According to latest facts and numbers released by the United States, 10 U.S. non-strategic reserves of crude oil inventory has expanded to 366.7 million barrels, in September 1990 for the largest worth, this contradictory report, as well as the influence of the U.S. dollar last week, Nymex crude oil futures charges of Since February this year, the biggest since the week of down turn, Friday to close at 50.33 U.S. dollars / barrel, or 3.7%. Natural gas futures charges increased 3.3 per hundred the preceding week to 3.729 U.S. dollars / MMBtu, but still at historic lows.

Benzene prices last week the slow-down, rose 8.3% to 5200 yuan / ton. Outside the disk as a result of market prices remained stable, rising domestic Benzene has also been a certain resistance to the wishes of manufacturers increased shipments, but when Friday Sinopec Wuhan Branch of the pure benzene prices rose to 5400 yuan / ton, some manufacturers have intend to increase this week, is expected to remain up having pure benzene. Phenol and bisphenol A in the pure benzene prices, driven up by 10.8%, respectively, -10.5% to 7200 yuan / ton and 9500 yuan / ton.

Last week, 11.4% glacial acetic unpleasant proceeded up to 3900 yuan / ton, although, diverse from region. Serious provide shortages in south China, mostly of little lone transaction; and demand in North China due to insufficient lightweight turnover; the most good in east China, manufacturers are the major suppliers to the agreement, traders have little supply, some traders even at a 4,200 yuan / ton price. Follow-up charges but furthermore count on the presentation of downstream products.

Last week, propylene costs plunge notably, down from 11.2% to 7520 yuan / ton. Receives a large number of in the household costs commenced to acclimatise the insist of deals down, waiting for the follow-up still a large number of basis of wares to Hong Kong and the follow-up can not be confident about the trend.

Polyurethane, the polymeric MDI charges have escorted in a long time, but furthermore a gigantic increase, up 29.2 per hundred to 15,500 yuan / ton. Downstream demand for ultra-rigid and partial output is anticipated due to gear malfunction or aniline initiated by insufficient provide of raw components provide stress is the major cause for increasing polymerization MDI. Affected by this, in east China polyether foam charges 8.2 per hundred to 9200 yuan / ton, the smaller comes to of the frig market demand and the top comes to of the steadiness of charges will be rigid to support prices. However, charges in the PO directly up after the drop, or 8.0 per hundred to 10,300 yuan / ton, propylene cost fall influenced the mentality of businessmen, have to decrease the boats cost, but there are furthermore some follow-up of trades of items to Hong Kong manufacturers on the smaller comes to of the formation of shunt .

International urea market transactions last week, still light-weight, the number of customers in South Asia looks like to be waiting for China’s trade overseas, North America, Europe, the procurement light-weight, the seaport of urea costs carried on to descent to some extent, the small end of the Arab territory FOB costs continue at 270 U.S. dollars / tons, However, high-end costs carry on to decline; in the household urea market is still frail, the region-based costs to plunge, Jiangsu territory upheld at a wholesale charge 1870 yuan / ton. International DAP costs plunged over, the Tampa environs or FOB charge of 5 U.S. dollars / ton to 335 U.S. dollars / ton; the in the household market unwavering, but the real transaction costs, Jiangsu territory plunged 200 Price / ton to 3,000 yuan / ton. International potash costs unwavering, but in the household potash fertilizer goods produced as a effect of the downstream environs of the expansion and that some dealers out low-cost wares, the charge carried on to plunge, Jiangsu territory of Russia or potassium 100-3700 yuan / ton.

The global financial crisis, in order to plunder the world’s auto market has been the first to occupy the Chinese market transactions, the plight of the U.S. auto giants have had to struggle every means in Shanghai come back home against the Chinese automobile manufacturers. Although the headquarters is a positive demand for the Government to provide financial support, but in the past few months, Ford Motor and General Motors in the Chinese market has been singing songs, the performance of gratifying. And only in the past three months, the Chinese have overtaken the United States to become the first generation of global automotive market.

However, the Chinese local manufacturers such as Geely Automobile and Chery Automobile, in the past few months, there is also a good performance. Financial crisis, China’s auto giants have been other than “victims”, the local car manufacturers seem to see into the ranks of the global automotive leader in hope.

Monday before the unfastening of the Shanghai International Motor Show, the market study firm TNS China Automotive Business Director Klaus Paur external grams, said: “The recession in the international finances, really for China’s household vehicle manufacturers to supply a development opportunity.”

