Odontoglossum 



be obtained at small expense, not counting varie- 

 ties ; and very nearly every one is as easily culti- 

 vated as a geranium. I do not propose, however, 

 to name all of them. Of none, perhaps, can it be 

 said that they are not worth growing ; but there is 

 a vast difference among them in quality. 



Odontoglots are exclusively American, dwelling 

 in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of either 

 continent. Those with which we are concerned, 

 however, live in mountain forests, not less than 

 5000 feet above sea-level — generally more. Many 

 species must be subjected to frost occasionally. 

 Mr. Smee has carried through some very interesting 

 experiments in this matter. He found that Odont. 

 erispu/m, or Alexandra:, for instance, was not per- 

 manently affected by exposure when the night air 

 fell several degrees below freezing. Thirteen degrees 

 killed it. But it must be understood that these 

 were simply tests. Most tropical plants will bear 

 extreme cold " once in a way." I have seen the 

 convicts at Lahore gathering ice from pans in the 

 Botanic Garden when tender orchids were blooming 

 on the trees above, palms and tropic shrubs stood 

 around, and the superintendent's house was ablaze 

 with Bourgainvillea from top to bottom. But the 

 frost must not be continuous. In fact, 40" Fahren- 

 heit is the minimum which cool orchids will endure, 



155 



