ORCHIDS. 



375 



this Teiy lovely species will be cultivated by manv 

 fem-lorers; it as yet seems to be very far from 

 common, as only three or four years ago a specimen 

 which had been grown in the open air in Surrey 

 was awarded a first-ckss certificate at one of the 

 meetings of the Eoyal Horticultural Society. 



OECHIDS. 



Bt "William Hugh Goweb. 



Cyrtopodium. — A small family of strong- 

 growing terrestrial plants, producing long fleshy 

 stem-like pseudo-bulbs, which bear large plaited 

 membranous leaves, and erect panicles of remarkably 

 showy flowei-s. 



These plants are of easy culture, and should be 

 potted in about equal parts of loam, peat, and weU- 

 decomposed cow-manure ; during the growing season 

 they require an abundant supply of water, but when 

 the pseudo-bxdbs are mature very little water is 

 necessary, and a lower temperature is requisite ; 

 when the young growth commences they should be 

 at once removed into a little more heat, and a liberal 

 supply of water again be given them, as the scape 

 rises with the growth, and if neglected at this period 

 the flowers will be deformed. 



C. Andersonii. — Pseudo-bulbs stout, thick, and 

 fleshy, fusiform in shape, attaining a height of four 

 to five feet ; leaves plicate, membranous, large, and 

 spreading : panicle large, bearing a profusion of 

 flowers of a uniform rich yeUow. Spiing months. 

 Brazil. 



C punetatum. — This species resembles the pre- 

 ceding in habit ; it is, however, a much dwarfer 

 plant, and produces its flowers more freely; the 

 sepals are tawny-yellow, blotched and spotted with 

 red ; petals rich dear yellow ; lip yellow in front ; 

 the incurved side lobes crimson ; an additional adorn- 

 ment is also found in a large bract at the base of 

 each flower, the same colour as the sepal. Spring 

 months. Brazil. 



Dendrobium.. — This is a very large genus, and 

 contains an immense number of species and varieties 

 of a highly ornamental character. Numerous as the 

 species are, however, the hybridiser has been busy 

 with them, and produced many new forms equalling 

 or even surpassing anj-thing we have yet seen in the 

 wild plants for individual beautv". 



Dendrobiums belong to the Eastern Hemisphere, 

 the majority being natives of India ; a great number 

 of them are also to be found in the Indian Islands, 

 some few even extending to Australia, and one out- 

 lying member is a native of New Zealand. The 

 word Dendrobium is of Greek origin, and signi- 



fies "living upon a tree" — thus, dendron, "a tree," 

 and bioSy " life.' As a genus it is distinguished by 

 its two-celled anther, with four pollen masses, which 

 have no caudicle or separate stigmatic gland, and are 

 of uniform breadth at the end. 



The vaiious members of this genus are very dis- 

 similar in habit of growth, although in the shape of 

 the flower they aJl bear a close resemblance. Some 

 species form terete stem-Hke pseudo-bulbs, varj-ing 

 from a few inches to several feet in height ; some 

 cast their leaves and become deciduous in the rest- 

 ing season, whilst others have stout angular stems, 

 producing thick leathery leaves, which are persistent. 

 Many of the kinds which produce long terete 

 pseudo-bulbs are pendent in habit, and these require 

 to be grown on a block of wood or in a hanging 

 basket, in order to display their charms to the best 

 advantage. As a rule Dendi-obiums are not difB- 

 cult to cultivate, but as their habit of growth is 

 so different, different methods must be adopted to 

 promote vigorous growth and to maintain them in 

 health. 



. It may be accepted as a rule that Dendrobiums 

 enjoy a decided period of rest, although, as we have 

 previously remarked when treating upon other 

 genera, "the drying off must not be carried to such 

 an extent as to cause the growths to shrivel ; the 

 leaves of the deciduous kinds will of course turn 

 yellow and fall off, but if this occurs with such 

 species as densijlormn and FayineHl, it is a proof that 

 the diying off has been canied to excess, and the 

 health of the plant is sure to suffer in consequence. 



Dendrobiums, whether in pots or baskets, should 

 have a compost consisting of half fibrous peat and half 

 Sphagnum moss ; the drainage must be good, and the 

 soil should be pressed down firmly. In the ease of 

 those species which thrive best upon a block of wood 

 Sphagnum only must be used. They enjoy a copious 

 supply of water during the giowing season, and also 

 frequent showers from the sjTinge, but during the 

 resting period little or none will be required ; at 

 this time also they should be placed in a lower 

 temperature than that in which they have been 

 grown. 



Although many of the species are natives of 

 Xorthem India, they enjoy a high temperature and 

 an atmosphere Tell charged with moisture when 

 growing, but they require care and attention to 

 finish them off in a cooler temperature. East Indian 

 House. 



D. Mo-sanffuineum.— T'seuio-hulhs thick, erect, 

 nine to twelve inches high ; flowers two to three, 

 nodding, and three to four inches in diameter ; sepals 

 linear-lanceolate, creamy-white ; petals oblong, in- 

 curved, twice as broad as the sepals, creamy-white 

 with a few reddish-purple streaks at the base ; lip 



