140 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Nov. 1st, 1884. 
THE 
©rcbitr (Srokrcrs Cafcnbnr. 
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Potting Orchids. —There can be no doubt but 
that Orchids are re-potted far too often in many 
collections, and that much mischief is done by 
having a set time for doing the work, and at that 
time going through the collection and re-potting 
each plant as it comes to hand. While it is at all 
times advisable to be on the watch for what are 
called “ shaky plants ” and potting material which 
has become bad and sour, and to re-pot them at any 
season, and even three or four times a year if need be 
until they are established, when once a plant has become 
thoroughly well established, firmly rooted, and in 
vigorous health, it becomes a matter for consideration 
whether it wants re-potting this year or whether it 
shall be left over until next. If the plant be healthy, 
the material about its roots sweet, and the pot large 
enough, in many cases there is no reason for re¬ 
potting it; indeed some of the best specimens of 
Cattleyas and Laflias we have in the country have 
not been disturbed in their pots for years, and have 
produced a far greater crop of flowers than they would 
have done if oftener re-potted. 
When is the proper time for potting Orchids? 
Well, this is a question that is frequently asked, 
and considering the variety of the subjects it refers 
to, the vast area from which they are obtained, and 
their great differences of habit, it is impossible for 
any one to say when is the proper time of year for 
rc-potting the general collection. All our best growers 
follow their own inclinations in this matter, and each 
on some points of detail differs from the other ; but 
as all obtain good results, though by different means, 
it is comforting to the amateur to know that he need 
not be bound to the letter of any one’s opinion, so 
long as he can see his way to secure the health of 
his plants. For my own part, I early found that it was 
necessary to fix a time for the periodical inspections of the 
Orchids, with a view to seeing which required re-potting, 
and I soon came to the conclusion that it was better 
to go through all the plants in October, when many 
Cattleyas and other things are to be found vigorously 
rooting, and to re-pot at that season than to leave it 
later; but I always found it better only to re-pot those 
i 1 the autumn, which could not well be left over until 
the new year, and to make the autumn inspection 
rather one for cleaning and re-arranging, than for 
potting. This I did for several reasons. In the first 
place, I found that many plants which in autumn 
gave signs of growing away at once, often when the 
winter set in, became inactive and at a standstill. 
Were such plants re-potted in autumn the disturbance 
consequent on the operation could not fail to be 
hurtful in some degree, whereas if they were re¬ 
potted in early spring they would have the advantage 
of being able to at once avail themselves of the fresh 
material around them, and the active condition of the 
roots would immediately compensate for any damage 
done to them in shifting. 
When to Pot Orchids. 
For the general re-potting I found it best, particularly 
in the neighbourhood of towns where we have fogs as 
well as dull weather to contend with, to commence 
the work in the first week in January with the 
Masdevallias, continuing with the Odontoglossums, 
but leaving untouched those with flower-spikes, and 
(as in all other cases) those which did not require 
re-potting, and following on with all the other occu¬ 
pants of the cold-house which required re-potting. 
The East Indian Orchids (Aerides, Vandas, &e.) were 
gone over after the cool Orchids, and after them the 
general collection of Cattleyas and Laelias were seen 
to, and so on through the rest of the Brazilian plants, 
Oncidiums, Miltonias, &c., finishing up with the 
remainder of the collection. This spring-potting I 
found the most favourable of all, but at that season 
as at all others, when looking out for plants that 
require potting, I always availed myself of the oppor¬ 
tunity of having the thorough cleansing of the plants 
seen to and the pots of those not shifted scrubbed, 
never re-potting any plant at any time if I thought 
it might be more properly done at another. 
