May 29.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
129 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHID ACE JE. 
(Continued from page 102.) 
ORCHIDS THAT THRIVE WELL IN POTS. 
Odontoglossum Bictonense (The Bicton 0.); Guate¬ 
mala. Sepals and petals a green ground, with large red 
spots ; tip of a triangular shape, and of a pleasing pink 
colour; the flowers are produced rather thinly on an 
upright stem two feet high. A pretty desirable species. 
21s. 
0. oitrosmum (Lemon-scented 0.) ; Mexico. The 
flowers are produced on long drooping racemes, spring¬ 
ing from the base of the last-formed pseudo-bulbs. They 
are of the most lovely colours,—snow white, beautifully 
and softly tinted with rose: each flow r er is large, and 
symmetrically placed on the stem. It has a delicious 
scent, like lemons. We had the honour to flower this 
fine species, for the first time in this country, whilst we 
had the charge of the fine collection belonging to F. 
Brocklehurst, Esq., of the Fence, near Macclesfield; a 
collection still kept up, we are happy to say, with spirit 
and well-managed, by Mr. W. Pass, the present gardener. 
This is a most lovely and every way desirable species, 
and not difficult to cultivate. Strong plants, 42s. 
0. Cervantesii (Cervantes’ O.); Guatemala. Sepals 
and petals brownish green, barred with chocolate; tip 
large, white, and barred across towards the base with 
rich brown. A small, very pretty species; will thrive, 
also, well on a block with a little green moss fastened 
to it. 21s. 
O. cordatum (Heart-flowered 0.); Mexico. Sepals 
and petals yellowish green, prettily spotted with rich 
brown ; tip pure white, spotted and barred with purple 
and brown. It is of a cordate or heart shape, hence its 
specific name; a pretty species, but scarce. 42s. 
O. grande (Magnificent O.); Guatemala Sepals and 
petals cream-coloured ground, with the tips of pale 
yellow; the lower part is richly spotted and barred with 
brown, like the back of a tiger; lips large, almost round, 
and turned up at the edges, white, blotched and barred 
with rosy brown. The flowers are of an extraordinary 
size, frequently measuring five or six inches across. 
They stand on an upright stem, from nine inches to a 
foot high. These often bear, when the plant is strong 
and well-managed, as many as four or five of these truly 
magnificent flowers. The above is but a faint descrip¬ 
tion of this splendid orchid. There is, in the collection 
at Pine Apple Place, a fine variety, with all the colours 
more highly touched and of a more elegant form. This 
fine epiphyte should be in every collection. It is a very 
aocommodating species, for it will thrive either on a block, 
in a basket, or in a pot; but we consider the finest 
plants and flowers are produced in the latter. No col¬ 
lection need be without it, for blooming plants may be 
obtained for 2ls, and smaller ones for 10s Od. 
0. hastilabre (Halbert-lipped 0.); Mexico. Sepals 
and petals yellow, richly barred with brown; lip halbert- 
shaped, white, spotted with crimson. A most beautiful 
and rare species. 63s. 
0. l.eve (Smooth-lipped 0.); Guatemala. Sepals 
and petals pale yellow, thickly blotched with chocolate; 
the lip white, barred with violet. The flowers are pro¬ 
duced on an upright, much-branched stem, about fifteen 
inches high. A desirable, handsome species, but rather 
scarce. 42s. 
0. tulchellum (Pretty 0.); Guatemala. The w'hole 
flower is of a clear ivory white, excepting the plates on 
the lip, which are bright yellow. This is a beautiful 
species, lasting a long time in flower. 31s 6d. 
O. Rossii (Mr. Ross’s 0.); Mexico. Sepals of a yel¬ 
lowish green, spotted with chocolate; petals white, 
spotted and barred with brown towards the base; the 
lip is pure white. The bright pure white lip lying, as it 
were, in the eentl'e of a rich green, yellow, and blue star 
of three points, produces a peculiarly beautiful appear¬ 
ance. This is a small species, with short stems, pro¬ 
ducing two or three of its beautiful flowers on each of 
them. Very desirable. 31s. fid. 
Culture .—This fine genus of orchids, being all natives 
of the comparatively temperate clime of Guatemala, do 
not require so high a temperature in our hothouses as 
any other of the tribe, excepting, of course, those from 
the same country. This applies more especially to the 
fine 0. grande. During the season of growth, the heat 
by day, with sun, should be 70°, without sun, 65°. In 
the season of rest, the heat need never exceed 50°, nor 
be allowed to fall lower than 45°. 
Moisture. — When growing, water should be given 
freely at the root, but not so much as to make or keep 
the compost so wet as to be like a peat bog. It should 
be thoroughly wetted at the time of watering, and then 
such an interval be allowed as would allow the compost 
to become moderately dry in the interior, and quite so 
on the surface. This, with sunshine every day, will 
happen, perhaps, every third day; but in dull weather 
it may be a week before the plants require the watering 
at the root repeated. When the plants have made their 
annual growth, this liberal supply of water must be 
considerably, but gradually reduced. At the first, the 
intervals may be a fortnight between each watering, 
then extend it to a month, and for two or three months 
in winter keep them perfectly dry, excepting the sun 
should shine for several days successively, and the 
pseudo-bulbs and leaves appear to shrink considerably. 
In such a case, a little water judiciously applied round 
the inner edges of the pots will be useful and necessary. 
The internal air, also, should be managed similarly. 
In the growing season it should be saturated with 
moisture; but in the season of rest it should be kept 
moderately dry. 
Soil .—The mixture we have so often described, con¬ 
sisting of rough, fibrous, open peat, chopped sphagnum, 
mixed with broken potsherds, and small pieces of char¬ 
coal, suits the Odontoglossum s. 
Drainage .—As these plants require, at certain seasons, 
a superabundance of water, and as, if allowed to stagnate 
about the roots, it will be fatal to them, a complete 
drainage is indispensable. For plants that are large, 
or even of moderate dimensions, it is a good plan to 
turn a small pot over the hole at the bottom of the pot 
in which it is intended to place the plant; then fill 
round this small pot with largish pieces of potsherds, 
till they are level with its bottom. When this is done, 
lay upon them a thin covering of small potsherds, the 
size of boys’ marbles, and, lastly, a thin covering of 
small pieces of charcoal. It is then well and thoroughly 
drained, and is ready to be used for potting. 
Potting .—The season for this operation depends en¬ 
tirely upon the state of the plants. They need not be 
repotted till the buds at the base of the last-made 
psuedo-bulbs begin to make their appearance. This, 
if the period of rest has been duly managed, will happen 
at the time when the days begin to be ten or twelve 
hours long. The increased light, and natural heat of 
the sun, will stimulate them to begin to grow. V hen 
this is perceived the compost should be prepared, pro¬ 
perly dried, so as to be neither wet nor parching dry; it 
should, also, be put in a place where it will become of a 
mild temperature. These points are necessary to attend 
to, because if the plants are potted into a wet, cold com¬ 
post, it would be very injurious to them, wmild check the 
attemps to grow, and might even cause the last-made 
pseudo-bulbs to rot and perish. The plants then may ( 
be removed, two or three at a time, into a warm room 
to be potted; shake them carefully out of the old j 
compost, cut away all dead roots, dress off all dead or j 
decaying matter, clean off' all insects, and wash every j 
