1166 



ORCHID 



ORCHID 



in the Mexican department, allowing them only suffi- 

 cient water to keep the plants in sound condition. 

 ' Epiphytal Orchids are found chiefly in the humid 

 forests of tropical countries, often along streams where 

 they receive their condensing moisture during the dry 

 season. A few grow in open grassy situations or among 

 brush. These consist chiefly of climbing Epidendrums 

 of the E. evectiim section, a few Oncidiums of the cau- 

 lescent type (the distance between the pseudobulbs 

 often denoting a year's growth), and some of the terete 

 Vandas, etc. 



Aerides, Phalsenopsis, Vanda and the epiphytal Cyp- 

 ripediums are distributed throughout India, Malay 

 Peninsula, Cochin China, Celebes, Borneo, Philippine 

 Islands, Java and some of the Oceanic islands, usually 

 following the moist forests of mountain ranges, occa- 

 sionally at high elevations. With one or two exceptions, 

 as Vanda ccerulea, all do satisfactorily in the East 

 Indian department, reserving the warmest part for Pha- 

 lsenopsis, which as a rule grows nearest the sea-level. 



Angrsecums are natives of Madagascar and tropical 

 Africa, with one isolated species, A. falcatum, which is 

 from Japan. They grow in humid, shady locations, 

 where they can receive a copious supply of water at all 

 seasons, and are closely allied to Vanda, requiring the 

 same general temperature and treatment. 



Dendrobiums are most common throughout India, 

 Moulmein being a central district, but they are also 

 plentiful and widely distributed throughout eastern 

 Australia, New Guinea, the islands of the west Pacific 

 and Oceanica under various climatic conditions. A ma- 

 jority of them, especially the deciduous species, are 

 subjected to long droughts and long resting periods, 

 but as they lose their foliage at that time their evapor- 

 ating surface is reduced to a minimum, and the effect 

 of the dry heat through the day is more than counter- 

 acted by heavy dews and the condensing vapors, which 

 arise during the early mornings in those countries. 



Bulbophyllums and Coelogynes have their homes 

 principally in the mountainous forests of East India and 

 Borneo, where they are copiously supplied by frequent 

 rains. Nearly all grow best in the Brazilian department. 



Cattleyas and Laelias inhabit the humid forests of the 

 various mountain ranges of tropical America, from 

 Mexico south through the U. S. of Colombia to Peru, 

 the North Amazon valley, through Venezuela and 

 Guiana, and the mountain belt of eastern and southern 

 Brazil, usually at an altitude of 2,000 to 5,000 ft., except- 

 ing the Mexican species L. albida, L. anceps, L. autum- 

 nalis and L. majalis, which grow at from 5,000 to 8,000 

 feet, commonly among Polypodium fern. 



Cattleyas and Laelias grow on rocks and trees often 

 devoid of other vegetation along the margins of rivers 

 and ravines usually in shade, where they receive a copi- 

 ous supply of water from heavy dews and condensation 

 of morning fogs which saturate the forests during 

 the dry season, and often excessive rains while growing. 

 They should be grown in the Brazilian department, 

 excepting Gattleya citrina, the Mexican Laelias and L. 

 Jongheana, which thrive best in the Mexican depart- 

 ment or warm end of the New Granadan house. 



Stanhopeas are found from southern Mexico south to 

 Peru, Venezuela, Guiana and Brazil at rather low eleva- 

 tions, often in dense forests, the individual species hav- 

 ing a very wide range. The Brazilian house affords 

 them the best temperature, but they may be grown in 

 any of the departments with success. 



Epidendrum is a large and varied genus, widely dis- 

 tributed throughout tropical America, from South Car- 

 olina to southern Peru, and one of the few epiphytal 

 genera inhabiting the United States. They are found at 

 all elevations from sea-level to 10,000 ft. or more. The 

 writer found E. Ibaguense growing in quantity on the 

 margin of perpendicular clay ridges fully exposed to 

 the sun at this altitude in the U. S. of Colombia in a 

 robust, healthy state, and the same species below 5,000 

 feet in the same condition. Many of the individual 

 species cover a wide range of distribution. They require 

 the same general treatment as Laelias and Cattleyas. 

 Few species are worthy of cultivation except for botan- 

 ical purposes. 



