252 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
Dec. 20th, 1884. 
THE 
(Irtbib (Joiners’ dalmlmr. 
o 
Winter Treatment of Orchids. —Wide as the 
knowledge of Orchid culture has now spread, I fear 
that much suffering and loss is inflicted on the plants 
by what is called drying off during the season when 
they are not perceptibly growing, but when the root 
points of many of the species on examination would be 
found to be active and in a condition which rendered 
the presence of moisture necessary. It must be borne 
in mind that the course adopted by us of restricting the 
supply of water given to the plants and lowering the 
temperature in which they are kept during the resting 
season is quite a cultivator’s scheme, advanced for the 
purpose of preventing the plants from making more 
than the proper amount of growth in the year, and, 
consequently, keeping them in their regular seasons 
of growth, rest, and flower, and not for the purpose 
of imitating, as many believe, the climatic conditions 
of the country from whence the plants come. 
That this is the case is evident when we consider that 
a great number of Orchids receive their severe annual 
check, and not only have to rest from growing but 
even to struggle for bare life during the hot season. 
Were these conditions imitated when the plants are 
being grown under glass the end would soon come, 
but common sense steps in and suggests that what is 
really required is to check the growth and keep 
the plants to then- seasons, and this is found 
to be done to perfection when the watering is 
restricted and the temperature lowered, while at the 
same time as much air as may prudently be admitted 
is allowed to pass through the ventilators day and 
night, and particularly through the bottom ones. 
But all these things want thoughtful consideration, 
like all the other operations connected with Orchid 
culture. Some are much more adroit than others in 
taking hints and carrying them out successfully, and 
for that reason we often see difficult plants thriving to 
perfection under the care of some of our small 
amateurs whose only stock of knowledge on the 
subject is gained from hints supplied by others which 
they sensibly work out, adapting them to their own 
circumstances. 
There is no disguising the fact that drying Orchids 
off in winter, or at any other season, when they may 
not be growing, is out of date, so far as a hard and 
fast adherence to the rule goes, and that a departure 
from it, when carefully carried out, is always beneficial, 
deciduous Dendrobes perhaps being the only things 
benefited by a thorough drying while at rest, and even 
with these in some houses a complete withholding of 
water is injurious. 
Cattleyas and Laelias, which used formerly to be 
recommended to be kept dry in winter, are now 
found by our best growers to succeed much better 
when watered in winter as in summer, but of course 
only when they require water (just as they are getting 
dry), and consequently not so frequently in winter as 
in summer. R. P. Percival, Esq., of Birkdale, who 
is one of our best Cattleya growers, is the most liberal 
of all with water in winter, and he is of opinion that 
if the plants are potted in good fibrous peat which 
will not get sodden, and grown, as his are, in cool airy 
houses, there is no fear of injury from any reasonable 
amount of good rain water, and at the same time, when 
it is given, the bulbs will be found at the starting time 
so plump and stout that they will be in just the proper 
condition to at once give the necessary force to the 
coming new growth, instead of having to plump them¬ 
selves up, as they do when they have been kept short of 
water. William Lee, Esq., of Leatherhead, too, finds 
these plants do best when watered as they require it 
all the year round, and that the oft slain C. Schilleriana, 
C. Walkeriana (bulbosa), C. Acklandise, Laelia pumila 
varieties, and other small growers are very free- 
growing if placed on blocks suspended horizontally, 
or in shallow baskets without much peat about them, 
placed in a cool house, and watered liberally summer 
and winter. 
The Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, Oncidium mae- 
ranthum, and other occupants of the cold house, meet 
with better treatment generally than the warmer 
house-plants, and it is not a common thing now to 
see any attempt at drying them in winter, but where- 
ever such attempt is made, its ill effect is evident in 
the shrivelled bulbs and thin sickly leaves of the 
plants. Where the potting is carefully done, it is 
next to impossible for any reasonable man to over¬ 
water the occupants of the cold house, but where 
notions of drying off for a lengthened period creeps 
in, mischief quickly follows by the plants becoming 
sickly and infested by insects as they generally are 
when lowered in condition. 
Phalamopsis having their resting time in winter, 
should be carefully watered, as the plants are liable 
to spot if kept too wet at this season. Still, as they 
have to be kept in a temperature of 60 degs. to 65 
degs. at night, and 65 degs. to 75 degs. by day, and as 
many of them have flower-spikes to bear or push up, 
they must be carefully watered all the winter, but not 
allowed to get sodden. Vanda tricolor, V. suavis, V. 
Cathcartii, V. ccerulea and many other Vandas are 
now grown cool, and in a temperature between that 
of the Odontoglossum-house and the Cattleya-house 
they are safe, and found to thrive well in a temperature 
of 50 degs. to 55 degs. by night and 60 degs. by day, and 
in such a temperature they keep plump without much 
water in winter. But everyone cannot give them just 
the cool place they like, and consequently if they 
have to be put in a warm house, plenty of air must 
be admitted and water moreliberallygiven. The Saeco- 
labiums and Angrsecums, being necessarily in a warm 
house, must not be allowed to suffer for want of water, 
but wherever they have from necessity to be kept 
colder in winter, then prudence dictates that a smaller 
and more carefully administered supply of water 
should be given. 
There are a host of things which one would like to 
particularize, but it may suffice to say that I advise 
amateurs to carefully observe each plant and be 
guided by its condition whether of growth or inactivity, 
and by the character of the temperature of the house 
in which it is, as to the quantity of water to be given 
at any season, and not to let the drying-off notion, 
which has been guilty of the death of thousands of 
good things, to get too firm a hold on them. Houses 
differ very much in their capacity for keeping plants 
while dry, but the cooler the temperature in reason, 
the less water will the plants require while at rest. In 
a high temperature one thing is certain, and it is that 
after a given point it extracts moisture from the plants 
themselves, causing them to shrivel, and this is a sign 
that should always be watched for and dealt with, as 
it indicates one or both of two things, viz., that the 
plant is in too high a temperature, or that it is being 
kept too short of water and air. 
