442 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c November ir, issi. 
cases almost worthless condition. It sometimes happens that 
the collectors cannot always find them at the proper time, and 
are sometimes delayed in transit ; the consequence is that the 
young growths are too far advanced. When this is the case 
they seldom do much good the first year; owing to the growths 
being made in total darkness they are very weak. After a 
short time it will soon be visible if they intend to grow or 
damp off. When the growths are in such a stage they may be 
greatly assisted by placing them in a very shadv place for a few 
days, gradually introducing them to more light. The young 
growths will then gain strength provided there is not too much 
heat and moisture in the house, after which time they may be 
potted in a very light compost, using crocks or charcoal freely. 
Very little water will be required till they have fresh roots. 
When Cattleyas are received in good condition they are by no 
means difficult to establish. 
C^elogyne.— There are many species in this genus that are 
of no real value to the horticulturist. C. cristata may be re¬ 
garded as the most handsome and useful; indeed, it is a plant 
that ought to be more extensively grown. This is not difficult 
to import, owing to the fact that it has large pseudo-bulbs. 
Even if they lose their leading growth they invariably break 
back from the second pseudo-bulb, making rather small growths 
the first year. They may be potted as soon as convenient, 
keeping them rather cool and dry for a time. 
Cypripedium.— This is another useful genus and general 
favourite with all. The common species, such as C. insigne, 
C. barbatum, and C. venustum, are very easily managed ; the 
choicer kinds require a little more attention. I find that some 
of the species, such as C. caudatum, C. Stonei, and C. villosum, 
do well potted in crocks and a little moss till they commence 
growing, when that may be surfaced with moss and peat, 
watering more liberally as root-action advances. 
Dendrobium.— The value of Dendrobiums is well known, 
and they may be classed amongst the most useful Orchids. 
The species vary greatly, some producing pseudo-bulbs only an 
inch or two long, whilst others attain the length of 6 or 7 feet. 
It is difficult to lay down any strict rule for Dendrobes, there 
being several sections, some of which grow better on blocks, 
others in baskets, and some in pots or pans. The same rule 
applies to Epidendrums as to Dendrobes. E. erectum grows to 
a height of 8 or 9 feet, and slender, and some only attain the 
height of so many inches. 
LjELIA.—S ome species of Lselia are very showy and ex¬ 
tremely fragrant. With regard to imported Lselias they may 
be placed on blocks, in baskets, or potted at once ; the con¬ 
dition in which they have arrived will be the best guide. If 
the growths are advanced they will require every encourage¬ 
ment ; if, on the other hand, they are dormant it will be most 
advisable to keep them quiet till they start. 
Lycaste.— The genus Lycaste includes two or three species 
that are well worth cultivating, L. Skinneri being the most 
generally useful. They will, nevertheless, require much about 
the same treatment, and may be potted as soon as received 
in a light compost, all succeeding best in pots or pans and 
placed in a cool stove, requiring little water till growth has 
commenced. 
Masdevallia.— Nearly all the species of Masdevallia are 
great favourites with Orchid-fanciers. Some of the most 
showy kinds, such as M. amabilis, M. Harryana, M. ignea, 
M. Lindenii, M. tovarensis, and M. Veitchiana, are extremely 
useful. They are rather difficult to import owing to the fact 
that they are found at high elevations, where it is naturally 
cool and moist; the great difficulty is in bringing them through 
the hot plains, the great variation in temperature proving fatal 
to thousands of plants. If they reach this country alive they 
generally lose a quantity of their leaves. No time should be 
lost in having them potted and placing them in a cool house. 
Masdevallias should never be allowed to become dry at the 
roots at any time. 
Odontoglossum.— Everyone that knows what an Orchid is 
will be familiar with at least one species—viz., 0. Alexandra. 
