MILTONIA SPECTABILIS PURPURBO-VIOLACEA. 
77 
The Civet Cat is extremely fond of this fruit, the natives therefore bait their traps 
with it to catch these creatures ; hence the name. 
In cultivating the Durion the following directions may be taken notice of. If the 
plants are grown in pots or tubs, a mixture of two parts light rich turfy loam, and one part 
peat, sand and rotten manure mixed is the best soil, with good drainage ; but if they are 
turned out into a prepared border, any light rich turfy loam, rendered open by an addition 
of sand, will answer every purpose. 
The temperature during the growing season may average about 70° or 80°, with a very 
humid atmosphere ; in the dry season, from 65° to 70°, with a moderate moisture, and in 
the season of rest, from 55° to 60°, with a dry and airy situation. 
Whilst the plant is in vigorous growth, water, with weak liquid manure, two or three 
times in the week ; and also syringe on fine sunny days, but this last must be continued 
only during the period of growth. 
Supply air liberally when the weather is fine ; even during the winter season this is 
desirable. 
Cuttings moderately ripened, will strike root if taken off at a joint, and planted carefully 
in pots of fine sand, without mutilating their leaves, and placed under a hand-glass in a 
brisk heat, in the propagating house. 
MILTONIA SPECTABILIS PURPUREO-VIOLACEA—PURPLE-VIOLET 
SHOWY MILTONIA. 
This fine new variety, of which we had a drawing prepared in November last, is an 
epiphyte, with a scape cylindrical and spreading. Scales keeled, cartilaginous, equidistant, 
obtuse, of a brownish green. Flowers solitary, large, purple-violet, very showy. Sepals 
intense purple-violet, oblong, apiculate, somewhat undulated, reflexed at the margin. 
Petals similar in form and colour to the sepals, but broader, and slightly curled at the 
edges. Labellum very large, roundly wedge-shaped, undulated, continuous with the 
column, pale rose-colour approaching to white at the base, but becoming deeper towards 
the margin, seven-nerved ; veins convergeut, bowed, coloured, three central ones crested at 
the base ; crests entire, truncate, middle one shorter, thicker, more elevate, of a bright 
yellow mixed with crimson. Column of a medium size, erect, compressed, white, gibbous, 
yellow at the base, and connate with the labellum ; two ivings scymetar-shaped, fleshy, of a 
brownish purple. 
Authorities and Synonymes. This is the Macrochilus Fryanus var., and Miltonia 
spectabilis Moreliana of some of our nurseries ; and the Miltonia spectabilis purpureo- 
violacea of Hooker, in Bot. May., t. 44Q5. 
This beautiful genus was established by Dr. Lindley, who named it in honour of the 
Earl Fitzwilliam, in whose garden, at Wentworth, Orchids were grown to a degree of 
perfection which could scarcely be expected at a time when their habits and requirements 
were very imperfectly understood. 
Miltonia differs from Oncidium, in its lip being slightly connected with the column, 
much dilated, and undivided ; from Odontoglossum, Brassia, and Cyrtochilum in the 
column being auricled, and the lip not only much larger than the sepals, but altogether 
different in form. 
This is certainly a most elegant variety of Miltonia spectabilis. At first sight we were 
inclined to believe that it was an altogether new species ; but on a subsequent examination 
we found that, with the exception of its colour, all the characters are those of that old and 
favourite species. The rich purple- violet colour of the flowers gives the plant, when in 
bloom, a very gay appearance : and the paler colour of the lip, with its bright yellow bars, 
form a fine relief to the vivid colours of the sepals and petals. 
The cultivation of Miltonias is much the same as that given to Oncids ; being all natives 
