beauty of form as their cousins, the Oncidiums and Odontoglossums, nor do 
their flowers have the same vividness as the plants of the allied genera. They have 
a fairly wide range of distribution over varying climatic conditions. Some species 
come from the mountain ranges at elevations ranging from 4000 feet to 7000 
feet, while others come from the tropical jungles where there is always a humid 
moistness in the Summer, and very little diminution of the heat in Winter. It 
is therefore essential to ascertain from what particular class of country your 
plants have been procured. It happens, however, that the more popular species 
are those of warm origins, so that, generally speaking, in Brisbane, glasshouse con- 
ditions would be satisfactory, and even a warm corner of a bushhouse in the 
Summer months. In the North (except on the tablelands) bushhouse treat- 
ment all the year round would serve. In places south of Brisbane glasshouse 
treatment will be necessary, with heat in the Winter months. They need regular 
and plentiful supplies of water right through the growing period, but during 
the resting period only sufficient water to keep the compost from drying out 
should be applied. The usual compost is peat fibre topped with sphagnum moss. 
The best species are:— 
BRASSIA GIREOUDIANA. A native of Costa Rica. 
A vigorous grower, lending itself to relatively easy cultivation. Pseudobulbs 
are thick, more or less rectangular, fining towards the sides. Leaves light green, 
wedge-shaped at base and pointed at the apex. Flower spikes long and branched, 
bearing many blooms, each about two to two and a half inches across, and of a 
bright yellow spotted with red. Costa Rica has a temperature range in its 
coastal area (up to 2000 feet above sea level) of 50 degrees, as the Winter mean, 
to 99 degrees the midsummer maximum average. Rainfall is scanty throughout 
the colder months, but is abundant in the Spring and Summer, about thirteen 
inches being the average rainfall in June, the midsummer month, 
BRASSIA GUTTATA (variety of B. maculata, which see). Native of Guatemala. 
Plant resembles Gireoudiana. Flower spikes about three feet long. Sepals and 
petals yellowish green with brown markings. Lip bright yellow with brown 
spots. The lip is broad and spoon-shaped. The climatic and rainfall conditions 
of Guatemala are so close to those of Costa Rica, given above, that it is not neces- 
sary to detail them here. 
BRASSIA LAWRENCEANA. A Native of Brazil. 
From the humid forests around the Rio Negro. A fine species with bright yellow 
flowers, the sepals and petals being tinged with green at the base with prominent 
red and brown spots, sweet scented. This species requires warmer conditions 
than those previously mentioned. It also likes rather more water during Autumn, 
but, as is typical of the genus, the Winter watering should be restricted to a bare 
sufficiency to avoid withering of the pseudobulbs. 
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