104 orchid-gkower's manual. 



of rest. The three last named kuids are divided from 

 Calanthe by some authors, and estabUshed under the name of 

 Preptanthe. Nearly all the Calanthes have striking and 

 attractive flowers. Most of them are rather large, upright- 

 growing plants, some of them having leaves a foot and a half 

 long and six inches broad. Their long spikes of flowers rise 

 from the bulbs, and come up between the leaves. They 

 generally make their gi'owth after the flowers have faded. 



The majority of the dilaiuhes are terrestrial Orchids, and 

 are best grown in pots of a large size, with loam, leaf mould, 

 and rotten dung mixed together. When they are planted, 

 two inches of drainage should be put at the bottom of the pot, 

 then a layer of moss on rough peat ; after which the pot 

 should be filled up with the mould, and the plant left about 

 level with the rim. They succeed best when grown in the 

 Indian house, and require well watering at the roots in their 

 growing season, so that the mould is never allowed to get dry. 

 But little rest is required by the evergreen kinds, and during 

 the resting period only enough water to keep the soil slightly 

 damp will be required. The deciduous species, however, 

 require a long and thorough resting period, after the flowering 

 season is past. These plants are very much subject to the 

 brown and white scale, which should be diligently sought for 

 and destroyed, as if allowed to accumulate, the plants will 

 not thrive. They are propagated by dividing the plant. The 

 following are the most beautiful of the species. 



C. curculii/oides. — This is an extremely rare and beautiful 

 species ; it is, however, a long time since I last saw it flower. 

 The leaves are large, evergreen, and plaited. The flower 

 spike is erect, bearing a head of bloom similar to that of 

 C. rci-iitrijulia, but instead of being white as in that species, 

 the blossoms are of a beautiful orange-yellow. Its flowers are 

 produced in summer and autumn. Native of Malacca. 



