OCTOBER. 
221 
position it may stand from November till late in the following April, with 
just sufficient water afforded to ensure a slight amount of latent moisture 
throughout the entire hall. This is best supplied by simply dipping the 
whole exterior surface of the pot containing the plant into a tub or vessel con¬ 
taining tepid water, three or four times during the above period. From the 
latter date commence gradually to moisten the ball throughout by actual 
waterings, sponging the leaves also, which will, doubtless, start it into active 
growth in due time, at which period it may be removed to the cooler part of 
an intermediate-house, still keeping it away from anything in the way of 
draughts, slightly shading it, and occasionally watering it copiously over¬ 
head. When it has finished preceptibly to enlarge in growth in this position, 
it may be again removed to a more open situation, such as an airy vinery 
wherein the crop, having become ripened, requires in consequence a dry atmo¬ 
sphere. Here it will mature effectively the growth it has previously made, 
and at the proper date it should again be returned to its general winter 
quarters. In the following March, or early in April, it may be expected 
to show for flower. Bear in mind, however, that if through adverse treat¬ 
ment this plant, which it would be difficult to kill outright, with any sem¬ 
blance of cultural attention, has dwindled “less by degrees” down to a 
mere pigmy as compared with what it should be, it will take more than one, 
and perhaps two seasons, to induce it to flower freely. With treatment such 
as the above, which I can personally vouch for, I have flowered a plant of 
D. speciosum, which, grown in a 16-sized pot, produced sixteen flower-spikes 
upon ten pseudobulbs, two of which carried three spikes each, averaging 
12 to 14 inches in length, and beautifully fragrant. Few have any idea of 
the real beauty of this species, even though it be not brightly coloured, who 
have not seen it thus freely flowered. One other remark I would offer. In 
potting the plant, use an open porous compost, formed, as is customary, by 
mixing fibrous peat, charcoal, sphagnum, and potsherds well together, 
these, however, being first reduced to smaller particles ; mix them together, 
crock less, yet efficiently, and pot them as firmly as the nature of these things 
will admit. Little other inducement will the roots then need to ramble 
luxuriantly therein, and throw up in consequence robust pseudobulbs, bear¬ 
ing upon their crowns leaves equally broad and lengthy as themselves—a 
true test of luxuriance in Dendrobium speciosum. 
Dendrobium nobile requires also a little more study than is usual of its native 
habitat, and its attendant climatic influences, in order to flower it as freely 
as it is capable of being flowered. A native of China, it delights in a moist, 
humid, and warm atmosphere during active growth—a season when, perhaps, 
it would be difficult to overdeluge the plant with water at a genial tempe¬ 
rature. In our practice here we seldom err. But do we imitate the more 
temperate Chinese winter in our general practice during the season of rest ? 
I hold not. Encased within our necessarily over-humid winter stoves at 
a uniformly maximum temperature, comparatively speaking, these plants 
(which need a cool and an entire season of rest, surrounded by as dry and 
buoyant an atmosphere as possible), are forced, as it is, into a state of semi¬ 
rest only—forced to retain their foliage green and intact. Thus does the 
whole plant exist adversely. How should we apply these facts, then ? So 
soon as the plants have ceased actively to grow (which is readily seen when 
they exhibit at the tips of the young growths no further signs of progres¬ 
sion), withhold water, save at distant intervals, during a month or six 
weeks, and after that, wholly. Remove them first for a week into the 
warmest, driest position in the house, and thence into the sunniest part of 
L $ 
