THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[Alienist, 1914. 



that nearest the bulbs, and often of con- 

 siderable length, is whitish, and its chief duty 

 is to convey the food material from the 

 gathering ground to the actual plant. It will 

 therefore be seen how much the progressive 

 action of the plant is retarded when the green 

 coloured absorbing portions of the roots are 

 broken off in the process of re-potting. Every 

 root so damaged remains practically useless 

 until one or more new growing points are 

 formed. Frequently, several secondary roots 

 are formed from various parts of the older 

 section. 



As previously mentioned, the subject of our 

 illustration is a Brasso-Cattleya, which denotes 

 that one of the Brassavola species — in this 

 hybrid it was B. Digbyana — was used in its 

 production. Brassavolas are accustomed to 

 dwell in a hot and dry atmosphere, and are 

 frequently discovered growing on hard rocks 

 and exposed trees, consequently they have 

 acquired the habit of sending out their roots 

 in all directions and in an exposed manner in 

 search of nutriment. This method of growth 

 is usually to be seen in hybrids of which it 

 forms a parent, and will also explain why so 

 many roots from the older bulbs are to be 

 seen growing over the outside of the pot No 

 doubt if this particular plant had been 

 re-potted at the proper time — several weeks 

 before the photograph was taken — many of 

 these roots would have entered the new 

 compost with beneficial result. 



This actual plant is composed of seven 

 fully matured bulbs, four of which are quite 

 sufficient to support the new growth. The 

 three oldest can be removed in one portion 

 nnd placed in a separate pot, where they will 

 si-art growth on their own account, and 

 ultimately produce a vigorous plant. The 

 removal of these back bulbs allows the plant 

 to be replaced in a pot of similar size, and, at 

 the same time, allows room for the new- 

 growth to be produced. In the case of 

 very large plants which may only require 

 re-potting once in two years care should be 

 taken that sufficient space is left for the 

 accommodation of two new bulbs. 



\\'Tienever plants are disturbed during the 

 process of re-potting care is required that 



they do not suffer from excessive exposure to 

 bright sunshine or a very dry atmosphere. 

 Sufficient shading and plenty of atmospheric 

 moisture are essential to a speedy recovery. 

 The compost will not require much water 

 until the roots are in an active state of growth. 

 Much damage is often done by soaking the 

 potting material with water and allowing it to 

 remain in such a condition until the whole 

 mass becomes sour and totally unsuitable to 

 the requirements of the plant. A slight 

 shrivelling of the bulbs need cause no alarm, 

 for as soon as the roots re-commence their 

 absorbing action plumpness will be regained. 



MILTONIA VEXILLARIA. 



THE following interesting account of 

 Miltonia vexillaria is given by Consul 

 Lehmann in Garfcnflora, XXXVIIT., 

 p. 350 : — 



" The southern limit of Miltonia vexillaria 

 IS on the western slopes of the snow-capped 

 Huarmi-Urcu, and the volcano of Coatacachi, 

 in the province of Esmeralda and Imbabura, 

 in northern Eucador. Here, and on the 

 western slopes of the volcanic peaks of Chiles, 

 Cumbal, and Mallama, in southern Colombia, 

 occur the varieties Lehmanii and albicans. 

 The species thence spreads northwards along 

 the central mountain region and the western 

 slopes of the West Cordilleras, as far as the 

 =ources of the rivers Sinu and San Torje. in 

 the province of Antioquia, in North Colombia. 

 Over this region it occurs in greater or less 

 quantities in isolated patches. With one 

 exception, the variety albicans, which occurs 

 at 4- 000 to ^..500 feet elevation on the river 

 Cuaiquer, the lower and hieher limits of 

 '^'liltonia vexillaria are almost ever-ywhere 

 about .1.750 and 6. 500 feet above sea level. 



The average mean temperature of the year 

 between these limits fluctuates between 60 

 and f^*7 deCTree=. The extrem-^ d^ily range 

 when the mornino-s are clear and the da\'s 

 brip-ht is to 77 degrees. Generalb' 



soeakinpv Miltonia vexillaria is fnnnd isolated 

 in places influenced by local climatic con- 

 ditions, being most abundant at its medium 



