THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[May 30. 
1:24 
keeping them closer afterwards, and in a moister atmos¬ 
phere. Even the strong growing kinds which may he 
cut down, should not he so much dried previously as is 
suitable for other geraniums. After being cut down, 
or merely shortened, according to the habit of growth, 
the plants should be kept drier at the roots than usual, 
until they break afresh; though, as wo have already said, 
a moist atmosphere will be an advantage, obtained by 
sprinklings from the syringe, and damping the walls, 
and a slight shading. If the pots in July and August 
are fully two feet from the glass, the shading will not he 
necessary. For nearly all purposes we prefer diffused 
light to shaded light; but in late autumn and early 
spring, light is so valuable that we would have the plants 
as near the glass as possible, though when the sun burst 
out we were forced to shade in consequence. 
0. Potting and placing in flowering-pots. —Much that 
might have been said upon this head has already been 
adverted to. To obtain early flowering-plants in April 
and May, plants raised from cuttings early in the spring, 
repeatedly stopped and shifted, and prevonted flowering, 
should be finally stopped in the end of July, and put 
into their flowering-pots in August, after removing a 
part of the old soil, thinned and trained out into the de¬ 
sirable shape, kept close until the roots are working 
freely in the new material, and then hardened by ex¬ 
posure to air before setting them in their winter quarters, 
which must be done before they are subjected to heavy 
autumn rains. Plants that have bloomed in spring and 
summer should be cut down or merely stopped and de¬ 
prived of their flowering-buds in July, taken out of 
their old soil when fresh growth has commenced, have 
their roots slightly pruned before repotting in smaller 
pots, encouraged to grow by a rather close, moist atmos¬ 
phere, and transferred to their blooming-pots early in 
September. Successions may be obtained by preventing 
flowering, aud repotting in January, February, and 
March, and they would thus keep on flowering until the 
spring-struck plants would be ready to come in in winter. 
Eight inches is a good medium size for blooming-pots. 
7. Training. —This is all a matter of taste; round 
flattish cones look very nicely; a cone more pyramidal in 
its outline, might look better. Unless with the stronger 
growing kinds, great height could not be reached except 
with old plants. 
8. Watering. —This must be given according to the 
general principles previously referred to. When making 
their wood, weak manure-water from a solution of cow- 
dung will be useful, but it should be desisted from when 
it is desirable that the wood should be hardened before 
the formation of the flower-buds. When these are 
formed the manure waterings may again be resorted to. 
Though the small growing kinds will not want water so 
often as the strong growing kinds, the want of water will 
be more injurious, and allowing them to flag repeatedly 
will be next to fatal. 
9. Insects. —They, like their congeners, are exposed to 
hosts—green, red, and grey. The best prevention 
is good cultivation, and a liberal use of the syringe 
when growing. If a red spider appears, syringe with 
sulphur-water, laying the plant upon its side, and 
keeping it in the shade for a day, dipping the head of 
the plant repeatedly in clear water, and syringing it 
again before restoring it to the house. If a thrip is seen 
adopt the same course, only using weak laurel-water in¬ 
stead. If one green fly is seen, you may calculate on 
scores not being far off; smoke at once, but gently ; it is 
always safest to repeat the dose often. If you patiently 
wait until you see scores of either of these insects upon 
a leaf, you may as well turn the plant to the rubbish- 
heap, as give yourself trouble, and incur expense for 
tobacco, &c.; for when so bad, the cure and the disease 
will prove neai’ly equally fatal, so far as being gratified with 
the sight of a luxuriant plant is concerned. R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHIDACEvE. 
When we first began the course of orchid culture, it 
was proposed to give lists of such as are proper to grow 
in baskets, on blocks of wood, and in pots. We feel quite 
sure such lists will be useful to all growers of orchids, 
but more especially to amateurs and young beginners. 
And in order that those lists may be still more useful, 
we shall give short popular descriptions, such as will 
enable the amateur to select the most desirable plants 
in proportion to the size of his house or houses, and the 
extent to which he chooses to go in purchasing them. 
We shall also give the juice at which each may be pro¬ 
cured at any respectable nursery; such prices being for 
medium-sized plants. As we consider of orchids, as 
well as any other tribe of jflants, it is far better to grow 
a few really good species with handsome flowers, or with 
very sweet scent, to compensate for the lack of bright 
colours, we shall only name such as are really worth 
growing, either on account of the beauty of their bloom 
or their agreeable fragrance. 
PLANTS REQUIRING BASKETS, OR WHICH THRIVE REST 
IN THEM. 
Acineta Barlserii (Barker’s A.).—A handsome species 
producing long spikes of yellow flowers. Native of 
Mexico. The flower-stems push through the bottom of 
the basket, and hang down frequently a foot or eighteen 
inches below it. 31s Gd. 
Acineta Humboldtii (Humboldt’s A.).—This is also a 
noble species, flowering in the same style as the preced¬ 
ing. The flowers are larger, of a deep chocolate, spotted 
witli reddish crimson. Native of Venezuela. 42s. 
Acropera Loddigesii (Loddige's A.).—A curious and 
pretty plant, producing, when well grown, numerous 
pendulous racemes of pale yellow flowers, spotted with 
purple ; each flower being curiously formed so as to look 
something like a boiled cockle. 10s. Gd. There is 
another species named Lutea, but it is not so handsome. 
10s Gd. 
Aerules affine (Related Air-plant).—The whole of this 
genus is exceedingly lovely. This species is of the most 
delicate rosy hue. The racemes of flowers are fre¬ 
quently branched, and sometimes two feet long. Native 
of Syliiet. 63s. 
Aerules BrooJcii (Sir R. Brookes’ A.).—This is perhaps 
the most lovely of this lovely tribe; it grows strongly, 
and flowers freely. The foliage is handsome, of a glau¬ 
cous (milky green) hue. The colour of the flowers is 
varied, from a bright purple labellum to white in the 
sepals and petals. It is also very fragrant. Native of 
Bombay. 42s. 
Aerules maculosum (Spotted Air-plant).—Bright green 
long leaves with light coloured flowers, spotted all 
over with purple, and a large purple hlotch on the la¬ 
bellum. This is a dwarf growing species, with an ex¬ 
quisite fragrance when in flower. Native of Bombay. 
105s. 
Aerules odoratum (Fragrant Air-plant).—This old 
species has several first-rate qualities to recommend it. 
It flowers more profusely than any other, it grows more 
freely, lasts longer in bloom, and has the finest fragrance 
of perhaps any plant known. The flowers are of the 
most delicate flesh-colour, tinged with rose. Native of 
the East Indies. 42s. 
Aerules quinqttevulnera (Five-spotted A.).—A strong 
growing species, producing generally two spikes ot' 
flowers on each stem. Each sepal and petal has a dis¬ 
tinct purplish lilac spot near the top, thus bearing five 
spots, lienee its specific name; the ground colour is 
white speckled with purple, the top of the lip is green, 
the two side lobes pale pink, and the middle lobe of a 
