ON ORCHIDS. 



6ii 



Cool Orchids. 



In this division are included many of the most briUiant of the 

 Orchid genera. They require a temperature of from 45deg. to 

 5odeg. Fahr. Lower temperatures than this may be allowed on 

 severe occasions, but with the lowering temperature the atmo- 

 spheric moisture must receive careful attention, or the results will 

 be disastrous. In mild weather the temperature may usually be 

 maintained without resorting to artificial heat, but in dull weather 

 it is advisable to use a little fire-heat occasionally, which assists 

 in drying the excessive accumulation of moisture likely to gather 

 under such conditions. The temperature should be regulated on 

 these occasions by the use of the lower 

 ventilators. As most of the cool species are 

 worthy of attention, I will endeavour to deal 

 with the most interesting and beautiful 

 amongst them. 



Cryptophoranthus (Window 

 Orchid). — Of this genera there are 

 two species well worthy 

 of consideration, C. 

 atropurpureus and C. 

 Dayanus. They should 

 be grown and treated 

 similar to Masdevallias of 

 the M. ChimcEra section. 



DiSA. — There are 

 about one hundred 

 species of Disa^ all 

 natives of Africa, but 

 very few are in cultiva- 

 tion at the present time. 

 The most satisfactory 

 results wnth D. grandi- 

 flora — which is the 

 most beautiful of the 

 genus — have been 

 achieved where plants 

 have been grown in a house with the Cape Heaths, i.e.^ 

 where there has been a free circulation of air throughout the 

 greater portion of the year. The tubers require setting in the 

 winter — about January or the beginning of February- — when they 

 commence to make their growths, the compost consisting of peat 

 and sphagnum, with a liberal sprinkling of limestone rock 

 or broken crocks to keep the material in a porous and open 

 condition. They should have a liberal supply of moisture 

 throughout the growing season ; and the syringe used freely over- 

 head in bright and warm weather will have beneficial results. 



2 R 2 



Fig. 392. — Zygopetalum Sedeni. 



