36 



ORCHIDS. 



perfection, if kept in a cool house. This makes a splendid 

 plant for exhibition. I have seen specimens at the Chis- 

 wick and the Eegent s Park shows ^\ith as many as ten 

 spikes on one single plant. A veiy distinct and desh'able 

 Orchid. 



BLETIAS. 



These ai^e teiTestrial Orchids. There are several species 

 of this genus, but there are only a few that are worth 

 gi'owing. They are of easy cultui^e, and may be grown in 

 any warm house, so long as the frost is kept from them ; 

 the bulbs are round and flat, from which proceeds long 

 narrow leaves. They are deciduous. The best material 

 for growing them in is loam and leaf-mould mixed together, 

 with about two inches of drainage in the bottom of the 

 pot, covered with a layer of moss or rough peat ; then fill 

 the pot with the mould to within an inch of the top, place 

 the bulbs on the top of the mould, and cover them over. 

 They require a good supply of water in the growing season, 

 but not much heat. After their growth is finished, give 

 them a good season of rest ; and they should be kept rather 

 dry till they begin to grow. 



Bl. campamdata , from Pern ; the blossoms are of a 

 deep purple, with a white centre ; flowers at different 

 times of the year, and lasts long in perfection. 



Bl. Slieplierdii, from Jamaica ; the flowers are purple, 

 marked down the centre with yellow ; blooms dming the 

 winter months on a long spike, which keeps in perfection 

 three or fom" weeks. 



Bl. jMtula, from the same place as the last, produces 

 its dark puq^le flowei^, which last three or four weeks, on 

 a long spike in March or Apiil. These plants requu^e to 

 be well gro^vn to make them flower. We have a fine 

 specimen of tliis species, which produces eight spikes of 



