104 ORCHIDS: HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



plenty of water at tlie root during the summer, but during the winter 

 months it must have only a moderate supply, yet never allowing it to 

 become too dry. In the flower there is a mixture of rather dark 

 colours, claret and dark purple predominating, and it is a hybrid 

 between C. villosum and C. barbatum, the flowers having the glossy 

 surface found in C. villosum, and is in flower during the summer months. 

 Strong plants should be bought at from 5s. to 7s. 6d., capable of 

 bearing one or two flowers. 



CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM. From Assam. 



This, also, is a very pretty species, and was, until recently, very rare 

 and expensive, but lately, owing to large importations coming to hand, 

 it can be purchased at a moderate price. It requires exactly the same 

 treatment as the foregoing Cypripedium, and, like that species, cannot 

 bear strong sunshine. The beauty of the flower is chiefly in the dorsal 

 sepal, which is for the most part white, with a purple stripe running 

 through the centre, the petals of a greenish colour, and the lip or pouch 

 brownish purple, and it flowers from October to December. Some 

 cultivators habitually grow this species in a very cold place, but I have 

 found it to do best in the Intermediate house. It is not, perhaps, such a 

 free grower as some, and does not grow into large specimens so rapidly, 

 but, with proper attention, is not at all difficult to cultivate. 



Good serviceable plants should be purchased at from 5s. to 10s., 

 capable of bearing two or three flowers. Established. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM CITROSMUM. From Mexico. 



(Syn. pendulum.) 



This is a beautiful Orchid and should be grown by everyone, its 

 cultivation being so easy when rightly managed. It should be grown 

 in pans or baskets, in one part sphagnum and two parts lumpy peat, 

 and made secure from shaking about until it has rooted firmly, and the 

 pans or baskets suspended from the roof. This Orchid suffers much 

 from being disturbed, therefore it should not be shifted into larger 

 pans or baskets more than once in three or four years, supposing the 

 leading pseudobulbs are not growing over the side. After it has been 

 shifted into a larger sized pan or basket, it should be kept in a shaded 

 place until re-established to some extent, and during its growing 

 season in summer it should be kept moist at the roots until its growth 

 is completed (and this will be about October), after this it should be 

 gradually dried off by giving a lesser supply of water, until about the 

 end of November, keeping it very dry during the remaining part of the 

 winter in order to ensure flower spikes, which grow from the centre of 

 the young growth in March and April. If the plant is kept moist from 

 November until March, probably no flower spikes will appear. It 

 should be allowed to get dust dry before giving it water, even if the 



