Pleione humilis tricolor is of dwarf deciduous habit, with dark green foliage, 

 attaining about six inches high, which is cast off after the growth is completed : 

 these leaves have about five principal nerves, wdth five intermediate ones extending 

 from the base to the • apex. The flowers proceed from the base of the curious 

 flask-shaped pseudobulbs, and grow on scapes about three inches high, the flowers 

 being large in proportion to their stature. The sepals and petals are of a pale 

 rose colour, while the lip is pale yellow, distinctly spotted with dull brow^nish 

 orange. The blossoms are produced during January and February, and last about 

 two or three weeks in beauty. This plant is best grown in a pot with good 



drainage, of which, in the first place, the pots should be half filled ; then mix 



some good fibrous loam and peat, with a little sphagnum moss and sand, and use 

 this as a ccniipost. They must have a good supply of w^ater during the gro^^ng 

 season, but when the pseudobulbs have matured their grow-th, they must be kept 



nearly dry until they show signs of flowering, when a little moisture will help 



'them to swell. After the blossoms have faded, they require potting into .fresh 

 material, when they will soon begin to grow, and send new roots into the fresh 



G"" "" fe) 



soil. We always pot them afresh every year, since they lose all their roots. If 

 requisite, several l)ulb3 may be placed in a pot on the top of the soil. They 

 must never be over-potted, indeed, we think they look better in small pots. 



All the kinds we have mentioned require the same treatment, and will do well 

 Hi a cool part of the East India house. We grow them in the Cattleya house, 

 but tliry must be near the glass, and shaded from the bright sun, which soon 

 ufTects their foliage, and if this happens, the bulbs will not be so plump and 

 vi,i^..rou,^, and the result wiU be that the flowers will not be either so fine, or so 

 numerous, or so well-coloured. 



Vanda tkuks.— We recently received from J. Broome, Esq., Wood La^Ti, 

 l)ld.sbu^)^ Manrliester, some fine spikes of blossoms of this most beautiful Vanda, 

 and were surprised to hear that the plant had borne over two hundred and fifty 

 flowers. \\ hat a gloi-lous spectacle ! On one of the spikes there were five of these 



^^^''^^» ^^^^ nieasuring three inches across. We saw this plant last year 



and a most wond.iful old specimen it is. It is trained cylindrically, and forms a 



grand mn- ,ve plant, curious, withal, on account of its terete dark green cHmbi ^ 

 sterns, thinly <h,.thed with leaves, which arc also terete, and of the same colour. 

 iNo donht It 13 mm of the most distinct-lookin.r of Orchids, and one. moreover, that 



t.-w growns succeed in flowering well. It reciuires to be grown vigorously, with 

 all the light that can be given to it in the growing season, during which period 

 It HlHHild l>e well supplied with moisture. Allien at rest in winter, it should have 

 ^-vy htth^ water, but sho^ild receive all the light and sun that can be secured for 

 .r. ,n order to cause the stems to ripen. ^en it shows si^ns of flowering, water 

 may bo suppbed, m order to induce the plant to throw outfits flower-spikes more 

 rrepiy and with greater vi*rour.— B. S. W 



