ON THE CULTIVATION OF DENDROBIUM. 
13 
where, at one season of the year, they can and do have abundance 
of moisture, and at another season are entirely dry ; and many 
of this species lose their leaves, and then the pseudo bulbs being 
perfectly mature, they are then ready to burst forth into splendid 
flower, as soon as the rainy season returns, and also into fine 
growth. All the species of this genus do not flower at the be¬ 
ginning of the rainy season ; for many of them flower at the 
termination of it, and some few species take their rest when 
flowering, and commence growing soon after the flowering is 
over. This shows the necessity of having two houses, so that 
those plants that require a short rest, should not be intermixed 
with those that require a long one. 
The best time to pot Dendrobium, is at the beginning of the 
growing season ; namely, after they have flowered, (that is, those 
plants that are in a flowering state ;) but they should all be potted 
at the beginning of the growing season, if they require potting. 
They should either be put into large pots or baskets ; but I should 
recommend baskets for the greater portion of them, as the plants 
grow so much finer, and also have a more natural appearance. 
The baskets should have a wire bow, so that they can be sus¬ 
pended from hooks or rods run along the hottest end of the house, 
as the plants, when in a growing state, require strong heat and 
abundance of moisture. They should either be potted or 
basketed in the following compost : equal portions of turfy peat, 
sphagnum, (bog-moss,) cut in small pieces, and well mixed to¬ 
gether. If intended to be grown in pots, these should be filled 
up to about one-half with large potsherds ; and over the pot¬ 
sherds should be placed a little uncut sphagnum, so as to prevent 
the smaller portions of the compost from getting through amongst 
the potsherds. The baskets will require a few large potsherds 
laid neatly along the bottom, and it would be well, if a few were 
“ stood up” in the basket. Over that should be laid the uncut bog- 
moss ; then the basket or pot should be filled up with the before- 
mentioned compost; and it should be pressed firmly dow r n, so that 
the plant may not sink when it is potted and finished off. The base 
of the plant should be two inches above the rim, either in the 
basket or pot. All along the sides, the baskets should be filled 
up with the uncut sphagnum, so as to prevent the smaller portions 
from coming through, which otherwise would be the case when 
they were watered. The baskets or pots should be proportioned 