As at the preliminary autumn - potting and the 
general spring-potting, a great number of things are 
passed over as not being in a projier condition to 
re-pot, it of course entails vigilance throughout the 
whole year in order to see when such plants want 
re-potting, if they require it at all, and a now 
commonly accepted indication of a fit and proper 
time for shifting, is to be found in the plant sending 
out fresh young roots. That is perhaps the most 
propitious moment to pot any Orchid, as the ne.v 
material used in potting is at once taken hold of by 
the young roots and is much more beneficial to them, 
and consequently to the whole plant, than it would 
have been if the plant had been re-potted a month or 
so before. 
Cypripediums, Evergreen Calanthes, and all other 
evergreen terrestrial Orchids are best re-potted soon 
after they have done flowering, and deciduous terres¬ 
trial plants just as they begin to grow and root, and 
in the ease of all, both terrestrial and epiphytal, extra 
care must be taken with the watering for the first few 
weeks. 
Orchid Potting Materials. 
Various attempts have been made at introducing 
innovations in the materials used for Orchid-potting, 
but few of them have stood the test of time, the fibry 
peat, sphagnum, crocks, and charcoal of thirty or 
forty years ago, still being the staple commodities in 
use; indeed, in the case of the peat, all our Orchid- 
growers would ask for nothing better than the chance 
of getting such as that which was in use in the early 
days of Orchid culture. Good peat is of the most 
vital importance to Cattleyas, Ladias, most of the 
Brazilian and other Orchids, and it is a deplorable 
fact that year by year it gets worse, more expensive, 
and more difficult to obtain. Many hundreds of 
plants are killed annually by the use of bad peat, as 
many a grower can testify. Let us hope that a good 
field for obtaining the deep, light peat, composed of 
Bracken-roots, will soon be found again, and it is 
certain that a really good sample would command a 
heavy sale. In the matter of material used in potting, 
good fibry peat without any other mixture is best for 
Cattleyas, Laslias, strong Oncidiume and most strong¬ 
growing Brazilian Orchids; sphagnum moss alone is 
best for Aerides, Vandas, Saccolabrums and such like ; 
while peat and sphagnum in about equal proportions 
is best for the cold-house plants, which are kept moist 
all the year round; the healthy growth of the moss 
being conducive to the health of the moisture-loving 
plants. With any of these materials, charcoal may 
be used ad libitum, as it assists in keeping up that 
perfect drainage which all Orchids love, but, as where 
it is used, it is apt to form an important item in the 
expenses it can well be done without, it is better not 
to call in its aid unless it can be obtained at a cheap 
rate. 
Free drainage is one of the most essential things to 
Orchids, and therefore the pots should be carefully 
crocked two-thirds of the way up or more, but let this 
be ever so carefully done, it is not sufficient unless 
the material used in potting be easily permeable to 
and afford a free passage for water, hence the peat 
used should be broken into lumps and not rubbed 
fine, the mixing with sphagnum where that is used, 
being done in the potting and not by previously 
rubbing and manipulating them together as some do, 
for when so mixed, the material is apt to form a hard 
mass, and not give such a free passage to the water 
as it does when the peat is used in lumps. Plants 
which are well-rooted and do not require re-potting, 
should have the old stuff taken out as far as practic¬ 
able, and replaced by new as soon as it is determined 
to leave it over until another year. Should a plant 
by any means become sodden and the stuff around it 
sour, it is best to re-pot it, no matter at what time 
of year it may be, in fact it is a good rule for Orchid- 
growers never to let a plant alone while it is unhappy, 
and never to meddle with it so long as it is in a 
perfectly thriving condition .—James O'Brien. 
Valoradia plujibaginoides. —This dwarf and pretty 
autumn-flowering herbaceous plant is a native of 
China, and is under a foot high. The branches are 
dull red, spreading, and clothed with oblong-lanceolate 
bright green leaves. The flower-heads are terminal, 
bearing beautiful blue flowers, darker, but otherwise 
very similar to those of the well-known Plumbago 
capensis. 
ORCHID NOTES. 
