DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



349 



airy and fantastic in their habits, but always ele- 

 gant, replete with tlie richest aromatic perfumes, 

 or emitting the most refreshing and delicate odors, 

 portraying in the most extraordinary formations 

 of their flowers the miniatures of almost all ani- 

 mated nature — beasts, birds, fishes, insects, and 

 reptiles — nor can even the human species escape 

 their carricatures. Indeed, they combine all the 

 qualities that amateurs seek after, beauty, fra- 

 grance, and durability; some retaining their blos- 

 soms in perfection eight or ten weeks under pro- 

 per treatment; and it is among them that we 

 find what was deemed worthy of fitting the foot 

 of the goddess, — the real " Ladies' Slipper." 



There is no tribe so interesting to the natural- 

 ist as the tiny, fairy-like flowers of the Orchids. 

 Dr. LiNDLEY says, Sertuvi Orchidacaea, that the 

 resemblance to insects and other animal forms 

 which have been perceived in the orchidaceous 

 plants of Europe, and which have given rise to 

 such names as fly-orchis, spider orchis, &c., &c., 

 may be traced so plainly in the genus Oberonia 

 in every species, that it alone would furnish a 

 magazine of new ideas for the grotesque pencil 

 of a German admirer of the wild and preternatu- 

 i-al. He also oberves that in the genera Obero- 

 nia and Drymosa, Pythagoras would have found 

 a living evidence of animals transmitted into 

 plants. The genus Pleurothallus is also remark- 

 able as possessing the smallest Orchidaceous 

 plant known. This diminutive plant, Pleurothal- 

 lus imiscoidea has no stem. The leaves are two 

 and one-half lines long, its peduncle is as fine as 

 a hair, and about four lines long. The majority 

 of the order inhabit the branches of trees, having 

 nothing more to support their wants than the 

 refreshing dews, warm showers, and pleasant 

 breezes of their native wilderness, and when sub- 

 mitted to artificial treatment in our houses, they 

 grow equally well on bits of wood, branches of 

 trees, &c., whether in a living or decaying state ; 

 or on any material they do not actually dislike. 



The following geographical distribution of the 

 order, as given in Dr. Lindley's Vegetable King- 

 dom, might be interesting to novices in botany : 



They are found in all parts of the world except 

 upon the verge of the frozen zone, and in climates 

 remarkable for dryness, in Europe, Asia, and 

 North America, they are seen growing every- 

 where, in groves, in marshes, and in meadows. 

 In the drier parts of Africa they are rare or un- 

 known. At the Cape of Good Hope they abound 

 in similar situations as in Europe ; but in the hot, 

 damp parts of the West and East Indies, in Ma- 

 dagascar and the neighboring islands, in the 

 damp and humid forests of Brazil, in the warm, 

 mild parts of Central America and Western 

 Mexico, in the damp, tropical parts of India, and 

 on the lower mountains of Nepal, the Orchidace- 

 ous plants flourish in the greatest variety and 

 profusion, no longer seeking their nutriment from 

 the soil, but clinging to the trunks and limbs of 

 trees, to stones and bare rocks where they vege- 



tate, among ferns and other shade-loving plants, 

 in countless thousands; and when transmitted to 

 our houses, they require from us an atmosphere 

 similar to what they enjoy in their native haunts, 

 which can only be obtained by shade, heat, and 

 moisture, carefully administered. 



Having already exceeded my limits, I will only 

 add, that, if it be acceptable to your readers, I 

 will prepare a list of American Orchidacaea, with 

 all the particulars with which we are acquainted, 

 as an inducement to the cultivation of those most 

 delicious, most curious and beautiful of all known . 

 plants. I am, sir, respectfully yours, M. C. 



[We shall be glad to receive further remarks 

 on the culture of orchidaceous plants. The wri- 

 ter of the above, who is known to us as a gar- 

 dener of remarkable skill in exotic plants, having 

 recently arrived in the country, expresses to us 

 his surprise that amid the great attention paid to 

 many kinds of gardening hero, and even to many 

 kinds of green-house and stove plants, the curious 

 and beautiful air-plants which are the ultima- 

 tum of exotic culture abroad, are so little known 

 or cultivated. — Ed.] 



Gjieen-Houses — Evergreens. — Dear Sir : I 

 hope it is your intention to continue the subject of 

 cheap green-houses, and oblige your readers with 

 some estimates of the cost of buildings, stock and 

 and tools, adapted to the scale described in your 

 last number of the Horticulturist. 



I observe one of your correspondents recom- 

 mend pruning evergreens, transplanted. I am 

 about planting a good many, and should be glad 

 to know if this is your opinion, and applicable to 

 our pines and hemlocks, and what is the method, 

 to cast out branches, or shorten-in, as in decidu- 

 ous trees. Your obt. servt. W. Lenox, Mass. 



[If you cannot get good roots to evergreens, then 

 shorten-in the branches to restore the balance. Al- 

 ways cut the branches in within an inch of the 

 place on the larger braneh where it forked out — 

 and apply the shellac solution at once. — Ed.] 



Superior GRArxiNO Wax. — The following 

 mixture, viz : 



1 pint linseed oil; 



6 pounds rosin. 



1 pound bees -wax, 

 makes a better and cheaper wax, than any I have 

 used made from rosin, tallow and beeswax. The 

 oil will admit of a much greater proportion of 

 rosin than the tallow. This wax will give entire 

 satisfaction to whoever shall use it. T. G. Yea- 

 mans. Walworth, N. Y., Nov. 1848. 



First rate Fruits. — The Jefferson Plum, was 

 produced first here this season, and is of very high 

 merit. The Brevoort Peach, obtained from New- 

 burgh at the same time, is the finest flavored free- 

 stone we have had in this latitude for many years j 

 so pronounced by many good judges. Yours, very 

 respectfully, W. C. Wilson. Baltimore^ Oct. 1848, 



