Le 
me rhes 8 
"Cultural Notes” 
New pots should be throughly soaked prior to using and old ones cleaned. Using a 
five-inch pot as an example, increase the draining hole to about one inch in diameter 
with a hammer.Place a large piece of crock over this hole and in such a manner as to 
allow good free drainage and fill the pot with potshreds to about two inches. All 
orchids should be potted very firmly. Use a sharp-pointed hardwood potting stick 
and work the compost toward the center of the pot, packing it in as hard as possible. 
When finished the compost should be about three-quarters of an inch from the top of 
the pot. Care should always be taken not to overpot, for if the compost remains wet in 
the center it causes the osmunda fiber to decay and the roots of the plant to rot. All 
newly potted plants should be kept dry. Syringing is most beneficial at this time. 
CATTLEYA—The best potting material for Cattleyas is osmunda fiber. Place the 
backbulb close to the side of the pot, so as to allow the leading growths plenty of room. 
Use a pot large enough to take two years’ of growth. Plant should be staked. Cattleyas 
love the light and should have as much as possible. Adult plants of Cattleya genera 
should not be watered until the compost has become quite dry. Always remember that 
the easiest way to kill plants of the Cattleya family is to overwater them. On bright 
sunny days syringing overhead with a fine mist spry is best. Intermediate temperatures. 
CYPRIPEDIUM—Plants of Cypripedium should be kept moist at all seasons, with the 
exception of the newly potted plants, which should also be kept on the dry side until 
established. They should not be dried out between waterings as with the Cattleyas. 
They require a moist atmosphere and should be shaded from the direct sunlight. Cypri- 
pediums should be repotted every two years right after flowering. 
ONCIDIUM—Plants should be kept at intermediate temperatures, potted in osmunda 
fibre and given ample drainage. When in active growth an abundance of water and 
light is best. After growths have matured, water should be retarded until fiowering 
spikes appear. 
PHALAENOPSIS—Compost should be osmunda fibre in special baskets with ample 
drainage. Temperature should be warm. Repot as often as the compost becomes 
soft or stale and allow all roots to protrude. They require a moist atmosphere and 
a liberal supply of water. They cannot stand the direct rays of the sun. 
DISEASES—SNAILS and SLUGS are the worst pests. These pests do their work at 
night. You can purchase “Slug-O” to kill these pests from The Andrew Wilson Com- 
pany of Springfield, New Jersey. THRIP and SCALE can be controlled by using a 
nicotine spray with soap added. WET-ROT is brought on by over-watering and can be 
detected by a semi-transparest appearance of the parts affected, which soon become 
dark brown. It can be checked by avoiding water and setting the plant in a more airy 
position for a few days. SPOT—The appearance of small dark brown spots on the 
leaves and pseudo-bulbs is usually an indication of cold temperatures and overwater- 
ing. 
Riverview Orchids, East Liverpool, Ohia 
