ON THE CUTIVATION OF THE ONC1DIUM. 
75 
without delay : little or no water should be given to them for 
three or four weeks after they are taken into the growing house, 
as the moisture of the house will be quite sufficient for them. If 
plants of this description have not a season of rest, they become 
so weak that their growth the following season is small, their 
flower-stems weak, and their flowers small; but whep they have 
completed their growth and then removed into the cool house, as 
I have recommended, and allowed to remain there till such time 
as they show signs of growth, the growth which they make after 
this is very fine—their flowers are large, and their flower-stems 
are strong and vigorous. 
There are many of the species that are so small, that it would 
not do to put them into large pots. Some of the smaller ones 
do best on logs of wood, while others will do best in small pots, 
potted in the manner recommended for the larger species. All 
the species of this genus are fond of a moist heat; the moisture 
should be very great all the growing season ; it should be at the 
point of saturation, and the house also frequently steamed 
at night, or rather in the afternoon, about four o’clock. This 
steaming should take place either from the water being put on the 
flues or on the pipes, as that will be more natural than the steam 
from a boiler, and it should be continued on for some time,— till 
such time as the plants are covered with dew ; this will be 
much better for the plants than much water, as it will invigorate 
the leaves and pseudo-bulbs, and at the same time keep down 
insects. 
Oncidium Cavendishianum —is a beautiful species. The lip 
is of a fine yellow ; with the sepals and petals green, and dotted 
with brown ; the spike is large and very much branched ; and 
the leaves are very large and boat-shaped. It is a native of the 
trees in Guatemala ; introduced in 1836- 
Oncidium Lanceanum —is the finest of all the genus. I he 
lip is large, and of a fine bluish purple, with the sepals and petals 
orange, and spotted with dark purple ; the spikes are large, and 
when the plant is finely grown, will produce as many as forty 
flowers on a spike. It is a native of Surinam, and was introduced 
in 1884. 
Oncidium Caiithagenense —is a very pretty species, with 
sepals and petals green, spotted with dark-brown, and the lip of 
a dull green. The spikes of flowers are very long, 1 and have a 