Such as “small cars tax rebates” and other central social family members incentives below the drive of China’s auto market in March has came an exceptional sales of 1.08 million.

Chinese Government’s authorized facts and numbers displayed that the first quarter of 2009, China’s vehicle sales market over the identical time span last year an boost of almost 6 percentage points to 2.64 million.

However, in spite of the first quarter of sales of China automobile market gratifying, but the recent TNS businesses in mainland China more than 1,000 consumers pursued a survey survey in China for virtually 45% of probable car clients out of the overall fiscal circumstances fears, delayed the pay for plan.

Paur that, for good at the lower end of market operations in terms of China’s domestic car makers, these factors would be injected with one dose of stimulants. He said: “They (the Chinese automobile manufacturers) of prudent behavior from the consumers benefit. At the same time, they will be proactive in positioning itself for the foreign brands are a good alternative.”

Nevertheless, the General Motors Corporation said last month in mainland China sales record, and plans to be in five years in China, pushing up annual sales of 2,000,000. Last week, GM China President Kevin Wale areas in “Wall Street Journal” in an interview said: “We are very confident, at this moment we do not have a large number of inputs, it can be a significant growth.”

Ford furthermore is dynamically impelling ahead in the Chinese market. It is the implementation of the Beijing government to grab the “small displacement vehicle levy rebate” program possibilities, and dynamically encourage its four-door Fiesta forms for example little displacement.

At the same time, China’s worker car production plants are also endeavouring to participate the U.S. giants of traditional paddocks of strength. Chinese automotive production plants Geely Automobile and Chery Automobile is planning to show in public a many diagram of them the first American luxury cars.

The current Shanghai Auto Show, Geely Automobile will showcase its high-end “Emgrand” brand cars, Chery Automobile will also launch “Riich G6″ brand of high-end cars. The two originally planned to sell in the domestic market of the brand, the two companies has now been included into the developed markets in Europe and America. Chery Automobile five this week in a statement said: “We should start at the beginning of its position in the international arena.”

Chinese vehicle manufacturers will furthermore be on brandish at the auto show-powered and environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles.

However, in spite of China’s auto production plants hopeful, primed to demonstrate its mettle, the Chinese auto market has fragmented the birth has not been any global brand. China there are more than 100 provincial car production plants, and bulk of them funded by the provincial governments.

Although China’s central government has repeatedly called on car manufacturers to conduct joint, mergers and acquisitions, but the reorganization of experts concluded that Alix Partners Inc., has been “slow progress in this process, ‘done’.”

Alix Partners, a company survey shows that car manufacturers and the situation of different auto parts enterprises are usually not the support of the Government, there may be a nearly 40% of the enterprises are facing varying degrees of liquidity shortage, and even many directly facing the danger of bankruptcy.

Alix Partners, general manager of China, said Ivo Naumann, parts and components enterprises are facing difficulties, auto manufacturers will have a cascade effect. He said: “If your production because the supply of parts and components suppliers are forced to stop the problem, then you will have tremendous economic loss.”

Ivo predicted that China’s worker auto parts providers merged, the phenomenon of mergers and acquisitions in the next 1-2 years there.

The two financial gatherings arrange to five years in the future this 250 million U.S. dollars investment. As the world’s greatest piece producer, Intel has been toiling over the past small number years in the paddock of fitness care to open up new business. General Electric Company and has been a large-scale, infirmary and indemnity financial gatherings for fitness care yield companies.

The two financial gatherings have been the consequence of the worldwide monetary downward spiral, but they trust that this support may deduce into a multi-billion dollar business.

According to BBC descriptions, the support of New York at the noting commemoration, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt Accept the BBC in an interview that he have many prospects for this project. Jeff Immelt Say: “Whether it is General Electric or Intel, will not make a tiny venture, we were to do become a very large project.”

Reduce charges

With the “Intel Health Guide,” a extraordinary computer procedure will sanction distant watching and manipulate through the Doctor for the unwell at household in the diagnosis and counseling. Intel CEO Paul Otellini said that the technical knowledge can make hundreds of population from infirmary and from the reproduce, thereby lessening fitness care costs. He said, “today in the health-care procedure, 80% of the expenditure is heed of chronically unwell population, but through this procedure, patients will be competent to accept care at household, which will notably diminish costs.”

