November 11, 1875. ] 



JOOENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QARDENEH. 



421 



Tho cultivator must first aecertain what are the reqnirements 

 of his plants, and their wants, which are few and simple, must 

 be attended to at the right time. There are three degrees of 

 temperature in which nearly all Orchids may be grown. The 

 first and most simple is the cool house, in which an extensive 

 and most beautiful section of Orchids may bo cultivated. The 

 minimum temperature of this house may bo i'r , or it may 

 fall to 40" during tho winter months without any injury to the 

 plants. The next is the Cattleya or Brazilian house with a 

 minimum of 50' to 55' during winter; and the East Indian 

 house with a minimum of 65', or in cold weather 60'. The 

 maximum temperature for the above is 5" to 10" higher. 



One of the main elements 

 of success in Orchid culture 

 ie the arrangement and effi- 

 ciency of the ventilation ; let 

 the biting east wind blow for 

 a few hours directly on even 

 the hardiest species of the 

 cool-house section, and the 

 chances are that the plant 

 will be utterly ruined. I have 

 Been a Masdevallia cut over 

 as if with a knife by the wind 

 blowing directly upon it 

 through a narrow opening. 

 The plants require plenty of 

 fresh air, but the ventilation 

 must be arranged so that the 

 currents of air pass on to the 

 hot-water apparatus before 

 being diffased through the 

 house, aud when this is the 

 case air may be admitted 

 every day even during winter ; 

 indeed, some of the best cul- 

 tivators have small openings 

 in the side walls, generally 

 about a foot or 18 inches from 



the surface of the ground, and these are usually open night 

 and day. 



The genus Phalajnopsia requires to be grown in the warmest 

 house, and one thing greatly in the favour of all the species is 

 that the plants occupy a very small space; the flowers, which 

 are produced in great abundance, being most beautiful. There 

 are now upwards of a score of different species comprising the 

 genus, a few of them at least being undoubtedly natural 

 hybrids, and here Nature herself has produced what the skill 

 of the most experienced cultivator has failed to accomplish. 

 Some of the most skilful Orchid growers have tried to cross 

 the different species of Phalienopsis, but up to the present 

 time all their efforts have been unsuccessful. It would not be 

 ■worth while to notice all the species, as many of them are still 

 rare and likely to be so, nor are any of the rare and difficult 

 sorts at all to be compared to the easiest-grown and more 

 common species. 



The plant that I would place at the top of the list is P. gran- 

 diflora, and of this there are several varieties, varying a little 

 in the size and formation of the flowers. If imported plants 

 are purchased that have not yet flowered, the variety from 

 Borneo with large leaves and flowers is the best. The flowers 

 are the largest of all the Phalsenopses, of the purest white, the 

 base or centre of the lip being conspicuously marked with 

 yellow or orange. Next to the above comes the queen of 

 Orchids, P. amabilis, from Manilla; the flowers differ from 

 those of P. grandiflora in being smaller, and the lip instead of 

 being stained with gold is marked with rose or pink. Next in 

 order of merit is P. Schilleriana, another Manilla species. 

 This is very distinct, and has large, handsomely variegated 

 foliage. The leaves are olive green, barred and mottled with 

 creamy white. It is also one of the most free-flowering. The 

 flowers are produced on long branched spikes, as many as a 

 hundred or more flowers having been produced on one spike. 

 This species flowers earlier in the season than the two already 

 named ; indeed, aU of them have a tendency to throw-up their 

 flower spikes early in the year, but if the spikes of P. grandi- 

 flora and P. amabilis are pinched others will be formed later, 

 and the flowering season is thus retarded. 



It will not answer to stop the spikes of P. Schilleriana, as, 

 unlike the others, this variety will not form a second spike, 

 and a season would be lost. This would be one of the most 

 telling exhibition plants but for its early-flowering propensity : 



it is seldom to be seen in flower after May. The above-named 

 species are by far the best for ordinary cultivators ; they are 

 easily grown, and are moderate in price. 



A new species was introduced last year which is, no doubt, a 

 natural hybrid between P. Sohilleriariii and P. amabilis. As I 

 have seen it, it is certainly inferior "to either of its parents. 

 The leaves mo slightly barred and mottled, as P. .Schilleriana, 

 and the flowers are between the two in fize and colour. It 

 has been named P. leucorrhoda. P. intermedia is also said to 

 be a hybrid, and all of them are, no doubt, interesting and 

 very pretty. 



The mode of culture pursued by different growers is very 



Fig. 93.— Phalienopsis amabilis. 



different under the same circumstances. To be successful a 

 high temperature must be kept-up, with plenty of atmospheric 

 moisture, which is obtained in winter by sprinkling tho paths 

 aud stages with water two or three times a-day, aud in sum- 

 mer this is supplemented by having troughs filled with water 

 placed over the hot-water pipes. The plants seem to thrive 

 best when they are placed near the glass, and they also grow 

 most freely if planted in baskets. These need not be described 

 here, as a drawing aud description of a suitable basket is given 

 at page 339 of the present volume. 



The manner of basketing the plants may be briefly de- 

 scribed. A few large potsherds are placed on the bottom, then 

 some pieces of a smaller size to fill the basket three parts of 

 its depth, the remaining portion being filled-up with live 

 chopped sphagnum and potsherds in equal pKoportions. The 

 roots of the Orchid are just covered, and the plant is put-in in 

 such a way that the leaves hang over the side of the basket. 

 Until the roots make a start water is applied very sparingly, 



