Lcelia anceps Stella is a magnificent evergreen variety resembling the typical 

 plant in growth, and producing its flowers in the same way, and at the same 

 season of the year. The sepals and petals are white, lip also white, the throat 

 yellow streaked with purple ; these two colours contrast well with the white, and 

 produce a very chaste efl'ect. It blooms during the months of January and February, 

 and continues in full beauty for two or three weeks, if the flowers are kept 

 from damp. Water should not be allowed to fall upon these flowers, as the white 

 soon becomes spotted, and thus the beauty is marred. This variety of Lsslia 

 requires the same treatment as L. anceps Scottiana, which we figured in our last 

 number, plate 325 ; but we may add that these LcBlias are said to affect exposed 

 situations where they get an abundance of sunshine, light, and air, being always found 

 upon the branches of trees, on the borders of the forests, or upon rocks in equally 

 exposed sites. The white varieties of this Lcelia have not hitherto proved such free- 

 blooming plants as the species, which probably arises from the fact that we have 

 not yet learned just the treatment that suits them; but Messrs. Backhouse and Sons, 

 of York, appear to understand them better than most growers, as they flower more 

 freely with them than at any other place with which we are acc^uainted. Their 

 system of cultivation is to put them into an intermediate or Cattleya-house fully 

 exposed to the sun, saving what shade is aff'orcled them by the rafters of the house 

 at different times of the day. They are kept very damp during the growing 

 season, which accords with their natural conditions ; for we are told that durino; 



the rainy season, which is . their growing season, and lasts from May to October, 



they are drenched with rain for about five hours daily, that they remain wet 

 through the night, and that the wind and sun dries them in the morning, so that 

 the young growths are fully exposed to the sunshine during the day ; but these 



have been dried by the wind before the sun attains its full power 



OpvCHids in the United States of America. — Me. Pitcher's Oechids, — This 



collection has been established a little over two years only, and it already contains 

 many plants of sterling merit. Mr. Pitcher is very fond of Cypripediums, and 

 the collection contains nearly two hundred species and varieties ; some of which 



are, in many instances, represented by a dozen examples. At the time of our 



visit, the foll<;)wing kinds were flowering: — Argus, harhatum grandijlorum, harhatiim 

 nigrum, JVarnerianum , calophyllum, callosum, dliolare, concolor, Dayanum, Lawrence- 

 aniim, Sandenamim, selligemim, Spicerianum, ahnum, Boxallii, Dauthieri, Domini- 

 anum, euryandrum, Ilarrisianum, Hay naldianum , Hookerce, many varieties of insigne, 

 Low/i, nifens, tonsiim, and villosiim, making a fine 'display. There was also a fine 

 collection of cool Orchids, including fine plants of Odontoglossum Pescatorei and 0. 

 AlexandrcB, and Masdevallias of various sorts, also many Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, 

 and Lrelias. This gentleman suff'ered a great loss in February, when three of his 

 beautiful houses were burnt down, destroying the celebrated Wilder's collection of 

 Camellias, and injuring his fine collection of Nepenthes, &c., &c. 



