MRS. TtlEODOSIft B. Stt&PttERD'S ftNNUftL GftTftLOGUE. 



73 



GholG6 Mexican Orchids 



Many species of Orchids, and 

 among them some of the most desir- 

 able, can be grown in any ordinary 

 greenhouse, and by anyone who can 

 grow other plants successfully. They 

 are best grown in baskets, or cribs of 

 wood, or pots; in either case the pot 

 or basket is half filled with broken 

 rocks for drainage, the soil being a 

 mixture of sphagnum moss and 

 fibrous peat. All epiphytal orchids 

 require a season of growth and a sea- 

 son of rest. When the plants begin 

 to make new growth, the quantity 

 of water should be gradually in- 

 creased, till the new pseudo bulb is 

 nearly full size, after which the 

 quantity should be gradually re- 

 duced, till the growth is well ripened. 

 In California, orchids are very easily 

 grown, and can be hung during the 

 summer on verandas, on the trunks 

 of trees and in sheltered places. A 

 Laelia anceps has grown and bloomed 

 for three winters on the trunk of a 

 large pepper tree in my garden, with 

 no care but an occasional watering. 



Acropera Loddegesii. A pretty 

 and interesting species, with curi- 

 ously formed flowers; the pseudo 

 bulbs are ovate and clustered, and 

 from their base the drooping 

 racemes of flowers are freely pro- 

 duced, the long ovary curving in- 

 ward. They are of a pale, tawny 

 yellow, with a brownish red lip, and 

 give out a powerful odor, resemb- 

 ling wall flowers. They bloom in 

 December and January; grown in a 

 basket. $1.25 to $2. 



Cattleya Citrina. "The Tulip 

 Orchid." A most beautiful, large 



Mexican flower of clear lemon yel- 

 low. It grows in a long drooping 

 peduncle, and is deliciously fragrant. 

 Best grown on a block with a little 

 moss. February to May. 75c to 

 $2. 



Chysus aurea. Flowers choco- 

 late-brown, shaded yellow. It does 

 best in a basket. March and April. 

 $1 to $2. 



Chysus bractescens. Flowers 2 

 to 3 inches across, sepals and petals 

 white, lip with a yellow blotch in 

 the center. April and May. $1 to 

 $2. 



COELIA MACROSTACHIA. Flowers 



pinkish red, on a many-flowered 

 spike. April. 75c to $1.50. 



Epidendron falcatum. Large flow- 

 ers, orange, olive brown and yellow- 

 ish green; blooms in summer. Best 

 grown in a basket of moss. 75c to 

 $1.50. 



Epidendrum vittelinum majus . A 

 bright orange-scarlet, about 2J in. 

 in diameter; lip bright yellow, pro- 

 duced on erect spikes of from 10 to 

 15 flowers each. May to July. 75c 

 to $1.50 each. 



LjElia anceps. Flowers fragrant, 

 two to four inches across; sepals and 

 petals rosy lilac; lip of deep purple 

 shaded with rosy lilac. Very beauti- 

 ful; grows best on a block. Nov. to 

 Feb. $1 to $2 each . 



L/elia abida. Fowers 2 inches 

 across and very fragrant; nearly 

 white, with pale pink lip, streaked 

 yellow in center. November to Jan- 

 uary. $1 to $2. 



L^lia majalis. Flowers bright 

 silvery rose, lip blotched crimson 

 purple, and margined rosy lilac. 

 Most beautiful and lasts along time; 

 blooms in summer. $1.50 to $2. 