Maxillarias cover much the same range as the last 

 ^enus, but are not quite so widely distributed. They 



grow equally well in either the Brazilian or Mexican 

 departments. 



Oncidiums are distributed along the mountain ranges 

 from southern Mexico to Peru, in the southern and 

 northern portions of Brazil chiefly along the coast, the 

 Spanish Main and Islands of the Caribbean sea. The O. 

 Carthaginense and Papilio sections are found at sea- 

 level and seldom above 500 ft. elevation. These grow 

 best in the Brazilian house. Nearly all of the other 

 species may be grown in the Mexican department, 

 except a few, such as O. cucullatum, O. Phalcenopsis 

 and the O. macranthum section, which are found at high 

 altitudes ; these should be grown in the New Granadan 

 department. 



Odontoglossums follow the higher wooded mountain 

 ranges from southern Mexico, Central America and the 

 Central Andes of U. S. of Colombia south to Peru and 

 the northwestern portion of Venezuela, ail at high 

 altitudes. They usually grow in the moist shady forests, 

 where the rainy season is long continued or condensing 

 fogs and dews are very heavy, keeping many of the 

 species in an almost perpetual state of saturation, their 

 only relief of excessive moisture appearing to be from 

 the frequent heavy winds that prevail in these regions. 

 The Mexican species grow well in the cool end of the 

 Mexican department, while those of the O. luteo-pur- 

 pureum and crispum type require the new Granadan 

 house. 



Lycastes are distributed from southern Mexico to 

 Peru along the mountain ranges, usually at an altitude 

 of 4,000 feet in rather shaded locations; they are most 

 common from southern U. S. of Colombia to their 

 northern limit. L. tetragona is from southern Brazil 

 and far removed from the general area of distribution, 

 with little resemblance to any other species. Its 4-an- 

 gled monophyllous pseudobulbs produce semi-pendent 

 scapes carrying often as many as eight flowers, not un- 

 like a Cymbidium in general appearance. Lycastes 

 grow well in either the Mexican or New Granadan 

 department. 



Selenipediums are the South American representatives 

 of Cypripedium. They are distributed from Costa Rica 

 south to Bolivia, through Venezuela, Guiana and eastern 

 Brazil, at from 3,000 to 8,000 ft. elevation, in wet 

 marshes and on the branches of trees in shaded forests, 

 in all cases where they get a bounteous supply of water 

 at all seasons. The Brazilian or Mexican department 

 suits them equally well. 



Masdevallias, Restrepias, and Pleurothallis s?row at 

 high elevations in Venezuela, Mexico and south to 

 Peru, with a few in the Organ mountains of Brazil, 

 their principal center being U. S. of Colombia near the 

 Odontoglossum district. They always follow the moun- 

 tain ranges, growing on trees, rocks and on wet, marshy 

 slopes, in extremely wet locations. The Chimaera sec- 

 tion is found at the lowest elevation. They all grow 

 best in the New Granadan department. 



Newly Imported Orchids. On arrival of cases of 

 Orchids from their natural habitats they should be care- 

 fully unpacked as speedily as possible, in an isolated 

 room where insect pests that often arrive in the cases 

 may be destroyed, and laid carefully and loosely against 

 one another, on the bench of a shady, well-ventilated 

 house or packing-shed. Should they all be found in 

 good condition, the pseudobulbous species, such as 

 Cattleyas and Laelias, should be hosed over thoroughly 

 and allowed to remain for about a week, at the end of 

 which time they should be examined for any signs of 

 decay and bruises. All such parts should be removed 

 with a sharp knife. The plants should be cleaned and 

 sponged to remove dust, potted or basketed, as the 

 case requires, and placed in a shady portion of their 

 respective departments, allowing them sufficient water 

 to gradually start them into action, after which time 

 they will require the same treatment afforded established 

 plants of their kind. 



Cypripediums, Masdevallias, Phalsenopsis, Vandas, 

 the Batemannia and Bollea sections of Zygopetalum and 

 other non-pseudobulbous genera should be placed on 

 damp sphagnum in a well-shaded, airy department for 

 a week or ten days, without syringing, until it is ascer- 

 tained what amount of damage they have received in 

 transit. After sponging the leaves carefully and remov- 