“The Orchid Album.” —The October number 
of Mr. B. S. Williams’ Orchid Album contains coloured 
plates and descriptions of the following species :— 
Epidendrum bicornutum, a well-known, though not 
too often seen, evergreen species, which blooms 
during April and May, bearing spikes at the top of 
the stem, when the growth is completed, of large 
white flowers, slightly spotted with lilac-purple 
towards the centre.—Phalasnopsis speciosa, a pretty 
species introduced by Lieut.-Colonel Emeric S. 
Berkeley, from the Andaman Islands. It is a small 
compact evergreen plant, with light green leaves 
about 6 ins. long, and flowers of a deep crimson-purple, 
faintly barred with white. Mr. Williams states that 
it is best grown in the East India house, in a small 
basket, or on a block of wood.—Brassia antherotes, a 
rare species, evergreen, with bright, shining pseudo¬ 
bulbs, and growing to about 18 ins. high. The 
flowers are deep yellow, and the sepals and petals 
beautifully spotted towards the base with dark purple- 
brown. The plant is best grown in the Cattleya- 
house in a pot, with fibrous peat and perfect drainage. 
—Aerides virens, a very handsome old East Indian 
species, with white flowers tipped with crimson- 
purple and deliciously scented. 
-- 
Leelia Perrinii.—This is certainly one of the 
most beautiful Orchids now enlivening the Cattleya- 
liouse here. I am referring to a plant of the pale 
form of it, the deep purple lip, with a pure white 
throat, being in striking contrast to the pale rose- 
coloured sepals and petals, and giving it a very chaste 
and refined appearance. The plant is at present 
grown in a pot, but I intend to transfer it to a block 
before growth again commences. That system 
appears to me to be the best to ensure success, as by 
that method the best plants I have seen were grown, 
being clean and free from the dark blotches too often 
accompanying pot-culture.— E. Dumper. 
Cypripedium Spicerianum.—This free-growing 
and equally free-flowering Lady’s Slipper is also now 
in flower here. I grow it in the hottest house, treating 
it to liberal supplies of water at all times, but less 
during the duller months of the year than when the 
sun shines on both sides of the hedges. I grow it in 
a compost of peat and fibry loam, with pieces of lime¬ 
stone mixed through it, and surfacing the soil with 
living sphagnum, which suits it admirably, so much 
so indeed that I have two flowers on one spike open at 
the present time. Can you tell me whether this 
variety is liable to produce two flowers on a spike ?—- 
E. Dumper, The Gardens, Somerville, Limerick. — [We 
have seen several specimens with two flowers on one 
spike, and one of our correspondents, Mr. E. H. 
Adcock, has a very fine variety which recently bore 
three spikes with two flowers on each.—Ed.] 
- g_^ i z <0- ^ ■ ■ -_9 - 
FLORICULTURE. 
Notes on Gladioli.—Mr. W. J. Murphy, of 
Clonmel, an enthusiastic cultivator of the Gladiolus, 
contributes the following interesting notes to the 
columns of The Irish Farm, Forest, and Garden :— 
“ Of the newer varieties I would name first James 
Douglas, a robust grower with a very peculiar 
combination of colour. There is crimson and white, 
and, as if this was not enough, rose shading off into 
purple and lavender. It seems destined to perpetuate 
the name of a very worthy grower. It has many 
colour tints in common with Duchess of Connaught, 
but with me one is a stronger grower than the other. 
Two other new ones were introduced last year of the 
rosy lilac combination of tinting—Lord Digby and 
Lady Cavendish; if the experience of others be 
like mine, neither will equal older introductions. 
A. F. Barron is a fine flower, but far outdistanced 
by James McIntosh, which it resembles, the ground 
colour in both being brilliant scarlet, and the petals 
streaked or blotched white. Another, and a finer 
spike too, having a crimson body colour and light 
bluish stripe is Dr. Benson. Duke of Edinburgh I 
saw referred to at several shows as fine ; if it comes 
at all near the Duchess it will be an acquisition. 
Lord Sefton resembles another great beauty, Mr. 
