This plant requires the same treatment as _P. Schilleriana_, and is best grown among sphagnum moss in baskets suspended from the roof, care being taken to give it a good supply of water during the growing season. It should have the heat of the East India house, and should at all times be kept moist at the roots, for if allowed to become dry, it will loose its lower leaves. If the plants are in a healthy and free-growing condition, flowering does not injure them; but, if at all sickly, they should not be allowed to blossom until they regain strength and vigour, as they are naturally free-flowering plants, and under such circumstances might bloom themselves to death. The moss about their roots must be sweet and in a living state; when it becomes decayed it should be removed, the roots washed, and the plant replaced in clean live moss with fresh free drainage, so that the water, of which a considerable quantity is required, may never become stagnant. Shading is an important element in the successful cultivation of these plants; therefore the sun, when at its full power in summer, must never be allowed to shine upon them, but in winter a little sun-heat is beneficial, and they then require all the light which it is possible to give them. Neither drip, nor water in any other form, must be suffered to reach the hearts of the plants, as it causes them to rot.
Insects are troublesome at times. The thrips, if allowed to multiply, will greatly disfigure the plants, causing damage by depriving them of the juices which should go to sustain their vigour. When free from such pests, and in a healthy condition, the leaves of the Phalænopsids have a pleasing appearance; and, if they are well looked after, it will not be difficult to keep them clean, the more especially as being of large size, they can be readily operated upon.
[Illustration: PL. 40. ODONTGLOSSUM KRAMERII.]
ODONTOGLOSSUM KRAMERI. [Plate 40.] Native of Costa Rica.
Epiphytal. _Pseudobulbs_ nearly orbicular, much compressed, ancipitous or sharply two-edged, one and a-half inch in diameter, pale green. _Leaves_ solitary, oblong-lanceolate, acute, keeled, six to eight inches long, one and a-half to two inches broad, light green, with a smooth even surface. _Scapes_ radical, four to six inches long, shorter than the leaves, three to five flowered, drooping or ascending, flexuous, pale green, with small appressed bracts and longish peduncles. _Flowers_ one and a-half inch or more across, and delicately coloured; _sepals_ oblong acute, rosy lilac with a white margin; _petals_ about equalling the sepals in size, and similar to them in form and colour; _lip_ with a short stout neck, deeply hollowed in front, with two erect calli, the lateral lobes semi-ovate, narrow, deflexed, the much larger middle lobe three-fourths of an inch broad, roundish reniform, emarginate, bearing at the base a pair of erect lamellæ, the unguis or neck yellow spotted with red, the front lobe deep rosy lilac, marked near its base with two semi-circular bands of white and purplish rose. _Column_ short, thick, white in front.