October  10,  li96. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
349 
O.  Halli,  while  several  of  the  cool  Oncidiums,  such  as  O.  tigrinum, 
O.  concolor,  and  others  may  also  be  initanced,  while  other  nearly 
related  kinds  keep  to  their  annual  routine  with  more  certainty. 
O.  triumphans  has  not  varied  a  month  in  its  flowering  time  for 
several  years,  while  0.  pardinum,  0.  ngevium,  0.  blandum, 
O,  Cervantesi,  and  one  or  two  more  may  be  mentioned  in  the  same 
category.  These  all  seem  to  fall  naturally  into  a  habit  of  growing, 
resting,  and  flowering  in  due  season,  and  are  on  this  account  among 
the  easiest  and  most  satisfactory  of  cool  species  to  cultivate. 
The  amount  of  water  these  and  kindred  sorts  require  during 
the  growing  season  soon  soddens  and  sours  the  best  of  composts, 
progress  during  the  summer  that  the  pots  are  filled  with  roots,  an(J 
these  are  still  growing  freely,  sending  up  nutriment  to  the  rapidly 
swelling  pseudo-bulbs. 
The  point  to  consider,  then,  is  whether  there  is  enough  compost 
and  this  in  good  enough  condition  to  last  the  plant  through  the 
winter .  If  so,  I  would  not  disturb  the  plant  on  any  account,  but 
let  it  remain  until  the  spring.  On  taking  another  it  may  be  found 
that  the  peat  has  become  sour,  possibly  owing  to  inefficient 
drainage,  while  the  half-formed  growth  has  not  as  yet  produced  a 
single  new  root.  Here,  then,  is  a  case  for  a  new  pot,  fresh  compost, 
and  a  renewal  of  the  drainage . 
Fig.  56.— CCELOGYNE  CRISTATA. 
and  in  consequence  the  plants  must  be  frequently  examined  and 
supplied  witn  new  if  this  is  necessary.  I  always  look  on  the 
autumn  as  the  best  time  to  repot  these  cool  house  kinds,  for  in  a 
properly  constructed  house  with  a  suitable  aspect  the  summer  is  the 
more  trying  season  of  the  two  for  the  plants,  and  any  that  are 
disturbed  much  in  early  spring  have  not  time  to  re-establish  them¬ 
selves  before  the  heat  of  summer  is  on  them. 
There  is,  moreover,  from  many  kinds  a  good  flush  of  roots 
in  the  autumn  and  early  winter,  and  these  soon  bring  back  to  the 
plants  any  little  they  may  have  lost  from  disturbance  consequent 
on  repotting.  At  the  same  time  it  is  not  wise  to  repot  all 
because  a  few  require  it,  or  even  to  top-dress  them.  In  looking 
through  a  collection  many  will  be  found  to  have  made  such  good 
Not  many  of  the  old  roots  will  probably  be  of  much  account, 
but  enough  should  be  left  on  to  steady  the  plant  in  its  new  position, 
and  then  as  the  fresh  grown  roots  are  emitted  from  the  young 
growth  they  will  have  a  sweet  and  well  aiirated  run,  ramifying  in 
all  directions  among  the  compost  and  drainage,  and  collecting  the 
moisture  so  necessary  to  the  building  up  of  good  healthy  bulbs. 
The  c  impost  and  mode  of  potting  these  beautiful  Orchids  has  been 
frequently  discussed  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  %o  \t  viiW  not 
be  necessary  to  again  go  into  this.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  smaller 
the  pots  are  the  better,  providing  the  plants  can  be  conveniently 
placed,  and  the  make  up  of  the  compost  should  be  such  that  the 
water  does  not  silt  through  gradually,  but  quickly,  so  that  the 
roots  are  soon  dry  again. —  H.  R.  R. 
