Plate 261 . 
EPIDENDEUM YITELLINUM MAJIJS. 
Few subjects have increased more in interest during the past 
few years than what is commonly known as the cool treatment 
of Orchids; large importations of the varieties most suitable 
for this purpose have been made, a ready sale has been found 
for them, while houses have (we have been informed) been 
erected in large numbers for their reception. Amongst those 
which were earliest subjected to this treatment, and success¬ 
fully, was the well-known Epidendrum vitellinum , and the far 
handsomer one which we now figure is equally suitable for 
that purpose. 
We have had an opportunity during the present season of 
seeing at various times the cool Orchid-house of Mr. James 
Yeitch, and have been surprised to find what a continuous 
bloom was kept up in it, from earliest spring, or rather winter, 
until late on in autumn, and will still be maintained for some 
time to come,—the permanence of bloom of these Orchids mak¬ 
ing them most desirable objects for this purpose. Beginning 
with the Lycastes and Barkerias, on through several species of 
Odontoglossums, and then with Epiclenclrums, it was always 
gay. We had also an opportunity of seeing Mr. Pucker’s 
houses of a similar character at Wandsworth, where two. 
divisions of a long pit-like house were devoted to this pur¬ 
pose : in the first the temperature was kept at from 45° to 
50°; here the flowers above-named flowered in great vigour; 
while in the second division, where the temperature was kept 
about five degrees higher, Cypripediurns, Calanthes, Dendro- 
biums, Leptotes, and Cattleyas were doing well: and thus the 
idea heretofore attached to Orchids of a steaming East-Indian 
temperature (and still applicable to many species) is being 
