September  5,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
229 
away  from  Orchid  composts.  Frequently  the  stems  are  placed 
seven  or  eight  together  in  a  large  pot,  and  they  do  well  in  this 
way,  the  only  drawback  being  the  fact  of  their  not  always  flowering 
simultaneously,  and  therefore  not  making  so  good  a  display  as 
would  otherwise  be  the  case. 
If  established  singly  in  5-inch  pots  they  will  make  strong 
shoots,  and  these  may  be  grouped  when  in  flower  to  make  a  good 
show.  Not  only  this,  but  it  is  easier  to  cater  for  the  wants  of  the 
will  soon  commence  to  turn  colour,  and  as  they  fall  the  root 
moisture  must  be  diminished  by  degrees  until  in  winter  they  will 
require  none  at  all. 
The  plants  are  best  during  the  autumn  in  a  sunny  pit  or  frame, 
but  before  the  nights  get  very  cold  they  must  be  housed,  and  the 
temperature  kept  at  about  50°  during  the  winter.  The  best  time 
to  repot  is  just  before  the  plants  commence  to  grow  in  the  spring. 
Thunias  may  be  easily  propagated  by  cutting  the  matured  stems 
Fig.  32.— DENDEOBIUM  THYRSIFLORUM.  QSee  page  228.) 
plants  when  grown  in  this  way.  In  preparing  the  pots  see  that 
they  are  thoroughly  clean  and  dry,  drain  about  half  the  depth  with 
clean  crocks,  and  let  the  base  of  ihe  stems  just  rest  on  the  surface 
of  the  compost,  the  latter  being  finished  about  half  an  inch  below 
the  rim  of  the  pot.  They  should  be  taken  at  once  to  the  warmest 
house,  and  if  the  pots  are  surfaced  over  with  a  little  moss  this 
checks  evaporation  and  does  away  with  the  need  of  watering  at 
first.  Signs  of  growth  will  soon  be  apparent,  and  as  soon  as  the 
young  shoots  commence  to  root  a  little  water  may  be  given,  in¬ 
creasing  the  quantity  as  the  roots  begin  to  run  freely,  and  when 
the  pots  are  filled  giving  occasional  supplies  of  well  diluted  liquid 
manure.  At  the  apex  of  each  growth  the  flower  scapes  will  be 
produced,  and  the  p4ants  must  then  be  placed  in  a  drier  atmosphere 
for  the  reasons  stated  above.  When  the  flowers  are  past  the  leaves 
into  lengths  of  5  or  6  inches,  and  placing  them  three  or  four 
together  in  pots  of  very  light  compost,  watering  very  sparely 
until  the  growths  that  start  from  the  base  of  each  cutting  begin  to 
root.  Or  advantage  may  be  taken  of  the  shoots  that  appear  at  the 
top  of  the  old  stems  to  increase  the  stock,  placing  these  singly  in 
small  pots,  and  growing  them  on  till  strong  enough  to  flower. 
Tbunia  Marshalliana  is  perhaps  the  most  generally  grown.  This  is  a 
native  of  Moulmein,  and  produces  large  and  elegant  flowers,  puro^ 
white  in  ground  colour,  the  lip  being  fringed  in  front  with  orange 
yellow.  T.  alba  is  similar,  but  bears  smaller  flowers,  which  are 
faintly  marked  with  purple.  T.  Benson'm  has  flowers  similar  in 
structure,  but  of  a  pretty  light  purple  colour.  It  is  a  native  of 
Rangoon,  and  was  introduced  in  1867.  These  all  flower  in  the 
late  summer  months,  and  are  amongst  the  prettiest  Orchids  in 
