242 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



FEOM the Aukoba BofcEALIS. — This i 3. When the ah* is very sultry, thunder 

 meteor is frequently the forerunner of is indicated. 



much rain and heavy gales of wind from j The foregoing remarks have been col- 

 the S. or S.W. i lected from various sources, and are here 



Miscellaneous. — 1. When the out- printed, in a condensed form, for verifica- 

 lines of distant hills are very clearly seen, tion, and, if need he, revision, 

 it is a sure sign of rain. ft „ fi _.., m< , 



_ 2. When snow descends in large flakes ; LtE0, * ' OHAMBEKS - 



with a S. wind, there will soon be a thaw. Eastbourne. 



STAKHOPEA SPECIES AND THEIR CULTURE. 



This is one of the most natural and inte- 

 resting of orohideous genera, and singular 

 in the formation of its flowers. I say natu- 

 ral, because the greater portion of the genera 

 of orchidea are a mass of confusion, as they 

 are at present constituted. Unless bota- 

 nists pay more attention to the outward 

 forms of orchideous plant?, and less to 

 the minute parts of their flowers, they 

 will never be able to form anything like 

 proper genera. . 'at: re, I am convinced, 

 has properly defined (-very genus by its 

 outward form. All this genus has one 

 leaf to each pseudo bulb, and the flowers 

 proceed out from the base of that bulb. 

 With regard to their culture, persons who 

 wish to grow fine specimens ought to put 

 them in large baskets, or pots, so that 

 they may not recpiire to be shifted for 

 several years ; as then the plants grow 

 much finer and flower better, for they are 

 very adverse to being shifted. In the 

 growing of them in pots, it is necessary 

 that they should be elevated about a foot 

 above the rim of the pot. In building 

 up the mound, it should be kept as nearly 

 the width of the pot as possible. The 

 pot should be filled up with large pot- 

 sherds to within about two inches of the 

 top; over this should be laid the heathy 

 portion of the peat. The peat in which 

 these are grown should be as fibrous as 

 possible; it may be either cut or torn 

 into small portions for building the 

 mound, and it may be fastened on by a 

 few pegs. After the mound is formed, 

 the plant should be planted in the centre, 

 and then it should be placed in the house 

 for a few days without any water. In 

 the growing of them in baskets, they do 

 not require to be elevated, as the bas- 

 kets are open at the bottom and sides. 

 The baskets should be formed of oak 

 billets ; each about one inch m dia- 

 meter. The depth of the basket should 

 be about three inches, and each bar 

 should be placed about two inches apart. 

 The proper time to remove and repot 



them should be the growing season, which 

 is towards the latter end of July or the 

 beginning of August ; for if they are 

 potted in the resting season, and have 

 no water, they are apt to shrivel ; and if 

 water is given, they will rot. As soon 

 as they have done flowering, they com- 

 mence growing ; atid whenever they show- 

 signs of growth, should have heat and 

 plenty of moisture, until they have com- 

 pleted their pseudo bulbs» After this, 

 they should be allowed to go to rest. I 

 mean by rest that they should be taken 

 out of the moist-house, and put in the 

 dry one till they show flower. When 

 they do this, they should be placed in 

 the moist-house, but should have no 

 water, or at least but a small portion, till 

 such time as they begin to grow. By this 

 mode of treatment they will grow much 

 finer than if they were constantly watered. 

 All the plants belonging to this genera 

 push their flowers downwards ; hence the 

 necessity of having the plants elevated, 

 or put in baskets, so that the flowers get 

 through and show well. The following 

 ai'e some of the principal species : — ■ 



Stankopea grandiflora. — This is the first 

 species that was introduced into tins 

 country. It is a native of the trees in 

 Brazil ; and as it requires less rest than 

 any of the other species, as it grows and 

 flowers at the same time, it may always 

 be kept in the growing-house ; it may be 

 grown in either pots or baskets ; the 

 flowers of it are white, and have a very 

 peculiar scent, not unlike that of rhu- 

 barb. 



Stankopea ehiimea is only a variety 

 of grandiflora, and not a very marked 

 one. This, like many other of the or- 

 chidea, rises to the rank of a species one 

 day, is brought down to a humble variety 

 the next, till at last it turns out to be 

 nothing more than grandiflora. 



Stankopea venusta. — This is a beauti- 

 ful species, and a native of America. The 

 flowers are somewhat in the form of 



