220 ORCHID- grower's manual. 



Maxillaria. 



This is a large genus of Orchids, but many of the species, on 

 account of their small flowers, are not worthy of cultivation. 

 The kinds here enumerated are, however, very good. They 

 are evergren plants, and can be gi'own in the cool-house with 

 Odontoglossums, and succeed best grown in pots, with a 

 mixture of peat and moss and a liberal supply of water during 

 their growing season, which should be reduced during the 

 period of rest to just sufficient to keep them in a plump state. 



M. (irandiflora. — This fine plant enjoys a very cool 

 atmosphere ; indeed, to succeed with it, the coolest end of 

 the Odontoglossum house should be selected for its reception, 

 and the atmosphere kept very moist. The pseudobulbs are 

 ovate, have sharp edges, and are deep green; leaves also 

 dark green, and about a foot long; flowers produced singly 

 upon a scape about six inches in length; sepals and petals 

 pure white ; lip pouched, dark purple at the sides, the tri- 

 angular middle lobe yellow in front, white towards the base. 

 A very desirable plant, blooming during autumn. Native of 

 Peru, &c. 



M. luteo alba. — This is a very neat-growing plant, with 

 bulbs something like those of M. vemista. The leaves are 

 long and broad, and gi'ow to the height of eighteen inches ; 

 the flowers proceed from the side of the bulbs at difi'erent 

 times of the year, and are large, of a creamy white colour. 



M. nir/rescens. — A very curious and distinct species. 

 Pseudobulbs light green, bearing a solitary dark green coria- 

 ceous leaf. The flowers are produced singly, and upon erect 

 peduncles. Sepals and petals spreading, port-mne colour; 

 lip same colour, but in addition it is stained with dull purple. 

 It blooms at various times of the year, and should be grown 

 in the cool-house. Native of New Grenada. 