The two financial gatherings trust that, with the United States and other nations carry on to enhance the degree of aging, and in 2012 the use of this technical knowledge to the therapy of chronic illnesses, the market could develop to an annual 30-7700000000 U.S. dollars.

At present, the United Kingdom have commenced to position some of Intel’s private direct fitness care system. Obama and President of the United States will in addition enhance competence and lessen medicinal care charges as a main concern for the Government.

Otellini said: “I believe at this issue, enterprise and government have their own blame, has new concepts for enterprises to find out new market possibilities, and they can supply new technologies. And as a payer or controller, Government should understand what expertise to use.

Want to try growing income by newspaper recycling? Right now, prospects for doing so appear to be better than ever. This is because towns and cities are seeing a growing desire to help the environment through recycling, which they hope will increase so-called “green” jobs. Given all that, it’s possible that the need for more newspaper recycling businesses will become an important need in the near future. Additionally, newsprint - which is the paper newspapers use - is easy to collect, bundle, shred and process back down to clean paper. This means costs for equipment to do it will be cheaper, making it attractive for investment.

Newspaper Re-use. Newspaper recycling isn’t too technical, and paper of all types is lying around us everywhere. The kind of paper newspapers use is cheap, so paying for paper brought to the business won’t be a lot, either.

What is Newsprint? Newsprint is the kind of paper you see when you pick up a newspaper or similar item. Media companies use it because it’s one of the cheapest forms of paper stock made, and this also makes it widespread. The low quality of the stock also makes it unsuitable for much else, so the need to recycle it is always high. And because newsprint is so simple, there’s not a lot of cash needed to start out, because the machines involved in newspaper recycling are pretty simple.

What Kind of Equipment? There are usually only two categories of machines needed to start a basic newspaper recycling facility. Bundlers and shredders make up the majority of these in low-tech recycling. You can lease or buy them pretty easily. Chemical processing and removal of dyes and inks, which is also part of more-involved recycling, can be let out to others.

Rounding up Newsprint. For the most part, newsprint will come to you. People or municipalities will bring it by, or set you up with a route to service. You’ll pay out a little bit for it, and make more for it once your end of the job (shredding bundling, processing, etc.) is done. Commonly, towns and cities need it processed, and you’ll pay out pennies on the pound to people who bring it in for processing. You’ll share some of that profit with those towns and cities, though.

Summary. Newspaper recycling can be an attractive small business to open. Initial investment can be low, and with ever-increasing numbers of municipalities encouraging the practice of recycling to cut down on the overburdening of local landfills, the prospects of steady or even increasing business over the next decade looks very likely. A smart entrepreneur will make sure a good network exists, which will ensure returns of paper to the facility are occurring in a steady stream. This will also help guarantee reliable income.

The leaves of sympodial orchids are produced from the pseudobulb. There may be one or several. In cymbidiums, a number of long, narrow leaves come from the basal sheaths that cover the pseudobulb, and fall from the plant at a separation line that prevents any damage when the leaf is shed.

Cattleyas produce just one or two broad, semi-rigid leaves from the apex of the pseudobulbs. Leaves vary considerably in colour from a light mid-green to dark grey-green. Some paphiopedilums and phalaenopsis are mottled with light and dark green shades. Not all sympodial orchids produce pseudobulbs. The paphiopedilums and phragmipediums, for example, form fans of leaves from a basal rhizome. Monopodial orchids have a single vertical rhizome from which pairs of leaves grow at right angles. Vandas and phalaenopsis are the best examples of monopodial orchids in cultivation.

The tips of orchid roots are extremely vulnerable to damage and can be easily broken when they are outside the pot.

Most orchid roots will remain in the container but, being naturally aerial, will often extend over the rim of the pot and continue to grow, suspended in air, or by attaching themselves to any surface they touch. The roots are not permanent structures but are made annually, sprouting from the base some time after the start of the new growth.

The leaves contain chlorophyll, which enables the plant to photosynthesize sunlight into energy. Some of the terrestrial orchids exist for long periods without leaves, producing foliage for only a short time during the growing season. A few orchids, such as Rhizanthella species, are subterranean, without any green parts, relying entirely on the microscopic fungus with which they form a symbiotic relationship. The nutrients that the orchid requires are provided by the fungus.

