284 oeohid-gkower's manual. 



gorgeous than the Bisa grandiftora ? There are numerous 

 members of this family at the Cape, and though they are not 

 so large in the flower as the species just named, yet they are 

 exquisitely beautiful. Again, the elegance of the North 

 American Cypripediums is not surpassed by those which 

 inhabit the tropics. Now all these can be cultivated in a 

 cool greenhouse or frame, either planted out or in pots. 

 Indeed, many of the terrestrial kinds will succeed well in 

 the open air if a little care is bestowed upon the selection and 

 preparation of the situation. The number of species I have 

 here enumerated is not extensive ; but there is no reason 

 to prevent us, in the course of a few years, from largely 

 increasing them, if the plant-loving ladies and gentlemen, as 

 well as gardeners, will encourage the growth of these beautiful 

 plants ; and any one having friends at the Cape, North 

 America, or Australia, should strongly press upon them to 

 send home the tubers of any Orchids they may find. By this 

 means we should have a great many new additions to our 

 collections. 



The Orchids described in the following pages are all 

 terrestrial species, and must not be elevated above the lim of 

 the pot, as is the custom with the epiphytal ones, but there 

 must be a space of an inch or more from the rim to the soil, 

 to allow of a sufficient quantity of water being given at one 

 time . The soil best adapted for their growth is a mixture of 

 good fibrous loam, turfy peat, and silver sand, adding more or 

 less of each, according to the peculiar habitat of the particular 

 plant to be potted. They must all have good drainage, and 

 the addition of lumps of sandstone to the soil wUl have a 

 beneficial effect, serving to keep the soil open, and the roots 

 cool and moist. They are mostly all propagated by division 

 of the roots, just as the fresh growth commences ; and though 

 they all require a season of rest, they must never be allowed 



