Oncidium 



prefer to liave their roots free, and if they can be 

 indulged, so much the better ; but if not, as I say, 

 the genus is accommodating. The Belgians seal 

 them up in leaf-mould, like other orchids ; but we 

 are accustomed to think that some insist upon a 

 block or basket. These will be noted individually. 



Oncids need rest after flowering, or after finish- 

 ino- their trrowth, though they do not flower. It 

 is commonly said of most that they will not thrive 

 for more than three years ; the reason is generally 

 that they do not get sufficient rest. 



The very great majority of Oncids — something 

 like SO per cent. — are yellow in the general effect 

 of colour. This makes a pleasing contrast in the 

 house. I have described many of the Odontoglots 

 as yellow, because it is difficult, and waste of time 

 besides, to express shades of colour minutely. In 

 fact, the tone is never bright, not even in the case 

 of jMli/xanflium, and nearly always it is interrupted 

 by spots or blotches. But the yellow of the Oncids 

 is pure, though sepals and petals are generally 

 charged with markings of another hue. 



Aurosivm (golden), properly cxcavatum (hollowed). 

 — A special favourite of my own, but much less 

 common than it should be. The pseudo-bulbs grow 

 very large, but they need not attain a great size 

 before flowering. The spike is long and branched, 



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