fcOTANt. 105 



AIR PLANTS, 



The Tenasserim Provinces abound in air plants, or 

 orchids, most of which grow on trees and are epiphytes, 

 but not parasites as they are often, by a misnomer, deno- 

 minated. More than fifty different species have been 

 described, and there are probably as many more unknown 

 to science. The flowers of some of the species are great 

 favorites with the natives, and are sought after to adorn 

 the hair. The Burman books say that the trees around 

 King Wathandria's bermitaore were covered with orchids, 

 and that after being plucked they would retain their fra- 

 grance seven days. 



Nearly every species is worth more in England than its 

 freight overland ; and they are often exported. It is usu- 

 ally supposed that the plants require air on their passage, 

 consequently the boxes in which they are packed are of- 

 ten perforated, or they are sent in baskets. But this is 

 an errour. The closer they are confined, the better will 

 be their condition on reaching the place of destination. 



A gentleman in England to whom I sent a box of or- 

 chids a few years ago, remarked : " The plants were in 

 as good condition, as any I ever had from the east, in fact 

 had it been the dry season when you packed them, F 

 doubt not all would have come in full health, and you 

 cannot possibly do better in future than pack them in 

 a precisely similar manner. Their excellent condition 

 convinces me that a great many of my losses amongst 

 those I have had from the Botanical Garden at Calcutta, 

 have been caused by the fact of their being packed in 

 bamboo baskets instead of close boxes, — a close box seems 

 essential." 



There is no good reason why this noble, graceful tribe 

 of plants should be so much excluded from our coim 

 pounds, and left to fling their beauty upon their native 

 wilderness of flowers, and "waste their sweetness on the 

 desert air." If generally introduced, they might be a rict> 

 acquisition to our tropical parterres. 



