now some forty years ago, when Dr. Lindley so heartily congratulated the Messrs, 
Veitch upon being the fortunate introducers of such a magnificent species. Since 
that period vast quantities have been sent home from time to time by other 
collectors, from amongst which several varieties have appeared, some of them much 
inferior to the form first received. 
Our drawing was taken some time ago from a well-grown example in the 
collection of the Marquis of Lothian, New Battle Abbey, Dalkeith, N.B. The plant 
was growing in a basket suspended from the roof of the Orchid house, and _pro- 
duced a fine effect. It was about a foot high, with healthy well-developed foliage, 
and was bearing two spikes of remarkably bright blooms, fourteen flowers being 
expanded upon each raceme. Vanda cerulea is an evergreen plant, with somewhat 
small foliage in comparison with the size of its flowers. The leaves are about six 
inches in length, having truncate ends; the spikes spring from the axils of the 
leaves and attain a length of eighteen inches or more, and the racemes sometimes 
bear nineteen flowers; this, however, occurs but rarely, and only upon strong speci- 
mens; more often ten to fifteen flowers only are developed, the individual flowers 
measuring from four to five inches across. In the sepals and petals the colour is 
a delicate lavender-blue, the veins and bars being a deeper tint of the same colour; 
lip small and deep violet-blue. Its flowers are produced through the months of 
September, October, and November, and they last several weeks in full perfection. 
Although this species is said to grow rapidly, and attain considerable dimensions in 
its native habitats, it is usually of slow growth under cultivation, and requires a 
long time to make a large specimen. The plants flower when quite small, but 
this we believe retards their growth, and frequently causes their foliage to shrivel ; 
when symptoms of this occur, the spike of bloom should be immediately removed, 
and as they last a considerable time in water, the removal of them not only 
benefits the plants, but, in addition, provides choice flowers for the embellishment 
of the drawing-room. Vanda caerulea produces quantities of large fleshy roots, 
few of which, however, appear to fasten upon anything, but are pushed out to 
absorb the atmospheric moisture. It must be admitted that the majority of Orchid 
growers find this a difficult plant to cultivate; we ourselves have had plants two 
and three feet high, well furnished with healthy leaves, which flowered annually; 
such plants, however, are but too seldom seen in our collections. We have 
ourselves found this plant very mutable; sometimes it thrives in a warm house, 
at other times it succeeds best in the temperature of an intermediate house ; which- 
ever position is found to suit its requirements best we invariably allow it to remain 
in. We have also seen this species thrive well when grown in the East India 
house, during the summer months, treated to light and moisture in abundance ; 
after growth is finished the supply of water is curtailed, and the plants removed 
into a cool house ranging from 50° to 60° during the three or four coldest months 
of the year. Vanda cerulea should always be grown in baskets which are 
suspended from the roof, in order that it may obtain strong light, but it must 
be shaded from the sun’s rays. A very moderate portion of sphagnum will be 
necessary if the air is kept well charged with moisture. ae 
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