74 OKCHiD- grower's manual. 



vary in height from two to six inches, and their leaTes, 

 which are well defined, vary from two to five inches in 

 length, including the stalks, which, like the stems of the 

 plant, are short and fleshy. The foliage of all the species is 

 singularly beautiful ; in some of the varieties it resembles 

 the richest olive, or rather purple velvet, regularly inter- 

 spersed with a network of gold. In others the leaf is of the 

 most lively green, covered with silver tracery. As regards 

 cultivation, the plants require sand and peat mixed with 

 moss ; the white sandy gi'ound from which they spring should 

 be enlivened occasionally by small growths of moss, which sets 

 ofi* the plants to much advantage, especially when looked at 

 through a bell-glass, under which the delicacy, richness, and 

 softness of their appearance are increased. Few visitors walk 

 through a house containing any of these plants without 

 bestowing on them more than ordinary attention, and 

 expressing admiration of their elegance, richness, and beauty. 

 All the species require treatment very difi'erent from that of 

 any other Orchid, and different growers operate in difi'erent 

 ways, but I have not found any mode of management to 

 succeed better than the one first laid down by me many years 

 ago, and which is being followed by many who have Anccc- 

 tochili growing in great perfection. They are difficult to cul- 

 tivate, and many fail with them — a circumstance I attribute 

 to being kept too close. The case in which they are gi'own 

 should always have a little air, by tilting the glass about one 

 or two inches ; this will benefit them very much, and make 

 them more vigorous, for when too much confined in the case or 

 bell-glass, they grow up spindly and damp off in the stem ; 

 the latter, being fleshy, requires more substance and hardi- 

 hood. I have seen AncBctochili grown in bottom heat, which 

 I find to be injurious : they succeed in it for a time, but not 

 long ; they grow too fast, and become so weak as often to die 



