A.VB THEIR MANAGEMEyr. ^o 



j'-'j 



Masdevallia. 

 in England. It had short, thick leaves, erect, hairy flower- 

 scapes, and flowers ^in. across ; the lip was hinged, and 

 had a conca\-e blade, jin. long, in the middle of which 

 was a raised, }-ellow disk. On touching this disk, the lip 

 nio\'ed upwards and closed with a jerk, and it was found 

 that an}- small insect on alighting on the lip was at once 

 trapped and held for about twenty minutes, when the lip 

 opened again. Charles Darwin, who regretted never having 

 seen a sensiti\-e Orchid, would ha\e been delighted had he 

 seen this plant. 



Culture. — Although the robust-growing Masdevallias — that 

 is, those belonging to the J/, cocciiwa, M. igiiea, M. Veitch- 

 iajia, and J/, amabilis section, and the thick -foliaged 

 kinds of the J/, leontoglossa and M. Mooirana section — 

 ms.x all be cultivated under the same conditions as those 

 ach'ised for Odontoglossums, _\-et where a house can be 

 set apart for them they are undoubtedly more easily and 

 satisfactorily dealt ^\■ith. The temperature of the house 

 should be kept as low as the outside conditions permit, 

 during the summer months. Moisture in the atmosphere 

 is the chief cultural requirement, an abundance of it being 

 necessary during the hot season, and a discreet supply 

 during the winter. 



While active, all Masdevallias require liberal moisture at 

 the roots, as well as a humid condition of the atmosphere. 

 During winter, when the plants are, or should be, dormant, 

 the temperature of the house should be maintained at 

 from Sodeg. to 55deg. The plants should then be 

 kept drier at the roots, and the atmosphere of the 

 house so controlled that any sudden fluctuations of the 

 outside temperature may be easily contended with. If 

 the conditions of the atmosphere, and the moisture at the 

 roots, were oftener considered during the winter, it is pro- 

 bable that the " Black Spot " that so disfigures the foliage 

 of Masdevallias would cease to exist. There is no doubt 

 that the unsightly appearance presented in so many places 

 is induced by excessive moisture during periods of dull, 

 damp weather, and frequently by excessive moisture in 

 the atmosphere when low temperatures, due to cold con- 

 ditions and sudden fluctuations outside, prevail. 



The M. ChimcBra section, and the small-growing kinds 

 to which such species as ^L Estnuhr, M. erythrochcctc. 



