The London Journal of Horticulture says :

" Many Orchids continue in flower for a great time, either from the duration of the individual flowers or their production in succession over an extended period. Some, like Cypripedium in-signe, last for a remarkably long time when cut and placed in water, continuing fresh for two or three weeks. Dendrobiums of the nobile character are useful for cutting, as they can be employed in bouquets and buttonholes with great advantage, though not lasting so well as the Cypripedium. To assist in the preservation of flowers on the plants avoid an excess of moisture in the air, and be careful not to damp the flowers when syringing. Some also remove the pollinia to prevent fertilization, and where bees are numerous this is advantageous, as the flowers of most Orchids fade almost immediately after fertilization. The list appended gives the names of a selection of the Orchids which continue longest in flower:

"Orchids lasting eight weeks in bloom - Vanda Sanderiana, Oncidium Jonesianum, and Coelogyne ocellata. Lasting twelve weeks - Cypripedium Argus, C. barbatum, C. Spicerianum, Dendrobium Deari, Lycaste Skinneri, and Masdevalha ignea. Lasting thirteen weeks - Oncidium tigrinum, Odon-toglossum canniferum, O. Rossi majus, Sophroni-tis grandidora, and Vanda ccerulea. Lasting sixteen weeks - Cypripedium Harrisianum, Calanthe Regnieri, Epidendrum crassifolium, Laelia pumila Dayana, Odontoglossum cordatum, O. bictonense, Oncidium cucullatum, O. incurvum, Masdevallia tovarensis, Phalaenopsis grandiflora, and Vanda Batemani. Lasting twenty weeks - Epidendrum radiatum, O. vitellinum majus, Odontoglossum maculatum, O. membranaceum, Oncidium flexuo-sum, and O. linguaeforme. Lasting twenty-six weeks - Dendrobium bigibbum, Masdevalha Nor-mani, Odontoglossum Uro Skinneri, and Phalae-nopsis rosea.

"The Cymbidiums also last a long time, and others could be named, but those mentioned will suffice as examples, though one curious instance, Masdevalha octhoides, deserves notice, as a plant has been had in flower for five years".