September  23,  1897- 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
285 
The  ]\Iexican  L.elias. 
There  can  be  no  question 
alx>ut  the  beauty  of  this  section 
of  Lselia,  or  their  utility  in 
keeping-  up  a  tine  display  for 
many  months  in  the  year,  a 
great  part  of  their  flowering 
season  being  at  a  time  u  hen 
reall}'^  good  Orchids  are  not  at 
their  best.  They  form  quite  a 
distinct  set  botanically,  and 
must  be  cultivated  differently 
from  that  group  usually  grown 
in  company  with  the  labiata 
section  of  Cattleyas.  Not  many 
are  yet  in  bloom,  but  I  have  one 
or  two  spikes  of  L.  autumnalis 
open  considerably  in  advance  of 
their  usual  Howering  season,  and 
this  prompts  me  to  send  a  note 
on  their  culture. 
It  must  be  imderstood  at  the 
outset  that  all  the  plants  here 
referred  to  grow'  further  north 
of  the  equator  than  do  the 
species  with  which  I  have  com¬ 
pared  them.  Not  only  this,  but 
they  are  also  found  at  great 
elevations  above  sea  level,  where 
a  much  lower  range  of  tem¬ 
perature  exists  than  in  the  lower 
region  about  the  coast  of 
Mexico.  The  veteran  Orchid 
collector  Eoezl,  who  has  many  times  visited  these  regions,  says  of 
some  of  the  species  that  “  they  grow  at  altitudes  betw'een  7000  and 
8000  feet  w  here  severe  frosts  often  occur  at  night.”  But  presumably 
these  frosts  are  of  very  short  duration,  as  in  most  of  these  upland 
habitats  of  Orchids  day  and  night  temperatures  to  a  certain  extent,  and 
to  a  greater  one,  winter  and  summer  readings  are  more  regular  than 
in  the  valleys. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  if  a  house  can  be  set  apart  entirely  to 
this  section  of  Lselias  and  one  or  two  other  Orchid  species  with  which 
w'e  are  not  just  now  concerned,  much  better  results  will  be  attained 
than  if  they  are  groAvn  in  a  house  with  a  general  collection.  This  of 
course  is  only  possible  in  large  collections,  growers  of  smaller  quantities 
of  plants  having  usually  to  make  the  most  of  the  conveniences  to 
hand.  For  this  reason  I  cannot  give  details  that  will  suit  every  case, 
but  must  leave  individual  readers  to  make  the  best  arrangements  they 
can  under  existing  circumstances. 
A  clear  almost  unbroken  light  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  both 
during  the  growing  and  resting  season.  While  such  as  L.  anceps  are 
.  41. — Cychoches  chloeochilon. 
In  the  coldest  winter  weather  one  may  as  a  rule  keep  a  little  air 
on  during  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  the  pipes  being  gently  heated 
to  keep  the  house  nicely  warm,  and  the  plants  so  arranged  that  every 
ray  of  light  reaches  them.  The  roots  at  this  time  will  be  kept  neaily 
dry,  watering  being  necessary  only  at  very  long  intervals.  M  bile 
growing  freely,  on  the  other  hand,  they  may,  if  the  plants  are  properly 
potted,  be  watered  almost  daily.  The  atmosphere  of  the  house,  too, 
may  be  kept  much  drier  in  the  winter,  what  little  moisture  is  neces¬ 
sary  being  given  early  in  the  day,  so  that  it  has  time  to  dry  a  little 
from  about  the  plants  before  nightfall. 
There  are  one  or  two  species— L.  majalis  as  an  example — that  are 
benefited  by  being  placed  out  of  doors  for  a  few^  weeks  after  the 
groAvth  is  fully  made.  The  lovely  flowers  of  this  plant  are  never 
so  freely  produced  as  w-hen  this  is  done.  The  plants  of  all  the 
IMexican  kinds  like  a  shallow  compost ;  one  that  soon  runs  dry  after 
water  is  given,  and  allows  plenty  of  fresh  air  to  reach  the  roots. 
Pans,  pots,  or  baskets  may  be  used  for  them.  They  are  also  frequently 
grown  on  rough  wooden  blocks,  while  the  trellised  rafts  now  made  in 
grow'ing  the  plants  delight  in  having  the  sunshine  full  upon  the 
foliage — always  provided  that  this  is  not  of  the  immature  kind 
produced  by  heavy  shading  and  undue  heat — a  very  moist  atmosphere, 
and  abundant  ventilation.  Bather  difficult  to  keep  up,  someone  may 
say  ;  and  so  it  is,  but  it  can,  and  must  be,  managed  if  the  best  results 
are  to  be  looked  for.  The  grower  who  lowers  his  shading  in  fitful 
weather,  closes  his  house,  damps  down,  and  then  leaves  the  plants 
to  their  own  device,  will  never  grow  the  ^Mexican  Laelias  properly. 
During  summer  the  house  should  have  a  little  air  on  constantly 
night  and  day,  this  being  increased  early  in  the  morning,  the  floors, 
stages,  and  walls  of  the  house  well  damped,  and  the  shading  kept  off 
the  roof  as  long  as  possible.  The  foliage  then  keeps  cool  until  late  in 
the  day,  while  had  the  house  remained  closed  until  the  sun  reached 
it  there  is  an  upward  rush  of  the  temperature,  at  once  necessitating 
early  shading.  Many  times  in  the  heat  of  summer  I  have  left  the 
blind  up  on  the  IVIexican  house  until  nearly  midday,  then  lowered 
them  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  shut  up  with  ample  moisture. 
Cycnoches  chlorochilon. 
When  visiting  the  Chelsea  nursery  of  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons, 
Ltd.,  I  noticed  a  plant  of  this  peculiar  and  interesting  Orchid  in 
flower  amongst  many  others.  T'he  Swan  Orchid,  as  it  is  termed, 
always  attracts  general  attention  by  the  curious  sti’ucture  of  the 
flowers.  It  is  a  native  of  Demerara,  from  whence  it  w-as  imported 
upwards  of  half  a  century  ago.  It  is,  however,  by  no  means  common, 
being  usually  grown  in  collections  merely  as  a  novelty.  C.  chlorochilon 
(fig.  41)  has  stout  conical  pseudo-bulbs  bearing  the  flowers  at  the  top 
in  pairs ;  the  sepals  and  petals 
are  bright  green,  the  lip  broad 
and  yellowish  with  a  dark  blotch 
at  the  base,  and  directed  to  the 
upper  portion  of  the  flower. 
The  column  is  slender,  curved, 
green,  and  in  the  position  where 
the  lip  is  usually  seen  in  Orchid 
flowers.  The  plant  is  of  strong 
habit,  requiring  a  compost  of 
peat  and  sphagnum,  with  the 
temperature  of  the  Cattleya 
house,  supplying  abundance  of 
water  and  moderate  shade. — 
Orchidist. 