Dendrobiums produce some of the longest pseudobulbs among cultivated orchids, and these become so elongated in some species that they are called “canes”. In this genus, they we mostly leafed along their entire length, as in Dendrobium pierardii. Many dendrobiums are deciduous and so remain in a leafless, dormant state for much of the year. Perhaps the longest pseudobulbs of all belong to the species Gramtnatophyllum speciosum. This giant orchid is known as the sugar cane orchid, a reference to its leafy canes that can reach a length of 5m (16ft), becoming pendent under their own weight. Between these ea-tremes are numerous orchids that grow to a, height of 1.2m (4ft), and as many again that are below 30cm (12in).

The purpose of this is not fully understood, but it may be that they are a protection from insects or a means of preventing water lying on the foliage, which could be detrimental on cold nights. Other monopodials, including vandas, have leaf tips that are serrated; these enable the plant to dispose of any excess moisture taken up through the roots.

Some orchids, such as Trichotosia ferox, produce plants covered with fine, brown hair, the purpose of which is not fully understood. It is thought that the hairs may provide a layer of protection in cold climates. The stems, new shoots and base of the flower buds of Dendrobium infundibulum are covered with thick, black hairs, creating a rough surface. As the new growth starts to age, the hairs become less apparent.

Watering is the greatest cause of uncertainty among orchid growers, and whether a plant is ready for water or not is always under debate. This is a problem for experienced growers as well as beginners. While they are growing, orchids need to be kept evenly moist, avoiding the two extremes of becoming sodden at the roots or bone dry.

There are a number of ways in which you can determine the moisture content of a pot. A good idea is to lift each pot and test the weight, but this is only practical where you have just one or two plants. Nevertheless, it is a good learning experience for the beginner, and as you progress from lifting each pot, you can recognize the dryness of the compost (growing medium) by observing its surface.

Depending upon the water quality where you live, you may be able to use the mains supply straight from the tap. siost orchids prefer a natural pH, and you can find out the acidity of your water imam your supplier.

If the pseudobulbs are plump, all is well. Shrivelled pseudobulbs, or limp foliage, may indicate underwatering or even overwatering. Further study of the roots will ascertain which is the cause, and the problem can be remedied. Generally, you may expect to water a typical orchid once or twice in any week during the growing season. Water once every two or three weeks while the orchid is resting.

The complex hybrids in this genus often conform to a nine-month cycle, so that new growth is often started at a different time of the year. This can result in plants growing during the winter and resting and flowering during the summer. Stanhopeas often prefer to grow during the winter, flowering in midsummer while at rest. The paphiopedilums and phalaenopsis do not grow and flower at the same time.

A large, root-bound plant its a small pot will need far more water to ensure that some of it at least gets iris the pot and penetrates to the roots.

Always try to water the orchids at time when the temperature is rising. This means watering early in the dae and is more important in winter sin when all surplus moisture will hat time to dry by nightfall. This avoids the combination of wet and cold that orchids detest.

This system is less necessary with indoor growing, and where just a few plants are grown they can be moved individually to the kitchen foe watering and allowed to drain before being returned to their growing area. so surplus water is not a problem.

In the kitchen, a wide windowsill will accommodate several orchids, but make sure that they will not be exposed to too much hot steam from the washing-up bowl or, worse, a steaming kettle. There may be more than one suitable aspect in the living or dining room, provided these are kept at a comfortable temperature.

These are available from garden centres and other outlets in many shapes and sizes with differing designs. The humidity tray is a shallow tray without holes, because it needs to hold water. Place a quantity of expanded clay pellets in the tray to about 2.5cm (1 in), or just below the rim, and partially fill with water. Now you have created a base for your orchids to stand on where they will receive a small amount of moisture from the evaporating water rising around them; at the same time, the plants will be standing above the water, so their roots will be kept wet but not immersed. You can have as many humidity trays as you have room for, standing a few orchids on each and allowing sufficient room between them for air to circulate.

These sterile rooms will not provide the stimulating conditions in which orchids grow. The bathroom is often considered an ideal place because of the steam created when the bath or shower is running. However, this creates rapid changes in temperature and humidity, which plants can find hard to tolerate.

Orchids placed on the floor would need to stand on concrete or tiles, which can be wetted without harming any installations, and some means of channelling away surplus water would need to be set up.

Orchids growing in humidity trays will need to be removed for watering. The best place to water the plants is on the kitchen draining board or in the sink. Because of the nature of orchid compost (growing medium), a lot of water has to be used at one time, and unless a system of catching the water and channelling it into a container is installed, which is almost impossible indoors, the plants are better taken to a watering place.

