156 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 7, 1885. 
,-weet sustaining compost may be performed as ex¬ 
peditiously as possible. The soil should be in the 
proportion of five cartloads of calcareous loam, one load 
of lime-rubble, one load of wood-ashes, one load of 
horse-droppings, and about three barrowfuls of fresh 
soot, and the whole should be turned over two or three 
times to thoroughly mix the various ingredients before 
being used. 
This done, the lifting of the vine roots should be 
proceeded with by carefully removing the soil with the 
assistance of four-pronged forks and shovels, taking 
care to injure the roots as little as possible in doing so. 
The roots of the individual vines, as much to prevent 
them from being injured as to facilitate the lifting and 
re-planting, should be tied separately together in a 
damp mat to keej) them fresh while the exhausted, 
and, probably, sour soil is being removed from the 
drainage. The latter, if found defective, should be re¬ 
arranged, and covered with a layer of turf, grass-side 
down. As the soil will subside some 6 ins. or 7 ins. 
within a few months from the time of planting, allow¬ 
ance to that extent should be made in forming the 
borders, after which the process of re-planting may be 
proceeded with in the following manner : untie the 
roots and spread them out regularly over the surface of 
the border, at the same time cutting off any portion of 
the same that may have got damaged in being lifted, 
and shorten back the joints of all the other roots more 
or less, according to their length and strength. 
Incisions should also be made about the base of the 
individual Vines, and longitudinally on the strongest 
and somewhat bare roots, to encourage the emission of 
young fibrous roots, and with the same object in view; 
cover the latter slightly with sand, then with 6 ins. 
thick of the soil forming the border. This done, 
give the whole sufficient tepid water to settle the soil 
about the roots, and then lay on 3 ins. thick of 
rotten dung as a surface-dressing, and over this, if 
the border be an outside one, a thickness of 18 
ins. of Oak or Chestnut leaves. The latter, in order 
to prevent them from being blown about, should be 
covered with long stable dung. 
From the time the lifting of the roots is proceeded 
with until they have been re-planted, and the Vines 
have shed their leaves, they should be shaded—heavily 
at first -from bright sunshine, with a view to retain¬ 
ing the leaves on the Vines until they have performed 
their ordinary functions, and the roots have pushed 
into the new soil ; and in furtherance of this object 
the Vines should be syringed, more or less, twice a day 
during the interval from lifting the roots until the fall 
of the leaf. Vines so treated should be allowed to come 
on in their own time next year—that is, to start into 
growth naturally, about the end of March or early in 
April, and if managed with ordinary skill during the 
various stages of growth, from the disbudding to the 
thinning of the bunches, &c., they will be capable of 
ripening a better crop of Grapes next year than they 
did. But the Vines should be cropped lightly not¬ 
withstanding. — IT. IF. Ward. 
-- 
ORCHID ROTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Growing, Resting, andWatering Orchids, 
—A correspondent writes“ I have often been 
puzzled by little matters in Orchid culture which a 
professional grower would no doubt regard as self- 
explaining. It would help me and other amateurs, I am 
sure, if you would briefly reply to the following 
questions (1) how to judge when a plant has made 
its growth for the purpose of resting it ; (2) whether 
to water when forming buds ?; and (3) how long to keep 
it resting ?”— P. 
1. How to judge when a plant has made its growth 
for the purpose of resting it. There being so many 
different forms of growth in the Orchid family, the 
appearances of the newly finished growths necessarily 
vary according to the section to which they belong ; 
but in all cases the test of finished growth and required 
rest (not necessarily absolute drying off) are much 
the same—be they pseudo-bulbs, leafy, or stem-like— 
viz., when the last-made growths are fully made 
up, as shown by the previously made and matured 
growths ; when the tissues of the new growths are seen 
by comparison with the old ones to be hardened like 
them ; and when there is an appearance of new and 
active growth coming up from the base, or whatever 
part the new growth has to proceed from. These are 
tests which will warrant restricting the water supply 
to almost any Orchids, and at any season, until new 
growths and new roots demand a freer supply of 
moisture ; and, which, during that period between this 
time and the end of February, which may in the 
majority of cases be ^regarded as the proper resting 
season, and that in which for many reasons it is 
advisable to induce as many to rest as possible, should 
be strictly regarded, and water withheld, or more 
sparingly given, and the plants placed in a temperature 
not likely to excite them into growth, in order to rest 
them and put off their new growth as far into the next 
season as possible. Most Orchids rested in a rather dry 
temperature of from 50° to 60° may be kept inactive a 
long time, and benefited by it, their growths, when 
they do fairly start, being better, and made in a much 
shorter time than those which circumstances have 
compelled to take a short period of rest. 
