tage for the long dull winter months. When all danger of the foliage burn- 
ing is past, the shading should be removed entirely. One can easily see 
why we recommend the wood slat shades which do away with so much extra 
work. In exceedingly bright locations, it is sometimes necessary even with 
the use of wood slat shades to apply a thin coating of shade to the glass. 
As a paint shade, a number of cold water products are suitable, provid- 
ing they can be easily removed in fall when clear glass iis desirable. Com- 
mercially one of the most popular shades is a mixture of white lead and 
white gasoline. These shades can be applied either by the use of a spray or 
paint brush. 
For the beginner or amateur who is not always at home, we do recom- 
mend a permanent type of slat shade, even though home made, 
WATHRING, SYRINGING and DAMPING — DO NOT OVER WATER, 
There is no definite basis, amount, or schedule one can follow in watering, 
and conditions and houses vary so, that again good judgment in watering is 
better than any set rules. Needless to say, Orchids, in their growing season 
require considerable water, but should never be kept continually in a wet 
state. It is true that where the plants grow in their native habitats they 
are subject to long rainy seasons, but one must bear in mind that their root 
systems are exposed to the air and are not crowded into pots packed full of 
compost, and when the rain stops the planits are dry in a matter of minutes. 
They have a constant circulation of air around them that we do not always 
have in our greenhouses. 
In the matter of Cattleyas, etc., which this General Culture is dealing 
with primarily, we recommend looking the plants over at least once a week 
for a good watering. If they are dry by weight or condition of the compost, 
a watering is in order and in the case of a few plants, an easy method is a 
quick dipping in a pail or tub. When a collection consists of more plants, a 
hose is the best. Assuming that the plants are potted uniformly (the same 
depth from the rim of the pot to the compost) then by filling up that space 
with water ali of the plants receive the same amount proportionately even 
though in different sized pots. Through the winter always pick a nice, 
bright sunny morning for watering—never the afternoon. You will some- 
times find—especially during spring, summer and fall, because of a drier 
condition the plants will require more water, and it is beneficial to syringe 
them in addition to the watering. A hose nozzle, set fine is good to use, 
and this should be done on nice sunny days early in the morning and if the 
day continues to be hot, a repetition is good in the afternoon when the sun 
heat is off the glass. Do not let the bulbs shrivel for lack of water. AFTER 
REPOTTING, WATER SHOULD BE GIVEN SPARINGLY until root action 
or new growths appear. Daily syringings on nice days are quite safe for 
repotted plants. In syringing with a ‘those nozzle one should sweep over the 
plants as quickly as possible. In this way the leaves and bulbs get a bit of 
water with practically none added to the compost. 
Damping the walks, stagings, and spaces between the plants is bene- 
ficial during hot, dry weather, and also helps during dull winter weather 
when the houses are dry from fire heat. Care must be exercised in SYRING- 
4 
