I)ecember.~\ hot-house — air plants. 183 



always remember that decayed leaves or litter of any de- 

 scription, do not beautify healthy plants, neither do they 

 form a part of a well-kept hot-house. 



ORCHIDEOUS EPIPHYTES OR AIR PLANTS. 



Before we close the hot-hou?e subject, it may be interest- 

 ing to some of our readers to know the nature and character 

 of a few of the most desirable of those tropical parasites 

 that have within these few years caused so much excitement 

 in Europe. In several instances, houses upward of two 

 hundred feet long have been erected for their exclusive cul- 

 ture, and unless they do thus have an apartment adapted to 

 their nature, no success will attend their cultivation. They 

 grow only in a very humid atmosphere, kept at a tempera- 

 ture of from 70° to 100°, and also in a partially shaded 

 situation : it is only under such treatment that we have had 

 any prosperity in blooming these peculiarly beautiful and 

 interesting plants. Annexed are the names of a few that 

 are of the easiest culture and most profuse of jQower : — 



JBrdssia maciildfa, greenish yellow, spotted with purple. 



Catasetum tn'Jidum, greenish yellow, spotted with dark 

 brown. 



Cdttleya crisj)a, white and purple, and is considered a 

 superb plant. 



Cdttleya labidta, rose and rich purple, striped and spotted 

 with carmine. 



Cdttleya Forbesii, yellow, white, green, and rose-colored, 

 fine. 



Dendrbhium cucullatmn, rose and pale yellow. 



Dendrbbium speciosUm, pale yellow flowers, in great pro- 

 fusion. 



Epidendrum cucullatum, dark brown, withyellow, is a very 

 constant bloomer. 



Gongdra atropurpureo,, dark purple; the plant must be sus- 

 pended in a pot or small box. 



Gongora specidsa, yellow, with black spots. 



Maxilldria Loddgesii, orange flowers in long racemes. 



Maxilldria pictay yellow, beautifully spotted with red and 