zErides, Saccolabiums, and others of the same habit, 
present difficulties to the novice in determining when not 
in active growth, but two general signs will generally 
tell plainly, viz., when the last made pair of leaves are 
fairly as long as the others, and no active growth 
in the centre is visible, and when the tips of the roots, 
which are soft and fleshy in the growing season, are, as 
it were, sealed, the white skin coming down nearer the 
point. In my opinion it is very easy to overdo the 
resting of Orchids, so far as drying off is concerned, and 
that a fair lowering of the temperature, with occasional 
watering to keep off shrivelling, is much more conducive 
to the health and flowering of the plants, than severe 
drying off. If the temperatures we give every month 
are adhered to, all things will pass through the winter 
sound, even although they may not receive quite the 
proper treatment in other respects. 
The Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, and other occu¬ 
pants of the cold house want no drying off. The 
Cattleyas and Lielias require water when they are 
getting dry in winter, and perhaps the only section of 
Orchids which are benefited by being kept for a con¬ 
siderable time without water while at rest are the leafy- 
stemmed deciduous Dendrobes. In the resting of 
Orchids, as in most of the other operations connected 
with them, the exercise of common sense to know how 
far to go, and to define the limit beyond which it is 
not in accordance with nature’s laws to proceed, is of 
more consequence than anything else, and I am bound 
to say that most amateurs who do not consider them¬ 
selves skilled Orchid growers have that quality in a 
marked degree. 
2. Whether to water when forming buds ? Water 
should be given when sheaths, buds, and flowers are 
forming, as they draw supplies from the plants for 
which they must receive compensation ; but in giving 
water to budding plants, the condition of the plants 
should determine the quantity. If the plants are not 
growing, the supply to keep up the flowers only is 
needed, but if they are they will require more water on 
that account. 
3. How long to keep resting ? The period differs 
greatly in different species ; but if the plants are put in 
a proper place on the completion of their growth and 
carefully treated, they will each answer for itself to the 
watchful grower. As before observed, if the resting 
time comes between now and February, the better way 
is to use all fair means to keep off active growth as long 
as possible, in order to keep them over until the 
brighter weather lends its aid to them to form healthy 
tissues. With respect to some side issues bearing on 
our correspondent’s questions, I will deal with them on 
a future occasion. 
The Temperatures in the Orchid Houses for the 
month of November should be— 
Warm House or East Indian, 05’ to TO 5 by day, 60° 
at night. 
Cattleya or Intermediate House, 60° to 65° by day, 
55° at night. 
Cool or Odontoglossum House, 55° to 60° by day, 
50° at night. —James O'Brien. 
Orchids at Lake House, Cheltenham.— 
Like most extensive collections of Orchids, that at Lake 
House contains some very fine examples of several rare 
species, and which illustrate in a marked degree the fact 
that good culture here prevails. At present there are 
some very fine things in flower, though at the time of 
my visit many choice gems had been cut, among which 
number was Yanda Sanderiana, Cymbidium affine, with 
sLx spikes, a fine specimen ; and Dendrobium Falconeri, 
which has borne some 290 flowers. Among a nice batch 
of healthy plants of Cypripedium Spicerianum, several 
are flowering ; this is one of the gems of the present 
time in the Orchid house, and a favourite here, as in 
many other places. So also is Dendrobium fonnosum 
giganteum, a Dendrobe which of late years has come to 
the fore, whereas formerly it baffled many to grow it 
successfully; plenty of heat whilst growing, and a light 
position near the glass are well appreciated by it. 
