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GUIDE TO THE CONSERVATORY. 



Maxillaria Mackaii — Guatemala — 1 839 — Aug.— 

 Division. 



Sepals and petals of a rich reddish brown ; 



lip whitish with deep maroon spots. 



Most of this genus succeed well in brown peat, 

 having plenty of fibres in it. In general, the more 

 fibrous the soil the better it is for all orchideas. 

 Drain the pots well : it is better to have a small 

 pot inverted over the hole of the one in which it is 

 intended to set the plant, and to fill up level to the 

 inverted pot with potsherds, placing the large ones 

 round the bottom, and the smaller ones at the top : 

 this allows the free moist vapours to have free 

 access to the roots of the plants. 



Elevate the plant above the rim of the pot ; the 

 larger the plant is, the greater elevation it will re- 

 quire. 



Max. Steelii is much better suspended in a wire 

 or wooden basket, as its long rush-like pendent 

 leaves are then seen to the best advantage. The 

 plants should be elevated high, above the rim of the 

 basket. 



Max. Rollissonii and Stapelioides, with most of 

 smaller species, succeed much better when grown 

 on wood, securing a little peat or sphagnum over 

 the roots ; the greater part of them require a hot 

 and moist atmosphere. When growing, give a 

 good supply of water, but diminish it when they 

 have perfected their growth, and withhold it by 



