110 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



also Pleione lagenaria, 



„ Wallichi, 



„ Reichenbachiana, 

 which thrive well under plant-house conditions in winter, and' 

 flower capitally in autumn. There are several others that do 

 well with me in the ordinary plant-house — Disa grandiflora, for 

 instance — but I prefer to plunge it out of doors, after flowering, 

 in a shady spot, and not bring it back till I pull it to pieces and 

 re-pot the young growths in October. 



Gypripedium insigne montanum and the hybrid C. Leeanum 

 thrive extremely well under the shade of the Azaleas, and need 

 no change of quarters all the year round. Cattleya citrina 

 thrives in this same house from March to November ; but it 

 needs a warmer and moister house in winter, when it is making 

 its growth. It should, however, be replaced in a shady nook of 

 the cold house in March, when the flower-buds are first visible, 

 or it will be weakened for another year. There is another 

 Orchid I would mention as enjoying summer-frame treatment, 

 which needs warm or intermediate winter quarters — that is, 

 Miltonia vexillaria. I have not mentioned it before, because it 

 will not stand really cold winter weather in the plant-house ; 

 but there is no Orchid more thoroughly enjoys frame treatment 

 in summer. 



There is one Orchid I have found absolutely intractable, 

 which is Oncidium crispum, and if anyone will tell me how to 

 keep it in good health for more than two or three years I shall 

 be most delighted to try his plan. 



I have now made out, I think, a very sufficient list of Orchids 

 that can be well grown by those who possess one greenhouse 

 and a frame or two, and if I can persuade anyone living in 

 fairly pure air to try my plan I feel sure it will succeed. For 

 those in smoky districts, where the air and rain are laden with 

 chemical products and sooty impurities, I can only say for their 

 consolation that Cypripediums seem singularly able to stand 

 smoke, and that if sphagnum will stand the sooty rain, the 

 Orchids too will do the same. It is a curious instance of the 

 adaptability of nature that we should find sphagnum our most 

 valuable adjunct in growing Orchids, when it is unknown in their 

 native habitats ; and yet it is to us an almost infallible proof 

 that conditions are favourable for our cool Orchids when it is 



