of Southern India, requires to be kept in the warmest division 
of the orchideous house. Its natural habitat is on trees, to which 
it firmly attaches itself by its long naked roots. To imitate 
this, it is the general practice to fix the plant on blocks of wood 
which should be 3 to 4 feet long, set upright to allow space 
for the roots to descend; but as wood of any kind soon decays 
in the orchideous house and then becomes a nidus for fungi 
and insects, it is desirable that some other mode should be 
adopted. In some portions of the house the several species of 
Aerides may be freely suspended without any support; if near 
any upright surface (such as the walls of the house) it will be 
observed that the free aérial roots will in time direct their 
points of growth towards the wall, &., and on reaching it will 
become attached, evidently showing that some kind of a basis 
of attachment is natural to these plants. Many years ago we 
remember seeing Aerides odoratum in fine flower, its roots being 
attached to a moist brick wall, and as they adhere in like manner 
to the side of garden pots, we have procured several tall cylindrical 
pots (something like chimney pots) round the margin of which we 
temporarily fix the plants ; but they soon fasten themselves by 
their roots gradually creeping over the surfaces of the pot, both 
within and without, and by occasionally syringing the outside and 
a little water inside, the porous earthenware is kept sufficiently 
moist to be congenial to the roots. During the dry season 
this plant experiences very great heat, and therefore under our 
artificial cultivation it is advisable to lessen the supply of 
moisture after it has done flowering in summer. We have 
observed that the species of Aerides will bear with impunity a 
pretty free exposure to the sun; though much depends upon the 
position of the house and the nature of the roof. J. S. 
Fig. 1. Column and lip :—magnified. 