Wherever there is sufficient light and warmth, orchids will grow, provided a suitable growing area is set aside for them. Cellar culture is practised in countries such as Canada, where excessively cold winters prevent the use of greenhouses.

The cellar, which is usually heated, is adapted to grow orchids by the installation of electric lighting and benching with humidity trays, and a system of catching the surplus water to be recycled or drained away.

Conservatories that are shaded by large trees nearby are the most suitable, and the danger of overheating in summer is greatly lessened.

In Europe, an interest in orchids can be traced back to Greek and Roman times. At that time, people knew only of the terrestrial orchids, which were vastly different from the tropical epiphytes.

The finest varieties of those plants that remained were sold at auction at hugely inflated prices, where competition among the wealthy collectors was fierce. In this way, the first of the prodigious collections of orchids were created; their equal has never been seen since. The lust for tropical orchids spread beyond Europe to the East Coast of the United States, and by the turn of the 20th century orchids were being grown on both sides of the Atlantic.

The word orchid is, in fact, derived from the Greek “orchis”, meaning testes, which refers to the tubers found in pairs ill some species.

By the 19th century, the Exeter nursery of James Veitch and Sons in Devon employed the greatest number of collectors to search for new trees, shrubs and other garden plants, as well as orchids. The firm of Sander’s and Sons from St Albans came later, but rose to rival the most influential commercial establishments.

Twenty years after Columbus landed on the mainland of South America in 1498, Hernando Cones arrived in Mexico to overthrow the Aztec Empire and to claim Mexico for Spain. He found a species of Vanilla being cultivated for its perfume and, more importantly, for its culinary use.

A few orchid nurseries that had beginnings in the 19th century are still flourishing today. These include Beans Orchids of Cooksbridge, Sussex, which was started in 1879 by a Scotsman, Alexander McBean. Mansell and Hatcher’s nursery in Leeds, Yorkshire, commenced in the 1890s, and in France, Vacherot and Lecoufle have been in existence since 1886, making theirs the oldest family-run nursery in the world.

This was a condition insisted upon by the natives, who were persuaded to relinquish parts of their valued ancestors only after mirrors, beads and a roll of brass wire had been exchanged. The plants, still attached to the skulls, and the idols were sold as one lot and purchased by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, in whose collection they remained for many years. D. schroderianum was named after Baron Schroeder, who was a patron of Frederick Sander.

At the end of the 18th century, merchant ships returned from the New World laden with newly discovered animals and plants, including orchids. The comet orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale) from Madagascar has an incredibly long spur at the back of the flower. This enables it to be pollinated by the night flying hawk moth, which has a tongue of exactly the same length.

Synonym for Lettuce is Lactuca sativa L.

Common names are Lettuce (Eng.); Laitue (Fr.); Lechuga (Sp.); Salat (Ger.); Sia (Neth.); Letsugas (Philip.).

Botanical varieties are var. asparagina Bailey, syn. L. angustana Vilm., L. sativa L. var. angustana Irish ex Bremer (Asparagus or Stem Lettuce, Celtuce) Mature leaves coarse and inedible; basal leaves narrow, lanceolate, alternate, sometimes with pointed apex, non-heading; young, thickened stems up to 1 m and young leaves used as a cooked vegetable; mainly grown in China, from where it originated. var. capitata L. ( Cabbage, Butterhead or Head Lettuce ) Compact rosettes of leaves forming a solid head; leaves broad, almost orbicular, midrib branching into small veins. var. crispa L. (Leaf Lettuce, Curled Lettuce) - Leaves in loose rosettes, similar to cabbage lettuce but non-heading; some cultivars with curled or crinkled leaves. var. longifolia Lam., syn. L. romana Gars. (Cos or Romaine Lettuce) Rosettes of leaves cylindrical, upright leaves obovate to oblong, coarse in texture; midrib prominent, terminating near rounded leaf apex; leaves mainly self-folding, forming loose heads.

Native to the Mediterranean or, possibly, eastern India.

Cultivated to a limited extent in the Caribbean, Malaysia, East and West Africa, mainly at high altitudes.

An annual glabrous herb. Roots: main taproot, with fibrous lateral branches. Stems: cylindrical, containing latex vessels, up to 10 cm in most cultivars but extended to 1 m in L. sativa var. asparagina. Leaves: almost sessile, arranged spirally in rosettes, variable in size and form, 10-25 cm in length. Flowers: pentamerous, yellow, in dense clusters, ligulate and hermaphrodite. anthers connate; stigma bifid. Seeds: achenes, oval, 34 mm in length, ribbed, hairy at one end, white, yellow, grey or brown, pappus of silky hairs; approximately 100 seeds/g.

