88 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



OECHIDS. 



By William Hcgh Gower. 



Anasetocliilus. — A small g-eirns of terrestrial 

 Orchids, which, in the island of Ceylon, is called by 

 the Cingalese the King- of the "Woods ; they have 

 slender- jointed rhizomes, and grow but a few inches 

 high. They are natives of the continent of India as 

 well as the Indian Islands, and there is little doubt 

 that many very fine forms remain undiscovered up to 

 the present time. Anaectochilus are remarkable for 

 the extreme beauty of their leaves, but their flowers, 

 though curious, are small and inconspicuous. These 

 plants have up to the present time sorely troubled 

 their admirers, inasmuch as they have hitherto 

 proved very precarious and uncertain in their nature, 

 and extremely difficult to keep alive for any length 

 of time. Several reasons may be given to account 

 for this : and, first, we think they have always been 

 kept in much too high a temperature; secondly, we 

 are of opinion that they have been treated to the in- 

 fluence of light too freely ; thirdly, we believe that 

 naturally they are not long-lived, but are produced 

 freely from seed. To support oui' views respecting 

 thesb plants, let us take into consideration w^here 

 they grow. A friend of oui's who has collected these 

 plants in their wild homes says, " Ansectochilus are 

 found at an elevation of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet, and 

 most frequently in ravines near mountain streams. 

 Though the temperature must fall much below 

 freezing in winter, the plants are never exposed to 

 the direct influence of frost, being sheltered by trees. 

 The maximum temperature probably never exceeds 

 TO'', and this can only be for an hour or so in the da)'. 

 They grow freely in a temperature of 65", and rot 

 off very quickly if any decayed vegetable matter or 

 mildew is allowed to accumulate about the stem. 

 They should never be allow^ed to dry up, though free 

 drainage is undoubtedly essential. The soil in 

 which they are found growing is a combination of 

 peat and vegetable mould." 



To imitate the seclusion these plants grow in 

 naturally, they should be placed under bell-glasses 

 or in a small hand-frame. The pots used for them 

 should be small and thoroughly drained, the soil to 

 consist of one part fibrous peat, one part living 

 sphagnum moss, a small portion of sharp sand, and 

 a little finely-broken charcoal ; this must not be 

 pressed down very firmly, and the whole should be 

 surfaced with some live moss chopped small. This 

 is important, as the Ansectochili grow so much freer 

 when the roots are surrounded with vegetation. 

 During the summer season they enjoy an abundant 

 supply of water, but avoid watering much over the 

 leaves. They require but little rest, and certainly 

 no drying off, but during the months of November, 



December, and January the supjjly of water must 

 be greatly reduced. In the month of February 

 re-pot, as it is best to give them fresh soil at least 

 once a year. Place them in a shady secluded corner 

 in the Brazilian House. 



A. Bullenii. — Leaves ovate-lanceolate, two to three 

 inches long, dark bronzy-green, with three bold 

 stripes of coppery-red traversing them. Borneo. 



A. Bom'mii. — Leaves somewhat ovate, the centre 

 tawny-yellow, margined wath dark olive green, the 

 principal veins being whitish. A garden hybrid, 

 obtained between A. xanthopliyllum and Goody era 

 discolor. 



A. intermedium. — Leaves ovate, or cordate when 

 the plant is vigorous, some tw^o and a half inches 

 long, ground-colour intensely dark and velvety, 

 main ribs bright sparkling gold colour, netted 

 between with fine lines of the same brilliant hue. 

 Java. 



A. Zowii (correct name JDossinia vianmrata) . — 

 Leaves broadly ovate-lanceolate, three to five 

 inches long and two to thi-ee broad ; ground-colour, 

 deep reddish olive - green, traversed by golden 

 veins, which fade to some extent as the leaves 

 get old. There is another form of this species 

 with the ground-colour of the leaves a bright 

 green, which is sometimes named A. Lowii virescens. 

 Borneo. 



A. Lobbii. — Leaves ovate, the ground-colour deep 

 olive-green, midrib silvery white, with finer trans- 

 verse reticulations. Java. 



A. KcviUianum. — Leaves ovate-lanceolate, deep 

 rich velvety-gr-een, marbled with orange. Borneo. 



A. Fetola.—The correct name of this beautiful 

 plant is Macodes Pctola, but it so much resembles 

 A)i(etochilHs, and is so often called by that name, 

 that we retain it in the list for convenience. Leaves 

 oval, bright velvety-green, clouded with a slightly 

 deeper hue, and beautifully netted over the entire 

 surface with sparkling golden lines. Java. 



A. Riickerii. — This, together with BuUenii and 

 XevilUanns, has only been brought to this country 

 upon one occasion, and at the i^resent time they are 

 very rare in cultivation ; their extreme beauty, how- 

 ever, should induce lovers of this family to obtain 

 them again. The leaves are broadly ovate, ground- 

 colour bronzy -green, beautifully spotted or marbled 

 over the whole surface. Borneo. 



A. setacenm. — This is the " Wana Rajah," or King 

 of the Woods, of the Cingalese. Leaves roundish 

 ovate, upwards of two inches long, and about an 

 inch and a half broad ; ground-colour of a rich deep 

 coppery hue and velvety, main ribs broadly striped 

 with bright gold, the intermediate spaces beautifully 

 netted with the same. Ceylon and several of the 

 East Indian Islands. 



