338 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



air be admitted. Odontoglossums naturally inhabit high mountainous regions, so that it is obvious 

 they cannot thrive for long without plenty of ventilation. Without air the plants will certainly 

 deteriorate, even in the best houses. Odontoglossums require to be shaded from the sun 

 at all times, and during very hot weather additional shading may be used, to keep 

 the inside temperature cool. Use as little fire heat as possible in the house during cold 

 weather, so as to keep the temperature as low as possible, as excessive artificial warmth is 

 often the principal cause of deterioration among the plants. To assist in maintaining the 

 proper temperature in winter, and to keep down the fire heat, cover the house each night 

 with thick' garden mats, and take them off at daybreak. The proper time to repot Odonto- 

 glossums is during the month of September, as at that time they commence to grow and 

 become well rooted before winter sets in. When repotting select pots that are small in 

 proportion to the size of the plants ; they should be about half filled with drainage, and 

 the potting material may consist of three parts Sphagnum Moss to one part fibrous peat. 

 To these add a small quantity of broken crocks and coarse silver sand, mixing the whole 

 well together. When repotting raise the plants a trifle above the rim. Owing to the great 

 number of species and varieties of Odontoglossum, it is impossible to enumerate them all 

 here ; but it may be of some assistance to inexperienced cultivators to know that the following 

 kinds are suitable for the cooler division : O. Alexandras (crispum), O. aspersum, 

 O. bictonense, O. blandum, O. Cervantesi, O. cirrhosum, O. cordatum, O. coronarium (this 

 particular species, owing to its rambling habit, should be placed in a long narrow basket 

 and suspended close to the glass), O. Edwardi, O. excellens, O. gloriosum, O. Halli, 

 O. hystrix, O. Harryanum, O. luteo-purpureum, O. maculatum, O. mulus, O. nebulosum, 

 O. nevadense, O. cerstedi, O. Pescatorei, O. polyaxthum, O. praenitens, O. ramosissimum, 

 O. Rossi, O. Ruckerianum, O. Sceptrum, O. tripudians, O. triumphans, O. Uro-Skinneri, 

 O. Vuylstekianum, and O. Wilckeanum. 



Few Orchids are more brilliantly coloured than the Masdevallias. The following 

 kinds are well worthy of culture : M. amabilis, M. caudata, M. Chelsoni, M. Courtauldiana, 

 M. cuculata, M. Davisi, M. Gairiana, M. Gargantua, M. Harryana, M. ignea, M. macrura, 

 M. racemosa, M. rosea, M. splendens, M. tovarensis, and M. Veitchiana. These may all 

 be grown in pots as recommended for the Odontoglossums, but they prefer a slightly 

 warmer temperature. The following are of dwarf growth and pretty when well flowered : 

 M. Estrada?, M. floribunda, M. Gemmata, M. heiroglyphica, M. infracta, M. ionoeharis, 

 M. melanopus, M. muscosa, M. polysticta, and M. Wageneriana. All these grow best in 

 shallow pans that may be raised on a shelf or suspended to the roof. The following species also 

 thrive well under the same conditions as the Masdevallias, viz., Colax jugosus, Pleurothalis, 

 Restrepias, Cochliodas, Ada aurantiaca, Neottia picta, Zygopetalum maxillare, Trichosma 

 suavis, Pontheiva maculata, Promenaea, Epiphronites Veitchi, Sophronitis grandiflora, etc. 



Temperatures of Various Houses. — The temperatures of each division as 

 maintained by fire heat through the winter months should be as follows: East Indian house, 

 65deg. to 6odeg. ; Cattleya, or intermediate, house, 6odeg. to 55deg. If a house be devoted 

 entirely to Mexican Orchids it should average about 5 5deg. Cool house, 53deg. to 5odeg. 

 The higher figures are for the last thing at night, and the lower for early morning. When 

 severe frosts or cold winds occur a few degrees lower will do no harm, provided the inside 

 atmosphere is comparatively dry. In the summer the East Indian house should vary from 

 7odeg. to 75deg. ; Cattleya, or intermediate house, 65deg. to 7odeg. ; Mexican, 6odeg. to 

 65deg. ; cool, or Odontoglossum, house, as cool as it is possible to keep it. By day, with 

 sun heat, each division should be allowed to rise from iodeg. to i5deg., and at the same 

 time careful shading and ventilation are necessary. In all collections of Orchids it is 

 important to destroy insects at once, which injure the plants, if healthy growth be desired. 

 One of the safest insecticides is Richards's XL vaporising fumigator. For such insects as 

 scale, mealy bug, and red spider the sponge and brush must be used. 



