158 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



columnaris^ with stems two feet in lieigbt, and a number of large 

 heads ; the disk is high and purplish ; while the rays are yellow. 

 A fine variet}' of this is called pulcherrima ; it has the same habit, 

 except that the ra3's are parti}' reddish-purple, making it one of 

 the most showy and striking plants. In these last-named two 

 plants we have the exception 1 have previously alluded to, namely 

 that of plants which are real perennials in their western home, but 

 here must be treated only as annuals. 



And now we will see what we can find among the 



Orchids. — This class is named after the natural order that the 

 plants belong to. They are all of nearly the same habit and as 

 a rule have show^' and very curious flowers. "With only two ex- 

 ceptions (where the plants are real epiph3-tes) all of our orchids 

 are terrestrial, growing in moist and shaded woods or open mead- 

 ows. Some species are found onl}* within very narrow limits ; so 

 that it takes an expert collector to find out the home of some of 

 the rarer kinds. 



Some orchids have thick succulent tubers which are renewed 

 annually, while others have creeping rootstocks. As a general 

 rule they are rather difficult to cultivate. They require to be 

 grown in peat and leaf-mould, and must have perfect drainage. 

 The best time for transplanting those that have rootstocks, such 

 as the Lady's Slipper, is just before they begin to grow. Those 

 with tubers should be taken up just when they commence 

 flowering, because at that time they begin to form the new tubers ; 

 and if taken later, when fully grown, the brittle roots would be 

 easily damaged and the plant might never recover. The place for 

 these plants should have a northern exposure and be partly shaded 

 and never allowed to get really dry ; it should also be covered 

 in the winter, to keep out the hardest frost. The best way of ob- 

 taining native orchids is to go to the woods and dig them ; and 

 plant them with the rest in the garden. They could be pro[)agated 

 by division, but as they generally decrease in cultivation, and on 

 the other hand have seeds so minute that they are very difficult 

 to make grow and raise good plants, 1 do not see any other method 

 than the first one mentioned. 



First we have the two epiphytes, Epidendrum conopseum with 

 purple and green flowers, and E. venosam with greenish flowers. 

 Both require to be grown in a greenhouse, in the same way as 

 other tropical orchids. 



