MASDEVALLIA 



987 



tinct from those 

 ■ obtains between 

 lid of Delaware ; 

 ultural relations 

 Jlarylanil and the state of 

 11 many respects 



Maryland. The strong 



interests are on lines more 

 on the Eastern Shore. Grea 

 the conditions of the Easti 

 hence it naturally follows 

 between the Eastern Shore 

 Delaware are closer and more i 

 than those between the two 

 "shores" of Maryland, and 

 doubtless will remain so 

 unless counteracted by the 

 establishment of an active 

 and well-equipped sub-sta- 

 tion on the Eastern Shore. 

 The entire peninsula, com- 

 prising Delaware's three, 

 Maryland's nine and Vir- 

 ginia's two counties, should 

 properly constitute one 

 state, as nature seems to 

 have intended. If these 

 fourteen peninsula counties 

 were banded together by the 

 ties of statehood, and thus 

 governed solely by their 

 own citizens, it could not do 

 otherwise than promote and 

 accelerate the progress in 

 horticultural advancement, 

 and make it by concentrated 

 art and practice what it is 

 by nature, America's Eden. 

 It is capable of supporting 

 a population ten times as 

 large as at present inhabits it, with aa overdow sufB- 

 cient to feed five times as many more in the large 

 near-by cities with choice fruits and vegetables, easily 

 grown in endless variety. 



Maryland's metropolis, with its rapidly improving 

 facilities for distributing to other cities and towns, 

 affords much encouragement and gives impetus to all 

 horticultural operations. Baltimore market is the main 

 dependence of the Western Shore and western Mary- 

 land fruit-growers and truckers; while a large share of 

 the horticultural products of the Eastern Shore, owing 

 to convenient aci'essibilitv, are consigned to New York, 

 Philadelphia and Wilmington. The General Assembly 

 or Legislature of Maryland has never, until quite re- 

 cently, done anything to promote or protect, by appro- 

 priation or otherwise, the great horticultural interests of 

 the state, while it has expended hundreds of thousands 

 of dollars to exploit and protect the oyster and fish in- 

 dustries. The value of the small-fruit crop reaches into 

 millions of dollars annually. Add to this the peaches, 

 pears, apples, plums, cherries, etc. -then couple to all 

 the vast volume of vegetable production throughout the 

 state-grasp all this, and crowd it into the two words— 

 horticultiinil hit.r.-^fx.nnd here are the data in the form 

 of unmaiiuf:u-turr(| ni;iterial, and the nearest approach 

 to synthrinal M:,ti-iirs that is available. That horti- 

 culture t;ik. s laiik Willi the greatest industries of the 

 state is obvious to aiiv unclouded comprehension. The 

 soil of fifteen of the twenty-three counties comprising 

 the commonwealth, reveals unmistakable evidence that 

 nature, in loving pride, planned a brilliant horticultural 

 destiny for them, holding out conspicuously, among 

 numerous other incentives, a climate promotive of 

 and prosperity. Violent extremes of 

 so troublesome, annoying, and even 

 any other sections, are rarely if ever 

 >. Industrial evolution is steadily giving 

 trend toward higher development of horticulture in the 

 state. J. W. Kerr. 



MASDEVALLIA (Joseph Masdevall, a Spanish phy- 

 sician and botanist). Oi-chidAefO', tribe Hpidindrite. 

 Masdevallias are inhabitants of the American tropics. 

 There are more than l.'jO species, and various hybrids 

 and garden forms. They are not showy orchids, but are 

 odd and often grotesque. The petals are small and usu- 

 ally hidden in the calyx-tube, but the 3 calyx lobes are 

 greatly developed and give character to the flower. Often 

 these lobes end in slender tails several inches long. Lip 

 of the corolla short, articulate with the base of the 



Pollinia 2, wilh'out caulicles! The Masdevallias have no 

 pseudobulbs; the leaves are variable in size, oblong to 

 linear, thick, sheathing at the base; the peduncles bear 

 from 1-5 or more flowers. The species of the J/, coccinea 

 group are relatively simple in form, but are usually prized 



regions to the south. 



health, pleasuri 

 heat and cold, 

 disastrous in n 

 sperienced 1 



for their brilliant coloring. Those of the M. Chimara 

 group are remarkable for their fantastic shapes. Of late 

 years many new kinds have been introduced, and the 

 genus is somewhat confused as to the specific limits of 

 the various forms. Masdevallias are polymorphous, and 

 herbarium specimens do not show specific characters 

 well. See"The Genus Masdevallia," by Florence H. Wool- 

 ward (189G). L.H.B. 



Masdevallias are found growing at high elevations, 

 ranging from 6,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level, in 

 northwestern South America and Central America, with 

 a few sparingly distributed elsewhere over tropical 

 America. These regions are generally subjected to two 

 rainy seasons annually, often with very short intermis- 

 sions. The atmosphere, though somewhat rarified, is 

 very humid, the temperature in the shade seldom rising 

 above 6.5° F., and often dropping to 40"^ in some dis- 

 tricts. Heavy fogs are frequent, especially in the fore- 

 part of the day, and during the greater portion of the 

 year the under-vegetation is in a saturated condition; 

 the high winds prevalent in these districts, however, 

 counteract to a great extent any evil influence which 

 might otherwise arise from it. 



The heat of our summer makes it quite impossible to 

 imitate wholly the above conditions, but with a proper 

 house, such as is afforded Odontoglossums of the cris- 

 pum section, very satisfactory results may be obtained 

 and the many species will be found of comparatively 

 easy culture. A low, well-ventilated, half-span house of 

 northern exposure, with an upright stone or brick wall 

 on the south side, is best adapted to them. The house 

 should be provided with canvas roll-shading, supported 

 on a framework elevated 15 or 18 inches above the 

 glass in order that the cool air may pass freely beneath 

 it. This will help to guard against solar heat during 

 summer. Houses built partly below ground are not to 

 be recommended, as the atmosphere soon becomes 

 stagnant and inactive, causing the leaves to fall pre- 

 maturely. Where it is convenient, solid beds are pref- 

 erable; benches, however, will answer the purpose very 

 well, and when used should be covered about 2 inches 

 deep with sifted ashes, sand or gravel; the benches and- 

 floors should be hosed down once or twice daily to af- 

 ford all the cool moisture possible. 



In winter the temperature should range between 50° 

 and 55° F. at night and about 60° during the day or 5° 

 more on mild days, with weak solar heat and ventilation. 

 Artificial heat must be dispensed with as early in spring 

 as possible, and during summer the temperature kept 

 as low as the weather will permit, ventilating freely, 



