VANDA. 



105 



Vanda teres is widely distributed over north-east India, Assam and 

 Upper Burmah ; it is always found in the hot plains and valleys 

 scrambling over the branches of the largest trees and exposed to 

 the full glare of the sun. It was first detected by Dr. Wallich in 

 Sylhet in the early part of the present century, and living plants 

 were brought by him to England about the year 1829, but none of 

 them flowered till ! 836 ; in that year it flowered for the first 

 time in this country in the gardens of the Duke of Northumberland 

 at Syon House. Several variations in the colour of the flowers 

 have since been observed, the two described above being the most 

 distinct that have come under our notice. 



Cultural Note. — Vanda teres requires a special treatment to induce it 

 to flower regularly, and as this orchid is very successfully cultivated at 

 Tring Park, an outline of the method adopted there will serve better 

 than any formal directions we can give. The plants are cultivated in 

 a half-span house almost exclusively devoted to this Vanda ; it forms 

 in fact a compartment of the range in which the Phalaenopses are 

 grown at Tring Park, and has therefore the same aspect, that is, it 

 faces nearly due south. The floor of the house is sunk 2 feet below 

 the surface of the ground. A bed, enclosed by brick-work, 3|^ feet high 

 and 2J feet wide extends along the north side of the house, heated 

 by hot-Avater pipes placed about a foot above the floor of the house, 

 and about a foot above the pipes is fixed a perforated iron stage 

 forming the floor of the bed. The bed is thence 18 inches deep from 

 the top of the brick-work and is filled with broken crocks and charcoal 

 in the proportion of three-fourths of the former and one-fourth of the 

 latter ; the depth of the bed is increased by a board 6 inches wide 

 placed on the brick-work, and the layer of crocks and charcoal raised 

 to within 2 or 3 inches of the top of this board. On these the plants 

 are arranged in rows about 6 inches apart with an interval of 4 inches 

 in the row ; the space between the rows and plants is filled with fresh 

 sphagnum 2 inches deep ; by these means constant saturation and free 

 drainage are efticiently maintained. After the plants are established no 

 shading is used, so that on bright days in summer the temperature 

 often rises from 38° — 52° C. (100° — 120° F.) when the ventilators are 

 closed, and which are only used in the morning. In winter the lowest 

 temperature is 15° — 18° C. (50° — 65° F.) During the growing season 

 the plants are constantly syringed. Another set of plants is cultivated 

 in the same way on a lower and narrower bed along the south side 

 of the house, and separated from the higher bed by a pathway, on 

 one side of which is fixed the principal series of pipes for heating 

 the house. 



