ON THE CULTIVATION OF CATASETUM. 
109 
seed-vessel on any one of the many plants that he saw; but on 
the Catasetum cristatum he saw numbers of seed-vessels ; there¬ 
fore it at once proves that tridentatum is nothing more than an 
abortive variety of cristatum ; and I doubt very much whether 
the Catasetum luridum , semiapertum and purum are any more 
than abortive forms of Catasetum deltoidum ; and I think that 
the Catasetum maculatum of Bateman is not any thing more than 
one of the abortive forms of Catasetum laminatum. 1 have often 
examined the anthers of Catasetum tridentatum, but I never 
found any one having any pollen but in the Catasetum cristatum , 
and also in the Catasetum deltoidum and barbatum. I have 
often found the anthers filled with a soft yellow matter, which 
I believe was the pollen in an imperfect state; this, I think, ought 
to teach botanists a lesson not to be too hurried in forming 
genera, or rather in separating genera where they agree in ex¬ 
ternal habits. The genus Catasetum is to be found in every part 
of South America, and also in Mexico and Guatemala. The 
reason why I have given in this paper the genus Cycnoches , and 
also Mormodes and Cyrtopodium , is, that they are similar in habit, 
and that they require nearly the same treatment. 
The mode of treatment for this tribe of plants, at least what 
I should recommend, is, that the plants should be potted in pretty 
large pots, such as a twelve or sixteen size, but never larger ; 
that is, when the plants have got to a good size, they should be 
grown in the pots I have recommended ; but until the plants 
have got to a good size, that is, till they have made about six or 
eight pseudo-bulbs, they should be placed in smaller pots. When 
large enough, they should be potted in the size I have mentioned ; 
the pots in which the plants are grown should be filled up about 
one-half with very large potsherds, and over these should be laid 
some rough peat, to prevent the other portions of the soil from 
getting amongst the potsherds. The soil in which the plants 
are grown should be turfy peat and leaf-soil in equal portions ; 
the soil should never be more than one inch above the rim of the 
pot. The plants, when potted, and firm, should be placed in the 
growing-house, and no water should be given to them for some 
time, as the moisture of the house will be quite sufficient for them, 
till such time as they have made pretty good progress. When 
water is given, it must be given very carefully, as they are very- 
apt to rot off. But when the plants get strong, they may have 
