ON THE CULTIVATION OF BRASSIA. 
179 
being rotted off with water, as that would be the case if the buds 
were below the rim ; and they then should be neatly finished off 
with the peat, which should be very turfy. In putting them in 
baskets, the baskets should not be larger than six inches square, and 
about three billets in depth ; and the billets should, at least, be 
two inches thick. A few potsherds should be placed at the 
bottom of the basket, and then very turfy peat and spliagum, in 
equal portions, should be used. In the growing season the house 
should be very moist, and the plants also should have plenty of 
water; but great care should be taken that no water gets into 
the hearts of the young shoots, as that will be sure to destroy their 
flowering, if it does not ultimately destroy the plant altogether. 
The heat should range about from 70° to 100° ; and when they 
have finished their growth, and the buds show a fulness and at the 
same time no disposition to grow, the plants should be removed 
into the resting-liouse, there to remain till such time as they 
begin to grow. They then should be removed into the growing- 
house, where they will flower; and as soon as they are in blow 
they maybe removed into the resting-house, to preserve the flower 
as long as possible. As soon as the flowers “ go off,” the plants 
should be removed into the growing house, and plenty of water 
given them, till such time as they have nearly finished their 
pseudo-bulbs ; and then water should be, in a great measure, with¬ 
held altogether, as they will be much finer if they are allowed to 
get rather dry towards the completing of the pseudo-bulbs. There 
is no semis in all the tribe of OrchidecE more beautiful, and, at 
the same time, so easily flowered, if properly treated, as this is. 
The species belonging to this genus are very few at present; but 
there are some others that have not yet flowered ; and as soon as 
they flower, and I know of them, I shall communicate them to 
the “ Florist.” I will now enumerate the species. 
Brassia metadata , (spotted Brassia.) The pseudo-bulbs are 
ovate, compressed, of a pale green colour, furnished at the base 
with three leaves ; and the apex of the pseudo-bulbs has one leaf, 
which is rather long and broad, of a pale green, rounded at the 
apex, and somewhat bifid. The flower stems rise from the base 
of the pseudo-bulbs, and sometimes they proceed out of the top. 
When the plant is in robust health, the number of flowers on a spike 
is from seven to twenty ; which is a very large number. The sepals 
and petals are of a greenish yellow, spotted with brown ; the lip 