D. bigibbum, very useful species, had three spikes of 
flowers, and to follow shortly there is a good batch 
of Calanthes, with many spikes of flowers, which will 
enliven the dull days of November. 
Remarkable for its fine growths, is Dendrobium 
Dalhousianum. These are stout and vigorous, and 6 ft. 
high ; such growths as these tell their own tale, and they 
are certainly much the finest which have come under 
my notice. I also noted a huge specimen of Oncidium 
ornithorhynchum fully 3 ft. across in the spread of its 
numerous flower stems ; the blossoms are just beginning 
to expand and presently the mass will be almost im¬ 
penetrable. Near by is Yanda coerulea, not a scrap, 
but a magnificent specimen of which the owner, Air. 
Nevile AVyatt, is justly proud. There are several fine 
breaks constituting the plant, and eight flower spikes ; 
several flowers are already open showing its colour, the 
pleasing blue. When at its best in a fortnight or three 
weeks, with a total of nearly eighty flowers, it will be 
a grand sight. This is probably the finest specimen 
under cultivation, and the characteristic blue of its 
flowers renders it unique. Sogreat a rarity arespecimens 
of similar size, that one is anxious to ask why, seeing 
that of late years, there have been so many fine 
importations of it. To keep a large specimen, in perfect 
health for several years together is no easy matter, and if 
it has flowered exceptionally free, this may to some extent 
account for it, and as it would appear to exhaust all its 
energies in its flowers, the question arises as to the 
prudency of allowing it to carry the greatest possible 
number of either spikes or blooms ; would it not be 
advisable to thin out the number of spikes, and so allow 
the breaks to flower alternately, marking those which 
are allowed to flower now, and not allowing them to 
bloom again till the second season ensuing ? Would not 
such a practice be as well as allowing the plant to mature 
the maximum amount, at the risk of losing a leaf or 
two, and probably a lead ? Whichever course is followed 
it is not advisable to allow the flowers to remain too 
long upon the plant, which suffers in consequence. 
In the Cattleya house a remarkably handsome form 
of Oncidium Jonesianum was flowering, the large pure 
white lip of which is beautifully fringed, and on the 
upper margin on either side the yellow column are three 
or four richly coloured crimson spots, the sepals and 
petals being studded with Chestnut-purple spots, and 
it is, as Air. Simcoe aptly remarked, “ a perfect gem.” 
Another form of Jonesianum flowering by its side 
showed in a remarkable manner the vast superiority of 
the plants in question. Cattleya Triame, a large piece, 
seemed perfectly happy on a log of Apple-wood near by, 
and the Coelogynes are much earlier than usual, for they 
are already pushing their flower spikes. Some very 
large pots of the old and still valued Cypripedium 
insigne were pushing up plenty of flowers, and also 
some very large specimens of Dendrobium speciosum, 
one of which is nearly 3 ft. across, and the flowers pro¬ 
minent in bud. The spikes of this plant last season 
were 2 ft. long. I may add also that Eucliaris and 
Poinsettias are both well done here. The former are in 
quantity, and are producing their flower spikes un¬ 
usually free. The latter group are represented by a 
batch of plants, mostly in 7 iu pots, between 3 ft. and 
4 ft. high, with large vigorous stems, with the foliage 
down nearly to the rim of the pot, and from which some 
fine bracts may presently be expected.— J. 
Collecting and Packing Orchids. —Seeing 
that you make a special feature of Orchids iu your 
excellent paper, I should be glad if any of your corres¬ 
pondents would give me through the medium of your 
journal, their experience of how Orchids should be 
collected, and how best to pack them to ensure their safe 
carriage. I do not want the information for trade 
purposes, but merely to enable me to send a few to my 
friends, so that they may arrive in a more satisfactory 
condition than they have hitherto done, although I 
have taken much trouble in establishing them, and 
drying them off before packing. —J/. G., Calcutta, 