Temperature is an important factor influencing growth, the leaves becoming fibrous in high temperature conditions although endive is, in general, more tolerant to high temperatures than lettuce. Altitude also has an important effect on growth; more satisfactory growth is obtained from plants grown at elevations over 500 m than from those grown in lowland conditions. Flowers are rarely formed in short days, particularly when combined with high temperatures.

Seeds are sown in seed beds or containers and transplanted when 5-7 cm in height to rows 30-36 cm apart, 20-25 cm between plants, depending on the vigor of the cultivar. Approximately 0.5 kg of seed is required to plant one hectare. Blanching, which reduces the bitter flavor of the leaves, is induced by tying the leaves together when the plants are approaching maturity, for a period of 1044 days. During wet weather, the internal leaves are liable to rot and decay and this practice is only feasible during relatively dry periods. Irrigation: The requirement for water is moderately high, plants grown during the dry season will require supplementary irrigation. Nutrient requirements: Plants respond well to high levels of organic material in the soil but additional nitrogenous dressings are generally beneficial during the early period of growth.

Plants normally mature within 70-85 days from transplanting, depending on factors such as soil fertility and irrigation efficiency. Yield: Yields in the region of 6-12 t/ha may be obtained. Seed production: Seed is rarely formed in the tropics, except at elevations above 1500 m. Most cultivars are almost completely self-pollinated. A 600 m isolation distance is sufficient unless hybrid seed is being produced, when 1000 m is more appropriate. The average seed yield is 200 kg/ha.

The leaves should be fresh and free of discoloration; the leaf colour varies with cultivar. No signs of tip burn should be present, particularly on the inner leaves and seed stalks should be absent. Open-topped polythene bags are used to prevent moisture loss and reduce damage; they also allow for wetting of the heads to retain turgidity. At temperatures of 0-3C, heads may remain in good condition for up to 14 days at a relative humidity of 90-95%; weight loss may be up to 15%.

Normally used in the raw state in salads but also as a cooked vegetable, particularly in Southeast Asia. Loose-headed forms have a higher vitamin A content than heading cultivars.

During periods of hot, dry weather, the plants will need regular overhead spraying. In the home, this would involve a light misting of the foliage, but outdoors it should become a drenching. Cymbidiums, for example, can be liberally hosed down with no ill effects. This saturation will also assist in keeping pests at bay, particularly red spider mite, which is prevalent in most gardens during the summer.

Phalaenopsis, which in the Northern Hemisphere are grown in outdoors every year, can Ao extremely well outdoors in tropical areas. The plants should always be established so that their fleshy leaves hang down, as those of the species do in their natural habitats. This ensures that water does not lodge in the centre of the plant but becomes self-draining. This is less easy to do with some of the modern hybrids, whose leaves have lost the elongated shape of the species and have become rounder and more rigidly upright. Look for plants of the right shape for this purpose.

In parts of the world where yearround sunshine is guaranteed, the vandaceous orchids come into their own. The brilliant colours of the modern hybrids are the results of those of us residing in cooler climates. In the tropics, they grow with total ease, continuing to produce their superb blooms throughout the year.

These lovely plants, with their tall, monopodial foliage and vigorous aerial roots, are grown in vast quantities in large ground beds made up with suitable compost. Today, these are grown for the cut-flower trade as well as the export market.

On most flowers the reproductive parts are the stigma and the stamens. The stamens contain the pollen, which is transferred by either insects or wind to the stigma, where the pollen fertilizes the seed embryos situated behind the flower. In orchids, where the pollen is a solid mass, the reproductive parts are the pollinia and the stigma. Some orchids, induding Catasetum species, produce separate flowers that contain only male or female organs.

During the hottest months of the year, watering can be more beneficial if it is done towards evening, when the sun has left the plants and the temperature is cooling down.

In this way, the compost (growing medium) will remain moist for longer and keep the roots cool. Check daily to see if watering is needed, and give plenty each time to ensure a thorough wetting.

There can be two, four or six pollen masses, depending upon the genus. Each pollen mass contains millions of microscopic pollen grains - a feature unique to orchids. The pollinia are hidden beneath a protective cap, the anther, which ensures that they remain fresh. “lhey are joined by a short thread and a sticky patch, which adheres to the thorax or head of the insect.