36 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



successful. Dendrohmm nohile can be cultivated in greenhouses ; 

 he saw it so grown at Mr. Rand's. He had found the Holy Ghost 

 flower easy of culture ; the secret is, as Mr. Hovey says, to give it 

 a good rest. The Zygopetalums, 3Iackayi especially .there is 

 no difficulty in growing in ordinar}^ soil, or in a mixture of sods 

 about two years old, the size of a walnut, sphagnum sifted to free 

 it from dust, and potsherds broken fine. He recommended those 

 who desired to cultivate orchids to visit Mr. Band's house and 

 read Mr. Williams' book. 



The president remarked that the Bletia would undoubtedly be 

 profitable for florists, and that the question for us is not merely 

 how much plants will endure, but how they can be grovv^n to 

 greatest perfection. 



Mr. Rand said that the Bletia was one of the most easily culti- 

 vated orchids. The three plants referred to by Mr. Barker were 

 bought a 3' ear ago last November at an auction sale of plants from 

 Wilson's nursery. No one seemed to know what they were, and 

 as Mr. Rand entered the room the auctioneer knocked them off to 

 him at one cent each. They were ragged looking things, potted 

 in the red New Jersey clay. They were placed in the grapery 

 until December 10th, when the frost got in and nipped the plants 

 badly ; afterwards potted in three pans, in rough peat, with good 

 drainage, and kept cool until signs of growth appeared, when they 

 were placed in the orchid house and kept there until September. 

 They were then deprived of water until December 1st, when 

 the flower spikes began to push. It takes a long time for flower 

 spikes to push up four feet. The species is very hardy. 



There has been a great deal of needless mystery about orchid 

 culture ; owing perhaps to their singular growth and the weird, 

 grotesque forms of the flowers. The secret is perfect drainage, 

 keeping the plants clean, never letting the thermometer fall below 

 60° for East Indian kinds, and 45° for " cool orchids," keeping free 

 from insects, shade, and a good season of rest. These rules are, 

 however, general, and must be somewhat varied for special cases. 



Mr Hovey remarked that Goodyera discolor is recommended by 

 London florists for cut flowers, — for amateurs, if not dealers. He 

 thought G0° pretty high for an ordinary greenhouse ; his houses 

 are rarely up to 60° at night ; 50° would do very well for Zygope- 

 talums. iSixt}- years ago Mr. Lowell had about the only collec- 

 tion of orchids in this vicinity. Fifteen years ago Mr. Hovey was 



