AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



367 



Miltonia continued. 



base ; column short, with two auricles ; scapes radical, 

 few-flowered. Leaves narrow, flat. The species are dwarf 

 in habit, somewhat rapid growers, and profuse blossoiners. 

 As a general rule, amateurs are rarely successful in 

 getting foliage beyond a sickly yellow colour a draw- 

 back which precludes the more extensive culture of 

 these plants. Miltonias can be grown with green leaves 

 and yet produce an abundance of blossoms; but it is 

 not in every orchid house that just the right accommo- 

 dation can be supplied. The plants like exposure to the 

 light ; but, in order to prevent the leaves turning yellow 

 by the action of the sun, a certain amount of shade 

 is necessary. They require an intermediate temperature 

 and an abundant supply of water, the result of which 



Miltonia continued. 



M.anceps (two-edged), fl. dark olive, about 2in. in diameter; 

 lip streaked and dotted with reddish-purple, on a white ground. 

 July. 1851. (B. M. 5572.) 



M. Blnntil (Blunt's). fl., sepals and petals whitish-yellow, with 

 some large purple-cinnamon blotches, chiefly in their centre ; lip 

 white, with a purple area at the base. 1879. An elegant species 



M. Candida (white).* fl., sepals and petals yellowish, spotted with 

 rich brown ; lip white, tinged with rosy-pink, remarkably undu- 

 lated or wavy ; scape radical, five or six-flowered. Autumn. 

 Pseudo-bulbs ovate, bearing upon the summit two narrow, light 

 green leaves, h. 9in. 1830. A strong, erect-growing species, 

 and one of the handsomest of the genus. Two forms occur in 

 cultivation : in grandiflora, the flowers are larger and brighter, 

 with the column purple and the lip white ; in jlavezceiu 

 (B. M. 3793), both column and lip are yellowish. 



M. Clowesli (Clowes').* fl. about Sin. across ; sepals and petals 

 thick, spreading, ground colour yellow, barred and blotched with 



FIG. 571. MILTONIA PHAL^NOPSIS. 



will be green foliage and plenty of flowers. Some spe- 

 cies, such as M. spectabilis, do well in a pan suspended 

 from the roof of the house. These plants should not at 

 any season be allowed to suffer from drought; indeed, 

 they must never be kept dry. The pans should be 

 thoroughly drained, and the plants potted in a compost 

 of half-chopped sphagnum and good peat, to which may 

 be added, with considerable advantage, some medium- 

 sized lumps of charcoal. Miltonias should be kept in 

 the Brazilian house when growing ; and in winter, 

 when at rest, they should be removed to the Cattleya 

 house. Propagated by dividing the pseudo-bulbs, when 

 they commence growth. 



rich brown ; lip flat, cordate, of a rich purple at the base, and 

 white at the tip ; scape erect, many-flowered. Autumn. Pseudo- 

 bulbs ovate, bearing long, sword-shaped, light green leaves. 1840. 

 A very beautiful and remarkably distinct erect-growing plant. 

 (B. M. 4109.) The variety major differs from the type only in its 

 larger size and more showy blossoms. 



M. C. Laxnarcheana (Mons. Oscar Lamarche de Rossius'). A 

 synonym of M . Lamarcheana. 



M. cnneata (wedge-lipped).*/, nearly 4in. in diameter; sepals 

 and petals dark chocolate, tipped, and sometimes transversely 

 barred, with tawny yellowish-green ; lip pure white, tinged with 

 pink near the base, differing in form from that of if. Candida in 

 being much more narrowed to the base, and scarcely curled at 

 the margin ; scape erect, four or five-flowered. Early summer. 

 Pseudo-bulbs somewhat conical, h. 1ft. 1843. An erect-growing 

 species, well deserving more general atteutiou than it now 



