66 THE BOOK OF ORCHIDS 



from the base of the bulbs. There are only a few 

 species belonging to this genus : C. Andersonii, C. punc- 

 tatum, C. Saint legerianum, C. virescens, and C. Wood- 

 fordiu These are found in the West Indies and tropical 

 America. The plants should be potted similarly to the 

 Cymbidiums, but require to be grown in the hottest 

 house, with plenty of light, and liberal supplies of water 

 when growing. After growth is completed they should 

 be gradually dried off, and be kept in a cooler and drier 

 atmosphere. 



Dendrobium 



This is a large, popular, and varied genus of the 

 epiphytal plants, unquestionably one of the most beauti- 

 ful and the richest in species in the group of Orchids to 

 which it belongs. The genus includes several hundred 

 species and varieties, amongst which there is a surprising 

 diversity of habit, size of plant, colour of flower, some 

 having the most unattractive tints, while others possess 

 flowers adorned with the richest hues known. Dendrobes 

 are distributed over an immense area, from Japan, parts 

 of China, through India, Burmah, and the Malayan 

 Archipelago, to the Philippines and Australia. With so 

 wide a distribution, at considerable and different alti- 

 tudes, it is but natural that many of the species should 

 differ widely from each other, and for convenience here 

 I divide them into three sections — evergreen, sub- 

 evergreen and deciduous, and nigro-hirsute. The first 

 includes such well-known species as D. chrysotoxum, D. 

 densiflorum, D. Farmeri, D. Griffithianum, D. Harveyanum, 

 D. suavissimum, D. sulcatum, and D. thrysiflorum. All 

 of them grow well in pots, and prefer a rather shady 

 position in the East Indian house. When growth is 

 once started it is very rapid, and the plants require 

 liberal treatment in every particular. During the resting 

 period, very little water is required to keep the pseudo 