This species is cultivated and imported more extensive^ than 
any other, and anyone who has been a frequent visitor to the 
London auction rooms could not fail to observe in what un¬ 
promising condition the importations are received. Often have 
paper bags of 0. Alexandra been sold for 10s. Probably one- 
half of the plants that were in the bag were nearly dead when 
they tvere bought; but the purchaser is well pleased with his 
bargain, for he knows that if he can only induce three or four 
pieces to grow he will have a cheap ten shillings’ worth at the 
expiration of a couple of years. 0. Alexandra and all the 
other species belonging to that.section may be potted as soon 
as convenient in a mixture of peat and sphagnum, with a little 
broken charcoal, and placed in a cool close house for a time 
till they commence growing, when more air can be admitted, 
for they delight in a moist cool atmosphere. 
Oncidium.— This is an extensive genus, some species of 
which are very showy, yellow being the predominating colour 
in the flowers of many species. Oncidiums are extremely 
variable, some species having pseudo-bulbs longer than one’s 
fist, whilst others are quite destitute of pseudo-bulbs ; 0. Lan- 
ceanum and 0. luridum represent the latter section. It will be 
safe to say that all the species possessing pseudo-bulbs may be 
treated as advised for Odontoglossums, the majority of them 
coming from cool districts ; while, on the other hand, the luri¬ 
dum section requires the temperature of the East Indian house. 
PtiAL^Norsis.—Phalaenopses have been imported rather ex¬ 
tensively of late by two or three of the leading London nur¬ 
serymen, and small plants were at one time offered at 5s. each. 
So many plants have been lost in transit to this country that 
it has been found advisable to establish the plants on sticks or 
pieces of wood before sending them home. If they are much 
shrivelled when received they will be greatly benefited by 
spreading them out on a board or something similar for a 
short time till their leaves have become a little more firm, after 
which they may be placed in baskets or shallow pans, and sus¬ 
pended from the roof in the warmest stove. 
Pleione. —These will in all probability be imported in large 
masses, and should therefore be divided. There will be two or 
three-sized pseudo-bulbs. Each size should be potted separately 
and suspended near the glass in the stove or Orchid house. A 
mixture of fibry peat, loam, and sphagnum will suit them ad¬ 
mirably. If the young growths are far advanced when im¬ 
ported great care should be taken not to injure the young roots, 
as they are produced with the growths. 
b’ACCOLABiUM. —What has been advised in this paper for 
Aerides will apply with equal force to Saccolabiums, as they 
are very closely related to each other in general appearance. 
To grow Saccolabiums successfully they require a very high 
temperature. 
Vanda. —These form noble plants to the Orchid house when 
not in flower, and when V. tricolor and V. suavis are well in 
flower they are very handsome. Imported plants may be 
treated as Aerides, and when established should be potted in 
sphagnum and charcoal. 
I have only named a few of the most useful genera. It 
would be impossible to lay down any rigid rule for the guid¬ 
ance of amateurs, as so much depends on the condition in 
which Orchids arrived, also whether they are from cool or 
tropical regions.—W. K. 
STRAWBERRY FARMING. 
{Continued from page 252, last volume.') 
Manuring .—I am reminded by the near completion of the 
present volume that I promised to conclude my articles with a 
few hints on the subjects of manures and Strawberry enemies. 
In regard to the former subject I do not assume to lay down direc¬ 
tions suited to all soils and localities, but confine my remarks to 
the course which experience has proved to be best suited for such 
soils as we have here. As I have a strong conviction that similar 
thin soils, such as cover many unreclaimed moorlands, will by- 
and-by be in demand for Strawberry farms, and that such soils 
will be found the most profitable for the purpose, my remarks 
may be of some benefit to intending growers. 
A cardinal rule in all cultivation is to return to the soil a full 
equivalent to what we may remove. In the case of the Strawberry 
the necessity of this is even more apparent than in ordinary farm¬ 
ing, for here there is properly no annual rotation of crops. The 
same crop is raised year by year so long as we can induce the 
plants to bear, and the Potato rotation every five or six years is 
looked on more as a cleaning than a recruiting crop. The same 
