to captivity were entirely ignored. 
Experience has shown me that 
Orchids may be cultivated with great 
success if a few simple rules are fol- 
lowed which I will endeavor to 
explain. 
Potting. 
Orchids in common with other 
plants should be potted at least every 
two years. In most cases an annual 
potting would be best. It is very 
important for the successful growing 
of Orchids that the potting should 
not be neglected. But alas one often 
finds the Orchids more neglected re- 
garding potting than any other plants 
This method of 
culture or rather non-culture courts 
grown under glass. 
failure and leads to disappointment. 
The lack of knowledge regarding 
potting the plants and the proper 
compost to use is chiefly confined to 
the amateur just starting in the field 
of orchidology. In European coun- 
tries fibrous loam, peat, sphagnum 
moss, leaves and osmunda fibre enter 
into their potting compost. These 
materials or a combination of them 
have not been the most successful in 
our country. In fact it is advantage- 
ous in the case of imported plants 
growing in this material to repot them 
when the period of time for that 
operation is at hand. 
The plants should be potted in a 
good quality Osmundine (osmunda 
fibre). There are several grades of 
Osmundine. Avoid using the coarse 
black fibre material as, owing to its 
coarse texture, it allows the plants to 
dry out too rapidly. Select the brown 
colored upland material taken from 
a section which has not been burned 
over. The burning over destroys its 
value as a potting medium for orchids. 
Osmunda fibre taken from swampy 
land should not be used as usually 
this material possesses a strong acid 
reaction approaching sourness which 
is detrimental to the plants. The com- 
position and condition of the material 
used as potting material is of vital 
importance. We must remember that 
plants growing in captivity have not 
the same opportunities as that en- 
dowed them by nature. Whether the 
plants are grown in pots, baskets or 
other containers the roots in such 
cases are confined to the meagre 
amount of material which is placed 
around them. A grower who treats 
all his plants alike regarding potting 
compost, etc., will never receive from 
these plants the results as will a grower 
who is a thoughtful and observant 
student. 
The roots of Orchids are firm and 
brittle and they will not allow of 
much bending as is the case with 
other plants. Considerable damage 
may be done them by forcing them 
to grow in a cramped position. It is 
bad practice to leave the plants in 
the pots for several years without re- 
potting them, also the old potting 
material after constant waterings be- 
comes sour and it is detrimental to 
the health of the plant. When is the 
proper time to repot an Orchid? is a 
question frequently asked by the be- 
ginner. No definite date to this ques- 
tion can be given except that every 
plant must be taken in hand separately 
and treated according to its require- 
ments. When the new lead commences 
to show signs of growth new roots 
appear simultaneously at its base, this 
is the most favorable time to pot the 
plant. When taking out the plants 
from their receptacles to repot them 
carefully remove all old potting ma- 
terial and with the aid of a pair of 
pruning shears cut away all spent and 
decaying pseudo bulbs and obsolete 
growth. 
