INTRODUCTION. J 



real earnest, they may be found enjoying the most luxuriant 

 health. The finest collections of Odontoglots, Disas, Oncids, 

 and Masdevallias in this country have been subjected to a cool 

 system or regime since their first introduction. This is a very 

 important fact ; for every Orchid grower knows that healthy 

 imported plants are far better to deal with than such debili- 

 tated specimens as have been ruined by bad cultivation in a 

 high and dry atmosphere. Although many Orchids grow 

 well in a low mean temperature, still they require the 

 atmosphere to be heavily charged with moisture, and the 

 Sphagnum Moss on the pot tops should be as fresh and grow 

 as freely as if in its native swamps. "Wherever, in our Orchid 

 houses, we find Sphagnum and Droseras growing freely on the 

 tops of the pots, we also, as a natural sequence, find the 

 Orchids looking green and healthy. The reason of this coinci- 

 dence is simply this the Droseras and Sphagnum will only 

 survive in a moist, moderately-shaded situation, and the 

 shade and moisture requisite to keep them alive are also neces- 

 sary to the vigorous health of the Orchids. The only reason 

 why we cannot extend this rule is, that the Moss and Droseras do 

 not absolutely require artificial heat, and the Orchids do for 

 part of the year at least. Robert Warner, Esq., of Broomfield, 

 has been very successful in his attempts at cool Orchid grow- 

 ing, and with him, as with others, the growth under this 

 regime has been vigorous, producing great, plump, well-ripened 

 pseudo bulbs, fine foliage, and abundance of finely-developed 

 flowers. 



A plant of Odontoglossum Alexandras grown by Mr. James 

 Anderson, at Meadowbank, produced a fine branched spike, 

 bearing fifty-six flowers. This plant was grown along with 

 many other Odontoglots and Masdevallias, in a cool pit, and has 

 never been surpassed so far as flowering is concerned. Another 

 remarkable instance occurred at Ferniehurst, the seat of E. 



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