Tear by year we gain over fresh species to the cold- 
house and thus rescue them from being killed by heat, 
and now let us turn our attention to saving others from 
death through being dried up ; but at the same time 
let the work be done discreetly, for such things as 
Dendrobes, Thunias, Calanthes of the vestitas ection, 
and many other things want a distinctly dry treat¬ 
ment while at rest in order to insure their flowering 
well. 
In conclusion, I would observe that one of the best 
axioms in Orchid culture is, “ A twelvemonth’s work, 
and no more in a year,” and if this be always kept in 
mind and the plants worked so as to accomplish it, 
rest being given of sufficient character, but not so 
severe as to cause shrivelling even in the slightest de¬ 
gree, soon good progress will be made with many plants 
now considered difficult to manage .—James O'Brien. 
ORCHID NOTES. 
Dendrobium macrophyllum.—This is a very 
fin e Orchid from Manilla, and one of the easiest to 
cultivate among the Dendrobes. I have it growing in 
fine condition in baskets, in a mixture of peat, crocks, 
and sphagnum, and in a temperature of from 55 degs. 
to 65 degs. Whilst growing it requires an abundance 
of water, but after growth is completed water is given 
very sparingly, just enough given to keep it from 
shrivelling. The leaves fall just as it begins to show 
its buds. The flowers are borne on drooping stems, 
2 ft. to 2 ft. 9 ins. in length; they are of a pleasing 
pink colour tinged with rose, and have a strong odour 
of Rhubarb. It is an Orchid that ought to be in every 
collection on account of its easy culture.— Hamilton. 
Vanda Cathcartii. —This most distinct Yanda is 
an evergreen species, resembling Renantherain appear¬ 
ance. The stems attain several feet in height, and 
produce from the leaf axils, its drooping racemes each 
bearing four or five large roundish concave flowers. 
The sepals and petals are pale yellow, striped with 
transverse lines or bands of reddish brown, and the 
lip is bordered with yellow. It flowers at different 
seasons of the year, and lasts for several weeks. 
We find this species does well in a pot, as it is tall 
growing and requires a stick to support the stem. 
Some sphagnum-moss may be used, with charcoal 
intermixed, as an inducement for the roots to cling 
to it, and, moreover, it helps to keep the moss 
open. The pots should be three-parts full of broken 
crocks in order to secure perfect drainage. We find 
the species grows well at the cool end of the East 
India-house, with plenty of light but shaded from the 
burning sun. It requires to be kept moist during the 
summer season, as it throws out roots up the stem, 
and requires sustenance; the moisture should be 
applied with a fine rose syringe. 
This plant requires most cautious washing if there 
should be any insects upon it. We have seen the 
foliage turn perfectly black through carelessness in 
this matter, and the leaves often get broken off owing 
to want of attention when cleaning the plant.— The 
Orchid Album. 
Platyclinis uncata is a graceful little Orchid 
from the Philippine Islands which is flowering at 
the present time. The plant grows about 6 ins. high, 
producing erect lanceolate leaves. The scapes are 
also erect, equalling the leaves, and bearing from the 
apex a drooping raceme, 4 ins. long, of small pale 
pea-green flowers, which are arranged in two rows 
along the raceme. There are a few other species of 
this singular and graceful genus, of which P. glumacea 
is the best.— Orchis. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Chinese Primulas at Audley End.—In few 
private establishments are double-flowered Primulas 
more successfully grown than in Lord Braybrooke’s 
garden at Audley End. Perhaps we shall also be not 
far from the truth if we say that in few gardens 
indeed are the double varieties grown successfully at 
all. They are, it is true, not the easiest plants in the 
world to propagate, nor will they grow into handsome 
plants or yield an abundant crop of flowers, without 
much care and attention, but then, are they not worth 
any amount of trouble and care that can be bestowed 
upon them? The answer, in oUr opinion, must 
certainly be in the affirmative. There is no plant that 
will give a gardener such a continuous supply of bright 
and beautiful flowers from October to May. 
Mr. Vert, who so ably presides over Lord Bray¬ 
brooke’s gardening establishment, and it is an 
extensive one, is an enthusiast in Primula cultivation, 
and an adept especially in flowering the double ones, 
as perhaps we ought to say he should be, for was he 
not with Mr. Gilbert, at Burghley, when his famous 
batch of fine varieties was sent out, and at that time 
at all events Mr. Gilbert did grow good Primulas, as 
we hope he does now. 
The secret of the successful cultivation of the 
double Primula, in Mr. Vert’s case, may be stated 
in a few words. To get stock, plants must be grown 
on purpose to provide cuttings, by not allowing them 
to flower, and in all stages of then- growth they must 
be carefully watered. Water must under no circum¬ 
stances be allowed to get into the crown, or the plants 
will speedily turn yellow and die off. Any one who 
can grow the single-flowered varieties can grow the 
double ones too, if they will only attend to these two 
points in their management. Mr. Vert puts in the 
cuttings in May, taking them off with as much care 
as possible and inserting them in light soil in a close 
propagating frame. From the moment the cuttings 
are put in they require, as before remarked, very 
careful handling as regards moisture, but given this 
condition, all goes well, and they soon make roots. 
From this stage they are grown on with the seedlings 
of the single varieties, all being potted in a mixture 
