130 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
of water until the pseudo-bulbs are fully formed, when 
the quantity must be gradually lessened. This growing 
season ought to be completed by the middle of Septem¬ 
ber, and then a season of rest induced till February by 
j keeping them moderately dry and cool. They may then 
j be potted and placed in a warmer bouse, and a small 
! quantity of water given them till they have half made 
! their shoots, and then have a fuller supply of water. 
The flowers appear in June or July. 
Ancetochilus setaceus (Fringe-flowered A.); Ceylon. 
We have already described this beautiful plant under 
the head “Plants that require peculiar treatment," and 
we refer our readers to that account in a former number. 
We need only repeat here, that it thrives best in a pot well 
drained, and filled with sandy peat, covered with green 
moss, and a bell-glass placed over the whole, within the 
rim of the pot. As the flowers are not very showy, the 
beauty of the plant being in its velvety green leaves, 
tinged with copper, and curiously covered with golden 
net-work; in order to preserve the leaves in their beauty, 
and to encourage them to produce fresh shoots and new 
leaves before the old ones fade, it is advisable to nip off 
the flower-stem as soon almost as it appeal’s. 
Arundina bambusifolia (Bambusa-leaved A.); Ne^ 
paul.—Sepals and petals rosy pink; the lip is of a rich 
crimson purple. This is a very elegant plant, with nu¬ 
merous slender stems, two feet high, and narrow bright- 
green leaves. 84s. 
A. bensa (Dense-flowered A.); Sincapore. — Sepals 
and petals deep rose colour; lip dark pink, streaked with 
yellow, with a spot at the end of orange crimson. It is 
very fragrant. 03s. 
Culture. —These two beautiful plants being natives of 
India, require as high a temperature as the other natives 
of that region. They should be potted in fibrous peat, 
with a small portion of half-rotten beech or oak leaves 
mixed amongst it. As the leaves do not fall off, they 
should not be allowed to become thoroughly dry, even 
in the season of rest; but when growing, a liberal supply 
should be given them. Occasionally, a dose of liquid- 
manure during summer would be serviceable; in autumn 
and winter, water should be given more sparingly. 
Bletia campanulata (Bell-flowered B.); Peru and 
St. Domingo.—Flowers deep purple, with a white centre. 
The finest of the genus as now constituted. The flowers 
are large and handsome. 25s. 
B. hyacinthina (Hyacinth-like B.); China.—Sepals 
and petals rosy purple; lip lighter rose, blotched with 
deep crimson. Very handsome, and a dwarf grower. 
10s. Od. 
B. Si-iepperdii (Mr. Shepperd’s); Jamaica. — Sepals 
and petals dark purple; lip the same colour, but marked 
down the centre with long yellow plaits. This is said to 
be only a large-flowered dark-coloured variety of B. 
verecuiula. It is a beautiful plant, lasting a long time 
in bloom. 10s. 6d. 
Culture. —Bletias are all terrestrial, that is, growing 
on the ground in their native wilds. This term is used 
in opposition to epiphytal, or growing on trees. When 
we receive them from their native country the roots show 
that they grow in strong loam, portions of which fre¬ 
quently adhere to the mass of bulbs; but in our artificial 
mode of culture, if grown in the same kind of soil, they 
often perish through a too great supply of water. It is 
safer to use the following compost:—Light fibrous loam, 
turfy peat, and half-decayed leaves, mixed roughly to¬ 
gether, and not pressed down into the pots too hard. The 
pots should be well drained, and when the plants are 
growing a moderate supply of water should be given, 
but when at rest it should be withheld entirely. The 
season of potting is the month of February. The pots 
containing the bulbs at rest should be brought out and 
placed on the potting bench, the compost having pre¬ 
viously been warmed and moderately dried. Turn the 
[November 28. 
pots upside down, and strike them gently on the edge of 
the bench. Shake off all the old soil from the batch of 
bulbs, and put them into the new pot nearly filled with 
compost; let the bulbs be just covered and no more; 
give a gentle watering, and set them in a house very 
moderately heated, or place them near the glass in the 
coldest part of the orchid house. They will not need 
any more water till the shoots appear, and then a little 
more may be given. Increase the quantity as the plants 
advance, and the flower-stems will soon appear. Whilst 
the new leaves and flowers are advancing in growth is the 
time when they require the greatest supply of nourish¬ 
ment in the shape of water. They should then have plenty 
of air, and be fully exposed to light. After the new bulbs 
are fully formed, the leaves will begin to show symp¬ 
toms of ripeness, by changing to a yellowish hue. Very 
little water should then be given, and the pots removed 
to a cool house, or even a cold pit, if that state occurs as 
early as August. Here they may remain till frosty 
nights occur, when they should be brought into a dry, 
cool house; a warm greenhouse would answer well. 
Keep them in a state of rest till February, if possible, 
and then repot as before. This treatment will suit all 
terrestrial orchids that are deciduous, that is, that lose 
their leaves in winter. There are terrestrials that do not, 
and when we come to write about them we shall men¬ 
tion the winter treatment they require, which is con¬ 
siderably different to the method described for Bletias, 
and other deciduous terrestrials. 
Brassia brachiata (Opposite-branched B.), syn. B. 
Wraj/ce; Guatimala. — Sepals and petals rather long 
and narrow, of a yellowish green, blotched with brown; 
lip broad and yellow, tinged with green and blotched 
with brown. A good species. 21s. 
B. caudata (Long-tailed B.) ; West Indies.—Sepals 
and petals yellow, barred with brown. They are from 
four to six inches long, and when the plant is large and 
healthy it produces numerous drooping spikes eighteen 
inches long, and numerously flowered. In that state it 
is graceful and handsome ; lip broad and yellow, spotted 
with greenish brown. 21s. 
B. Lanceana (Mr. Lance’s); Demerara.— Flowers 
yellowish green, spotted with brown, and very fragrant. 
Found by Mr. Lance growing on trees in a very hot 
locality. A handsome species. 21s. 
B. maculata (Spotted B.) ; Jamaica. — Sepals and 
petals pale greenish yellow, blotched with reddish 
brown; lip white, spotted with purple. This is, pro¬ 
bably, one of the oldest orchids that we have in our 
stoves, being introduced more than 40 years ago. It is a 
tree grower and abundant bloomer, and well worth cul¬ 
tivating. 15s. 
B. verrucosa (Warty B.) ; Guatimala.—Sepals and 
petals pale green, barred with light brown; the lip is 
white, covered here and there with green warts, whence 
its name. The flowers are produced on stems frequently 
more than two feet long. It is a very pleasing variety. 
31s. fid. 
Culture .—These plants require a varied treatment. 
Such as come from Guatimala do well in the Mexican or 
cooler house, but those that are natives of the warmer 
climates of Jamaica and Demerara should be grown in 
the Indian house. They do well in rough pieces of turfy 
peat, well drained, and require freely watering when 
growing, but very little when in a state of rest. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Drip in Frames and Pits. —There is, probably, no 
cause so injurious in its effects, especially at this time of 
the year, as drip in plant habitations, but more espe¬ 
cially in cold frames and pits. Great care must be 
taken both to prevent it and, when it takes place, 
