THE ORCHID GENERA 87 



bulbs and foliage of a pallid glaucescent hue. M. 

 Endresii and the distinct M. Schroderiana are from Costa 

 Rica. All the members of the Brazilian group require 

 a temperature such as is maintained in the Cattleya 

 house but they do not care for so much sunshine as the 

 Cattleyas, therefore they must be carefully shaded inde- 

 pendently of the other inmates. The dwarf-growing 

 varieties, like M. spectabilis, may be put in shallow 

 pans with an inch of compost about their roots, but 

 the others are best grown in pots, and kept a trifle 

 above the rim. When the plants are in active growth 

 they should be liberally supplied with water, and while 

 at rest they should be kept comparatively dry, but not 

 so dry as to cause the bulbs or leaves to shrivel. M. 

 Roezlii requires more heat and moisture. The Columbian 

 species and those from Costa Rica are naturally found in 

 shady and moist situations, therefore a position to cor- 

 respond should be found for them in the intermediate 

 house. Plants of the popular and charming M. vexillaria 

 are now to be seen in almost every collection in this 

 country, and a group of distinct varieties afford one of 

 the most attractive floral sights that can be produced in 

 our Orchid houses during May or June. M. vexillaria 

 and its varieties should be grown in winter at the coolest 

 end of the Cattleya or intermediate house, with a tem- 

 perature ranging from 55 to 65 . They should be 

 removed, immediately after the flowers fade, into the 

 cool house, where they should have a light airy position. 

 At all seasons the plants require liberal supplies of 

 moisture. The result of too great heat is that the 

 leaves spot and go off at their points, the growths be- 

 come weak and unsubstantial, and the plants slowly but 

 surely deteriorate. Return them to the warm house in 

 the autumn when the nights begin to get chilly. The late 

 summer varieties of M. vexillaria, as rubella and superba, 

 produce flowers smaller than the type, but they are 



