MILTONIA. 97 



precise liabitat of oue {M. Schroederiana) has not been divulged, 

 but is vaguely stated to be Central America. Very little too has 

 been divulged respecting the habitats of the Brazilian species and 

 of their environment in situ, but coming from the neighbourhood 

 of Rio de Janeiro, the climatic conditions under which they live 

 are known by analogy and from cultural experience to be much 

 the same as those described under Cattleya at page 3. The 

 Colombian species are found on the Cordilleras at 1,000 — 6,000 feet 

 elevation,* where the atmosphere is very humid throughout the 

 year. 



Culhiral Note. — The cultural treatment of the Miltonias, so far as 

 regards the potting, watering, and ventilation, is essentially the same as 

 that formulated under Odontoglossum (page 10—11). The Miltonias, 

 however, grow inider climatic conditions somewhat different from those 

 under which the greater part of;] the Odontoglots are found, especially in 

 respect of temperature, and this circumstance has to he taken into 

 accomit in their cultural treatment. Moreover the climatic conditions 

 under which the Brazilian species live in their native home are not 

 quite the same as those of the Colombian species, for their seasons are 

 opposite ; hence for cultural purposes tlie ]\Iiltonias arrange themselves 

 into two groups. 



All the members of the Brazilian group, that is to say, anceps, camlida, 

 Clowesii, cuneata, flavescens, Regnelli, Ritsselliana, and spedahilis with its 

 numerous varieties and the two supposed natural hybrids of Brazilian origin, 

 require an intermediate temperature such as is maintained in the Cattleya 

 house, where it ranges throughout the year from 13° to 20° C. (55° — 

 70° F.) by fire-heat, with such increments by sun-heat as circumstances 

 admit, the higher temperatures being of course attained in sunnncr 

 when the plants are in active growth, and when they should be liberally 

 supplied with water. On Avarm bright days the Miltonias must be 

 shaded from the direct rays of the sun during the middle hours of the 

 day, but at other times they should receive as much light as possible. 

 Milt 071 i a spedahilis and its varieties being plants with creeping rhizomes 

 are usually cultivated in shallow pans with about an inch of compost 

 about their roots which should at no time be allowed to get dry. 



Of the Colombian Miltonias tliat liave pallid pseudo-bulbs and foliage, 

 vexillaria, Phalcenopsis and Endresii rcipiire a temperature of 10 — 13' C. 

 (50° — 55° F.) by fire-heat, allowing it to rise l)y sun-heat during the 

 growing season to 15° — 20° C. (60° — 70° F.) ; but too great a deviation 

 from the mean sliould Ijc avoided. These readings corresjxiinl nearly 

 with Cattleya temperatures, but as this group of Miltonias is found to 



* Miltonia RoezHi and M. IVarscewiczii in the lower and hotter zone, and M. vexillaria and 

 il. Phahvnopsis in the liigher zone, occasionally associated with Cattleyas. 



U 



