THE MOST USEFUL ORCHIDS i6i 



SOPHRO-L^LIA 



The best of the hybrids between Laelia and Sophronitis are — 

 S.-L. LiETA (L. Dayana x S. grandifiora\ S.-L. Marriottii [L. 

 flava X S. grand'tflora\ and S.-c. Orpeti {L. pumila x S. grandi- 

 jlord). 



SOPHRONITIS 



One of the most deUghtful of the small growing Orchids is 

 the brilliant scarlet Sophronitis grandiflora, a species that has 

 been used as a parent in the production of many bigeneric hybrids. 

 It is only three inches high, and it grows well in shallow pans, in 

 peat, broken leaves and sphagnum, suspended at the warmest end 

 of the cool house, and treated like an Odontoglossum. It flowers 

 with great freedom in the Winter, and as each flower is nearly 

 three inches across, and of a beautiful shade of rich scarlet, with 

 orange marks on the lip, it is a most effective little plant, and just 

 the one for amateurs to cultivate. There are other species — S. 

 cernua and S. violacea — but they have small claim to cultivation 

 compared with S. grandiflora. 



THUNIA 



So remarkably beautiful and graceful are the Thunias, that 

 the wonder is they are not more regularly grown in our glass 

 houses, especially as they can be cultivated with ease by anyone 

 who can manage a deciduous, tropical bulbous plant. The 

 Thunias grow about two or three feet high, and have light 



