ORCHIDS. 



ORCHIDS. 



Pond's Seedling, Prince Engelbert, Prince of 

 Wales, Reine Claude de Bavay, Reine Claude 

 Rouge, Victoria, Washington, The Czar. 



Or'chids (nat. ord. Orchida'cese). 



The plants of this extensive genus are 

 properly divided into two classes, namely 

 Epiphytes, or orchids which grow on trees, 

 and Terrestrial, or those which grow on 

 the ground. They may, however, be 

 regarded as forming four groups, namely, 

 orchids from the tropics, which require a 

 stove ; orchids from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, which are suited to a greenhouse ; 

 those from the south of Europe, which 

 need only a slight protection during winter ; 

 and our own native varieties. It need 

 hardly be added that the more tender 

 sorts are the most curious and beautiful. In 

 June, when the plants are making free 

 growth, keep hothouses moist. Orchids are 

 very beautiful, but singular in appearance, 

 both as regards leaves and flowers, and 

 in many individuals peculiar in habit and 

 manner of growth. Coming from tropical 

 countries, the majority of orchids require 

 a high temperature, and are subjects, as 

 already said, for stove culture, being 

 grown, for the most part, in baskets filled 

 with sphagnum and potsherds, and some 

 on blocks of wood ; but the terrestrial 

 orchids are grown in pots in ordinary soil, 

 and in some cases like a stiff loam, in 

 which pot plants, generally speaking, 

 would not thrive. The drainage, in most 

 cases, for orchids should be complete, and 

 in the case of terrestrial orchids the soil 

 will vary according to the requirements of 

 the individual, from a stiff soil, as already 

 mentioned, to a compost consisting of 

 equal parts of fibrous peat and sphagnum, 

 with a little sharp sand and crushed char- 

 coal. 



Of the terrestrial orchids the Cypri- 

 pediums, perhaps, are the most hardy, and 

 require the least care in cultivation, as they 

 may be potted in the ordinary way in 



peaty soil, well drained. They require 

 abundance of water, especially when in 

 flower. The peculiar character of the 

 flower of the orchid will be seen from the 

 accompanying illustration of the blossom 

 and foliage of Cypripeditim macranthum. 

 The flowers are of a fine crimson colour, 

 beautifully netted, and having the centre 

 brilliantly illumined with golden yellow 

 and white. C. calceolus is also a hand- 



ORCHID " CYPRIPEDIUM MACRANTHUM.' 



some variety, growing to the height of 

 12 inches, or 6 inches less than C. 

 macranthum, the sepals being brownish 

 red, and the labellum, or bag-like lip, 

 pale yellow. C. spectabik is another 

 remarkable variety of this species. It is 

 a North American species, growing to 

 the height of 24 inches, and having white 

 flowers, beautifully tinged with rose, the 

 labellum, or lip, being of a deep carmine 

 rose. 



