154 
TUB GARDE NINO WORLD 
February 25, 1905 . 
Among the Orchids. 
The East Indian House.—The plants in this division will 
soon, if they have not- already commenced to, show signs of 
renewed vitality. The Aerides, Saccolabiums, and the Vandas 
of the V. tricolor section are among the first to demand atten¬ 
tion after the prolonged season of rest, during which the dry 
condition at tire roots generally has the effect of partially, if 
not wholly, decaying the sphagnum moss. I consider it 
advisable to attend to any repotting requirements necessary 
among this section of plants immediately they show the first 
sign of restarting into growth. If the repotting is delayed 
until after the tips of the roots become unsealed and project 
their green succession of root growth, the operation becomes 
very difficult, the least touch or even pressure of the potting 
compost being sufficient to seriously interfere with its future 
progress; the possibility of avoiding this can only be accom¬ 
plished by repotting early in the season. 
Where plants of this class have become leggy or bare at 
the stem from loss of leaves, it is advisable to shorten the 
stem at the base, so that the leaves may be brought to within 
reasonable distance of the rim of the pot. As roots are often 
plentifully distributed at intervals along the stem it is not 
a difficult matter to shorten the stem and use some of the 
aerial roots above to substitute those taken away from the 
base. There are other cases in which there are no roots on 
the bare stem ; in such a case it is better by far to remove the 
decayed compost and replace with new. If plants in this con¬ 
dition are placed in a position where they can be liberally 
syringed along the bare stems, it generally has the desired 
effect of producing root action, which renders it possible to 
deal with die plant at the following repotting season. 
In the case of Saccolabiums, Rhynchostylis, and the thick 
foliage section of Aerides, which are all more or less of dwarf 
structure, it is not desirable that these should be annually 
turned out of their pans or baskets,, as the case may be. All 
decayed and unsuitable compost should be carefully picked out 
and replaced with fresh drainage and potting material, taking 
care not to disturb the roots more than is necessary. Specimen 
plants of this kind will often stand for years in the same pot 
or basket if treated in this manner. The potting compost 
may consist of equal portions of chopped sphagnum 
moss and leaf soil, made moderately firm and filled 
to within an inch of the rim of the pot, covering 
the surface with a layer of chopped sphagnum, or the 
compost may consist wholly of chopped sphagnum with a little 
sand intermixed. Where sphagnum alone is used liberal drain¬ 
age must be given. In repotting the larger species of Vandas 
and Aerides, a stick sufficiently long should be tied to each to 
secure the plants firmly in position. It is not always an easy 
matter to fix sticks securely in position after the plants have 
been repotted, so that if done, and the drainage worked care¬ 
fully with a view to securing it in position at the repotting 
time, this obstacle is removed. The plants should be watered 
as soon as repotting is completed, thoroughly wetting the 
compost lurough ; after this, where leaf soil is used, only suffi¬ 
cient moisture will be necessary to keep the moss in a growing 
state afterwards. The plants should be protected from the 
direct rays of the sun for a few weeks until root action is well 
advanced, the atmosphere also should now be kept charged 
with moisture, whenever the outside conditions permit, and 
every encouragement should be afforded to induce the plants 
to advance their growth. In all the divisions the atmospheric 
moisture should be increased. It. will be found necessary now to 
damp down the houses two or three times a day in bright 
weather, and more liberal treatment should be adopted. 
H. J. Chapman, 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
General Potting. —This is the period of the year when the 
majority of the plants require overhauling and repotting into 
new soil, for the lengthening days and increased warmth will 
cause them to commence new growth after their inactivitv 
The subject, of potting is an important one, and to enter 
into all the details connected therewith would occupy too 
much space in these notes, but a few general remarks mav be 
made. The most important preliminary matters to- attend to 
are the getting in plenty of the various composts in order that 
they do not become wet. See that all crocks to be used as 
drainage are clean, and that a supply of sweet moss is gathered 
for placing over the drainage to prevent its becoming blocked 
with particles of the soil. It is not always possible at this 
busy season to wash all pots before using, yet the importance 
of doing so cannot be questioned, and if time will not allow of 
washing all, then well diy and wipe other’s. As regards firm¬ 
ness of potting, it may be taken as a rule that hard-wooded 
plants require firmer potting than those classed as soft-wooded, 
likewise those having large fles'hy roots should be potted 
firmer than the majority of fine-rooted subjects, excepting such 
as Ei ■icas, Epacris, and other New Holland plants. Pro¬ 
bationers should learn that the potting stick or rammer is an 
implement for working the new soil well about the lower part 
of the old ball, not. for making the upper soil so firm that 
water will hardly pass through ft to tlie roots below. The old 
ball of soil and roots must be moist when repotting, or the 
water fails to permeate it, but passes away through the new 
soil, where it is not needed until new roots are formed. If the 
■soil be just moist, not wet, when used the application of water 
immediately after potting is neither necessary nor desirable, 
the syringe if properly used wall supply all the moisture neces- 
sary for some time. Genial atmospheric conditions are of 
first importance. 
Temperatures. — As the days lengthen and become more 
favourable to renewed growth in plant life, so must the tem¬ 
peratures of the various structures be gradually increased and 
the general conditions be kept, more genial. This remark 
applies more to stoves than cool greenhouses. It is important 
that these be kept as low as possible on account of the pre¬ 
sence of numerous hard-wooded plants that would be injured 
with a high temperature. It is a good practice at. this time to 
restart many greenhouse plants in a vinery or other structure 
that is being gently forced, a.s the conditions prevailing therein 
will just suit them for a time until other plants are removed 
to cold pits oi- frames, preparatory to placing them outdoors, 
thus making room for them. The plant stoves should be kept 
as near 60 degrees by night as possible, and 65 or 70 degrees 
by day, allowing another- 5 degrees rise with sun-heat. As 
new growth in the plants proceeds, raise the temperature by 
bottling up sun-heat, but-let it be done strictly in accordance 
with the weather and the conditions of the various plants. 
Apply air freely to the greenhouse on all favourable occa¬ 
sions, and avoid turning on any fire-heat unless absolutely 
necessary, or imperfect and untimely growths will be induced 
to pull forth. The thermometer may fall to 42 degrees at 
night, and the day temperature should not exceed 55 degrees. 
Begonias.-— The tuberous varieties to be grown in pots for 
a display in the conservatory may now be potted in a com¬ 
post. consisting of about equal parts loam, leaf soil, and decom¬ 
posed manure, and adding a little sand and bone-meal. Use 
in a lumpy state, and do not make the soil too firm. It is 
good practice to set the conn upon a little sharp sand. Any 
particular varieties that it is desired to perpetuate may be 
divided, provided each piece of the conn has a shoot. Seed 
may be sown, if not already done, in pans or pots of light 
finely-sifted soil as advised for Gloxinias. Winter-flowering 
species and varieties may be propagated by cuttings inserted 
as they are produced upon the parent plants ; these root 
readily if inserted in sandy soil and plunged in the propagating 
bed. When well rooted remove to a light shelf, and pot off 
singly. 
