MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 423 



and Madras, and the " cool" varieties mentioned would probably do well at 

 Mahablcshwar, or even at Matheran. 



To the great beauty of this class of flowering plants may be added as an 

 inducement to growing them the lasting value of their blossoms ; for though 

 some are evanescent, others remain in full beauty from 1 to 4 months, and a 

 few, as the Denbrobium swperbiens, for even six months. 



The wonder is that orchids are not more frequently grown by those fond of 

 beautiful flowers. If I can, in any degree, assist any person inclined to enter 

 on this facinating branch of horticulture I shall be very glad to do so if they 

 will address me on the subject. 



FRANK GRIFFITH. 

 Kotagiri, Nilgiris, 6th October, 1891. 



BOMBAY FERNERIES. 



I have read with some interest Mr. Frank Griffith's letter,* under the above 

 heading, and I quite agree with him that people hi this country are not parti- 

 cularly enthusiastic about the cultivation of those charming ornaments cf the 

 vegetable kingdom — ferns, which are picturesquely described by a well-known 

 writer on horticulture, as belonging to that extensive class called Cryptgams. 

 " which celebrate their marriages in the dark." The same apathy is discerni- 

 ble in the cultivation of orchids. I am, however, of opinion that this apparent 

 want of appreciation of the beauties of these two genera is due rather to a 

 mistaken idea that they are extremely difficult of cultivation, than to any want 

 of appreciation of their merits as ornamental plants. Another reason I believe 

 to be the migratory character of European life in this country. People as a 

 rule are disinclined to lay out money in gardens and plant-houses, which they 

 may be called upon at any moment to leave behind, to meet the exigencies of 

 the service, perhaps just as they had succeeded in rendering their home sur- 

 roundings beautiful, by gathering around them a fine collection of plants. 

 Those, however, who are more or less domiciled in this country may certainly 

 do more than they have done to poptdarise the art of gardening, especially in 

 the large presidency towns in India. 



Native Chiefs, such as Jeypore, Oodeypore, Gwalior, Indore, and some 

 others, have in recent years given considerable encouragement to high-class 

 gardening by having large public gardens laid out at then- capitals with 

 generally a skilled European gardener to direct operations. But they might 

 do more by spreading the knowledge and love of horticulture among their 

 subjects by the training of apprentices at these large public gardens. 'When 

 I was Superintendent of the magnificent " Ram Newas " public gardens at 

 Jeypore some years ago, I had a number of lads under training, who proved 

 very apt pupds, and are now, I believe, holding responsible posts as head 

 malices in different parts of Rajputana. But since the death of the late 



* This letter appeared in the Bombay Gazette on 10th October, 1891. 



