mismanagement in their. cultivation, the nature of which is 
not understood. Some very valuable hints relating to this 
matter have been given by Sir John Herschell, in a commu- 
nication published in the Proceedings of the Horticultural 
Society, vol. 1, p. 56; among which the following relates to 
the subject of this notice, which was flowered by that dis- 
tinguished individual, by whose permission the accompanying 
figure was made. i 
*] have never found this in the sandy flats about the 
Cape. My roots were all taken from clay, baked by the sun 
nearly to the consistence of a brick, at ‘De Koch’s,’ a place 
about 40 miles east of Cape Town, in the district of * Hot- 
tentot's Holland.’ They were then in flower, rather past 
their maximum. Nevertheless they grew well enough in the 
peaty-sand of which my garden consisted, and to admiration 
in a fine black sand enriched with vegetable matter, from the 
shrubby hills in the neighbourhood. Plenty of water and 
moderate temperature while leafing, diminished supply of wet 
and increased heat as the flower rises, and total dryness with 
heat, when all is withered, seem to be the conditions.” 
Practically the cultivation of Cape Orchidacez has always 
been found extremely difficult in this country. ‘The best 
method of cultivating the present species is to plant it out in 
a pit, with a south aspect fully exposed to the sun’s rays at all 
seasons of the year. The pit must be well drained, and the 
soil should consist of peat well mixed with sand and leaf 
mould. A great deal of harm may be done by injudicious 
watering. When it is not growing it should be kept perfectly 
dry; as soon as it begins to push through the soil a little 
water may be given, not amongst the leaves, for this will pro- 
bably injure them, but round the tubers; this may be gra- 
dually increased as the plant grows, until the flower-stem 
makes its appearance, when water must be discontinued. 
Heat and light are now the agents which will perfect the 
flower, and ripen the tubers for the following year. 
When propagation is attempted it must be done when the 
tubers are ripe, and the plant in a state of inaction. 
Those who have not pits to grow this plant in, may be 
equally successful by cultivating it in pots, if the above sug- 
gestions are attended to. 
