum, Cycnoches, Dendrobium, Gongora, 
Saccolabium, Stanhopea, Vanda. Attached 
to blocks : — Aerides, Broughtonia, Burling- 
tonia, Camarotis, Ccelogyne, Comparettia, 
Iluntleya, Laelia, Odontoglossum, Phalxnopsis, 
Renanthera, Sehomburgkia, Scuticaria, So- 
pbronitis, Trichosma, Vanda. 
