86 orchids: how to grow them successfully. 



Howers are always in doniand. This plant requires the same treat- 

 ment as O. AlexandrtB, and good healtliy jjlants, with one leading 

 gi'owth, should be purchased at from 5/- to 10/6, newly imported, 

 or established. 



ODOXTOGLOSSU^[ Eossii MAJUS. From Oaxaca. 

 This, although one of the most common, is a very beautiful 

 dwarf growing species, and is imported in large quantities. The 

 flowers are usually of a white colour, much barred and spotted 

 with brown-chocolate, each spike carrying from two to foui- flowers, 

 varying considerably on each plant, some being small, others much 

 larger ; the flowers being well filled up with bright rich colours. 

 Its varieties, "aspersum" and " rubescens," are of greater value, 

 the ground colour of the former being of a clear yellow, and the 

 latter a dark rose. This Odontoglossum does best when grown in a 

 shallow pan or teakwood basket, not too large, and suspended from 

 the roof of the house about 12 to 18 inches from the glass. It 

 should have the same compost and treatment as O. Alexandrse, but 

 the repotting into pan or basket should be done in early spring, 

 seeing that neither are too large for the plant, just leaving a 

 narrow margin betwixt the plant and the outside of the pan or 

 basket. It is a very hardy kind and may be grown in the coolest 

 part of the house, but, being a winter-flowering Orchid, the roots 

 must not be kept too wet during the blooming season. Where a 

 number of plants of it are grown, it may be had in bloom from 

 October until April. Good strong healthy plants should be 

 purchased at from 1 - to 16 per leading bulb. 



OxciDiUM MACRAXTHUM. From Ecuador. 

 This Orchid, when in robust condition, is a strong, stately 

 plant, but, like most of the Cool house Oncidiums, the enormous 

 spikes it throws greatly weaken the plant if allowed to remain on 

 it too long, and when it is seen to suffer in this way it is a good 

 plan, in the following year, to pinch out the flower spikes as soon as 

 they appear, thus giving the plant a chance of recovering its 

 strength. The flower spikes of this Orchid grow to a great length, 

 with short flowering branches springing from the main stem, and 

 it is advisable to train it round two or three neat sticks. The 

 colour is golden yellow, with a small portion of purplish brown, 

 and the treatment of the plant should be the same as that recom- 

 mended for O. Alexandrse, but it -may be kept at the warmest end 



