1873.] WINTER-FLOWERING ORCHIDS. 13 



and C. Trianise of all others sport into tlie most beantiful varieties 

 imaginable. These, like the forms of some Dendrobiums, vary greatly, 

 not only in the relative size, form, and colouring of their sepals and 

 petals, but also in constitutional vigour and their season of blooming. 

 This last interesting fact enables us to use our selective faculties 

 judiciously in order to prolong the natural blooming season of each 

 species ; for if we select the extreme forms, or those which flower a 

 Inonth earlier or later than the common variety, then we have that 

 species in bloom three months instead of only one — a result well 

 worth attempting. Our desultory remarks are intended to be suggest- 

 ive rather than directly instructive to the practical horticulturist,* 

 and the ideas here thrown out may form a nucleus around Avhich 

 those of others may cluster like the richly-laden Yine to the bare 

 trellis, or refined gold to the earthen crucible. 



F. W. BURBRIDGE. 



Fairfield Nurseries, Manchester. 



WINTER-FLOWERING ORCHIDS. 



LCELIAS. 



Oechid-blooms are welcome at all times of the year, but those seem 

 to us most acceptable which expand during our dull wintry months. 

 All flowers are beautiful ; but there is an obvious superiority about 

 Orchids in form, colour, and also in the crystalline delicacy of their 

 finely-moulded sepals and petals, which is all-sufficient to raise them 

 from ordinary or vulgar mediocrity to the superlative degree of floral 

 beauty and excellence. Their glowing colours — and in many cases 

 grateful perfume — increase their value for all kinds of ornamental 

 purposes to which flowers can be applied, whether they are allowed to 

 remain on the plants themselves, or are removed to grace bouquets, 

 vases, or other floral decorations. 



LcsHas are among the most beautiful of all autumn and winter 

 flowering Orchids; and their price, in the first instance, is not more 

 than that of the rarer Ferns and stove-plants. The culture of most 

 winter-blooming Orchids is exceedingly simple ; and we feel surprised 

 that they are not more generally grown wherever choice flowers are in 

 demand during this festive season. All the species here alluded to 

 — with the exception of L. Perrinii, L. superbiens, and L. anceps — 

 grow best on blocks, either of virgin cork, or Acacia with the bark 

 left on. Plants soon establish themselves on blocks ; but they will 

 require constant attention when making their growth with respect 



