42 ABOUT ORCHIDS. 
ORCHIDS. 
THERE is no room to deal with this great subject 
historically, scientifically, or even practically, in the 
space of a chapter. I am an enthusiast, and I hold 
some strong views, but this is not the place to urge 
them. It is my purpose to ramble on, following 
thoughts as they arise, yet with a definite aim. 
The skilled reader will find nothing to criticize, 
I hope, and the indifferent, something to amuse. 
Those amiable theorists who believe that the 
resources of Nature, if they be rightly searched, 
are able to supply every wholesome want the fancy 
of man conceives, have a striking instance in the 
case of orchids. At the beginning of this century, 
the science of floriculture, so far as it went, was at 
least as advanced as now. Under many disadvan- 
tages which we escape—the hot-air flue especially, 
and imperfect means of ventilation-—our fore- 
fathers grew the plants known to them quite as 
well as we do. Many tricks have been discovered 
since, but for lasting success assuredly our systems 
are no improvement. Men interested in such 
