256 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[January 23. 
4th. The bottom-heat should, if possible, be higher ; 
than the top temperature. Success may be obtained, 
where there is no means of giving bottom-heat, but the 
trouble and risks are greater. In every case of forcing, [ 
the roots should not follow, but precede the expansion 
of the branches. In the present case the difference at j 
first may be 5°, increasing gradually to 15° or 20°. This ! 
difference is easily regulated where there is a hotbed, by 
the mode of plunging the pots—setting them in merely 
at first, and plunging deeper by degrees. Although few 
deciduous plants answer so well without being esta¬ 
blished in pots, yet we have taken up many of them with 
fibrous roots, such as Lilacs, and even Roses, to a consider¬ 
able extent, and succeeded very fairly with them, owing to 
being able to give them bottom-heat. They were treated, 
however, differently from established plants. They were 
at once plunged in a temperature of from 60° to 70°, while 
by keeping air on, back and front, or taking the sashes 
off, the top temperature ranged from 35° to 45°. The 
object here was to get roots plentifully formed before 
the buds commenced expanding. This matter will be 
worth the attention of those who would like to try a 
few things now from the open garden. If fresh potted 
American plants are thus treated, they will succeed all 
the better, though the bottom-heat at first must not be 
quite so high as for roses, &c. In growing thus in 
bottom-heat, the plants should be gradually moved out 
of it before taking them to the greenhouse. All sudden 
changes should be avoided. 
5th. When the plants have done flowering, if it is 
desirable to use them again, they must not be placed 
out of sight behind a wall. If possible, a situation 
under glass should be given them, and what pruning 
they require (unless stopping a luxuriant shoot after¬ 
wards) given to them. Air, in quantity, should be ad¬ 
mitted gradually until they will not want the sashes, 
and then they may be top-dressed, or shifted, and 
plunged in an open situation, and mulched over for the 
summer. If such a plan is adopted, such plants will 
soon come in early of their own accord, while those 
taken from the open border will always be mere tyros 
for forcing. 
0th. I say nothing of watering, syringing, &c., because 
they have lately often been referred to; the chief thing 
in the way of prevention will be a frequent puff from 
the tobacco fumigating machine, to keep down insects. 
R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHID ACE M. 
orciiijds that thrive well in pots (Continued from 
page 230J. 
Coryanthes macrantha (Large-flowered C.); Caraccas. 
A most extraordinary flower, even among this tribe of 
out-of-the-way forms of infiorescense. It is very large. 
One of the lower parts of the flower forms a kind of cup, 
overhanging which is a pair of fleshy horns, from which 
distil drops of a bitter liquid so frequently as nearly to 
fill the cup. The sepals and petals are of a bronzy 
yellow colour, striped and spotted with purple. The 
lip is very thick and fleshy, dull yellow, striped and 
spotted with crimson. It is, however, impossible to 
give any correct idea by description of this monstrous 
flower. We strongly recommend all orchid growers to 
procure it, in order to observe one of the most extra¬ 
ordinary productions in the shape and size of a flower 
nature produces. 42s. 
C. maculata (Spotted C.); Demerara.—Not so large 
as the preceding, but equally curious, The ground 
colour of the whole flower is yellowish white, thickly 
spotted with dull crimson. 42s. 
C. maculata var. Parkerii. —The same colours as 
the last named species, excepting the lip, winch in this I 
variety is beautifully shaded with dark brownish purple. 
It is also more rare. 03s. 
C. speciosa (Showy C.); Brazil.—There is a great 
similarity of form in this species to C. maculata, but it J 
is nearly self-coloured, being of a bright yellow colour 
generally. Mr. Brocklehurst, of the Fence, near Mans- 1 
field, once imported a large mass of this species, which 
bloomed the second year afterwards, and the upper part 
of the flower was of the most brilliant crimson, or rather 
bright red, the rest being the usual colour. Unfor¬ 
tunately, this variety grew less and less every year, and 
at last perished. The species is very difficult to keep. 
Perhaps it is often grown too fast by giving too much 
heat constantly, and so the shoots grow weaker eveiy 
year, till the plants finally die. We have a few plants 
here that appear to be doing very well at present. 
31s. 6d. 
Culture. —The leaves of this family are long, thin, and 
delicate, and when in a young state are still more so, 
consequently, are very impatient of moisture. The 
flower-stems protrude from the side of the pseudo-bulbs, 
and are of a drooping habit. These two peculiarities 
point out to the experienced cultivator the particular 
points necessary to adhere to in order to succeed in 
growing them well. The pots must be extra-well 
drained. Turn a small pot upside down over the hole 
at the bottom of the pot, fill in round it with roughly- 
broken pieces of potsherds, and cover them and the 
small pot with smaller pieces of the same material. 
This drainage will then occupy about two thirds of the 
depth inside the pot; fill the remainder with a compost 
of very fibrous peat and chopped sphagnum with small 
pieces of charcoal, and small broken potsherds inter¬ 
mixed. Let this compost rise a little above the rim of 
the pot. Then turn the plant out of its old pot, and 
break as few of the living roots as possible; shake oil’ 
all, or nearly all, the old soil; remove all the dead roots, 
brown sheaths of the psuedo-bulbs, dead leaves, and 
insects; then place the plant upon the compost in the 
fresh pot, and pack it round with the rougher pieces of 
the compost, finishing with covering the roots up to the 
base of the pseudo-bulbs and no higher; give a gentle 
watering from the fine rose of the syringe. The potting 
of the plant is then finished, and it will stand upon a 
small conical hillock in the centre of the pot. In that 
position, the water will easily run off, or be evaporated 
from the young shoots, and the flower-stems will have a 
more free egress into the open air than if the plants were 
potted level. The season for potting should be when the 
young shoots begin to appear from the base of the last 
year’s growth; and by managing the growth and rest 
properly, they will begin to grow in the early part of the 
yeai\ If this growth happen in March, it will be the 
right time, because then the days are becoming longer, 
and the sun has more power—two circumstances which 
will almost insure health and vigour sufficient to grow 
well, and produce large and healthy pseudo-bulbs, with¬ 
out which it is hopeless to expect fine high-coloured 
flowers. In summer, these plants should have a high 
temperature; 70° by night and 85° by day. Whilst 
growing, especially as the bulbs begin to swell, a liberal 
supply of water at the roots should be given; but the 
syringe must be used very cautiously, and only in the 
mornings of sunny days, so that the moisture may be 
evaporated amongst the young shoots once every day. 
When the pseudo-bulbs are fully formed, the season of 
rest, or winter treatment, ought to commence. The 
moisture both at the root and in the air should be 
considerably lessened; and when the very shortest days 
arrive, almost no water should be given for three 
months. This low, cool, and dry winter culture will 
keep the plants in the best possible condition. They 
