322 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [NOVEMBER, 1907. 
“until actually stopped by the cold; the plants in such localities are as a 
rule stunted, struggling as they do for an existence, the front part of the 
plant somehow will push out new leads repeatedly, while the bulbs behind 
will lose their leaves and die off. Then again, they are found descending 
the warmer slopes, and in a few places join hands, so to speak, with C. 
chrysotoxa, and in such localities natural hybrids occasionally occur.” 
This particular region was found to be extremely interesting for its 
Orchids. The Central Cordillera is here simply a maze of spurs and 
sidges in every direction, forming great canyons, valleys, hollows and 
precipices of every imaginable shape, and where every kind of climatic 
conditions prevail, from the torrid to the cold paramos, and what a storehouse 
this is for the Orchid lover! ‘In the lower hollows may be seen large 
patches of Peristeria elata in perfection, with bulbs of enormous size, and 
flower stalks six to ten feet high; then again, a few Miltonia Roezlii; some 
what higher up is Cattleya chrysotoxa, modestly tucked away on the branch 
ofa tree, and Oncidium Kramerianum nods here and there in more exposed 
places.” Ascending higher we find the majestic Cattleya gigas, and still 
higher up we have a veritable botanic garden, with Miltonia vexillaria 
(fosephita or pensamiento as this plant is called here) in great profusion. 
There are also Lycastes in variety, Sobralias, Oncidiums, Anguloas, 
Odontoglossums, Rodriguezias, and Masdevallias in great variety along the 
trail. On the banks and rocks, exposed to the full sun, the pretty 
Epidendrum fimbriatum grows in masses. o 
Proceeding southward on mule-back over a high plateau, after twelve or 
fifteen days’ riding, the traveller arrives at Cartago, in the Cauca, situated 
at the foot of the Cordillera on the western side, and travelling southward a — 
day or two more arrives right in the heart of the home of Cattleya 
chocoensis. ‘ This Cattleya, unlike most of the others, occurs in forests 
on level land which is very swampy; the trees are as a whole small and | 
stunted, and overgrown with moss. _ Here, strange to say, I saw the most — 
beautiful sight it has been my fortune to see; in these jungles the plants ; 
grew by the thousands, the trees being literally covered with them and in 
full bloom (end of August). I particularly remember that I got my mule 
under a tree and sitting in the saddle picked a large bunch of flowers; 
these were particularly fine and large, so different from what we seé them 
under culture, where they only half open. The treatment we give ree 
plant under cultivation probably has something to do with this. Wher 
they grow it is very warm and humid. _I_ noticed in the early morning ® 
soon as the sun reached the forest a dense mist would rise from the grou" 
and would envelope everything ; this would gradually disappear as soon a 
the sun became stronger.” ) 
The western slope of this Cordillera is not rich in Orchids, explorations 
