148 ORCHIDS FOR EVERYONE 



have to be obtained to make good the losses. If as much care was 

 taken to husband the energy of Oncidiums as is done in the 

 case of Odontoglossums, the Ufe of the plants would be greatly 

 prolonged. 



Yellow and brown are the colours chiefly found in Oncidiums, 

 and though the flowers are seldom really large, they are freely 

 produced, often in tall, branching spikes, and consequently for 

 grouping, for exhibiting, and for use in the choicest floral designs 

 they are in great demand. Oncidiums come from Central America, 

 and range from Mexico to Southern Brazil. Although most of the 

 species resemble Odontoglossums in general habit, there are a few 

 marked differences. For instance, 0. Caveruftshianum and 0. 

 Lanceanum have no pseudo-bulbs ; 0. rnacratitbum and its near 

 relatives 0. monachichtim^ 0. serratuw, etc., have long, flexuose 

 and branching spikes of fairly large flowers, while O. Ccbolletta 

 and 0. Jones'uinum have terete, fleshy leaves. 



As a general rule Oncidiums need the same cultural conditions 

 as Odontoglossums, but there are exceptions. 0. afnpliatutn, 0. 

 Kramerianum^ 0. Papilio^ and 0. splend'idum require the heat 

 and moisture of the stove, with slightly cooler and drier conditions 

 when at rest. O. bracteativn^ O.flexuosum^ 0. pubes, 0. sphace- 

 laliim^ and O. sarcodes do best in an intermediate house, and the 

 writer has seen several of these growing finely in a Muscat Vinery 

 all through the Summer and early Autumn. The other species of 

 note mentioned below, unless otherwise indicated, will be best 

 accommodated with the Odontoglossums. There are at present 

 no hybrid Oncidiums. 



Best Species 



O. AMPLiATUM has compresscd pseudo-bulbs and clear yellow 

 flowers that are borne freely on branching, graceful spikes in 



