216 oechid-gkower's manual. 



Masdevallias are beautiful neat- growing plants, and should 

 be in every collection, for they occupy but little space, and 

 are both free-blooming and free-growing, providing they get the 

 treatment they require. They have hitherto been grown in 

 too much heat by the majority of Orchid cultivators, but I find 

 them grow best in the cool-house, with Odontoglossums, and 

 under the same treatment. They should be potted in peat 

 and sphagnum moss, with good drainage, and always kept 

 moist at the roots, though never allowed to get soddened by 

 bad soil and deficient drainage, which is too often the case 

 with these rare little plants. It is a good plan to keep live 

 sphagnum about the roots, but it should never be allowed to 

 become stagnant. 



These plants succeed well in a cool-house, and produce a 

 profusion of flowers. They sometimes bloom twice during the 

 year. 



Masdevallias require great care to keep them in good order, 

 being subject to the red thrip, which, if allowed to accumulate, 

 will soon disfigure the foliage and cause the plants to dwindle 

 away ; it is, therefore, necessary to keep a watchful eye on 

 these pests, and well wash the plants whenever the first trace 

 is seen ; the plants should be placed as near the light as pos- 

 sible, and water should be freely given. 



There have been many fine specimens of Masdevallias 

 shown lately, one exhibited by Mr. Hubbersly, gardener to 

 0. Wrigley, Esq., with as many as fifty blossoms upon it. 



M. amahilis. — A very pretty species, with orange carmine 

 flowers, leaves oblong-ovate ; about five inches long ; this is 

 a very free-flowering species. Native of Peru. 



M. chimccra. — The plant that was first sent out as M. 

 cliimcEra has proved to be quite a distinct thing, and it is only 

 lately that we have seen the beauties of this truly wonderful 

 Orchid. The flowers are yellowish, with deep reddish brown 



