66 



OECHIDS. 



has taller bulbs, much darker foliage, and richer-coloured 

 flowers than nohile : it blooms at the same time, and re- 

 quires similar treatment. This makes a noble plant for 

 show. 



EPIDENDRUMS. 



Many of this large class of plants are scarcely worth 

 cultivating, excepting for botanical purposes. More 

 growers of Orchids have been deceived in buying Epiden- 

 drums, than any other class of Orchids : the bulbs of so 

 many kinds are so nearly ahke, that it is difficult to tell 

 what they really are till they flower. They may often 

 be kept several years before they flower, and then, instead 

 of something good, they produce frequently only dingy 

 green flowers, about the same colour as the leaves. Some 

 of these are veiy fragrant, and will perfume the whole 

 house in which they are grown. There are, however, 

 some beautiful species among this class, the flowers of 

 which are very distinct in colour. The following comprise 

 all the best sorts that I know. They are all evergreen, 

 and compact in their habit, except cinnaharinum and crassi- 

 foliinn, which are tall-growing, with long slender bulbs, and 

 small leaves from top to bottom : the other sorts have short, 

 round bulbs, with long narrow leaves, except aurantiacum, 

 hicornutinn, and Stamfordianum, These grow more in the 

 way of the Cattleyas, with upright bulbs, having two or 

 three short leaves on the top. They all produce their 

 flowers from the top of the bulb, except Stumfordianum, 

 in which they rise from the bottom. 



These plants will all do in the Mexican house, and 

 may be groTO on blocks of wood ; but the pot-and-peat 

 culture is the best. They require a season of rest, with 

 the same treatment as the Cattleyas, excepting less heat : 



