ORCHID HOUSE 



121 



singularity of their forms, the causes which have produced 

 such bizarre shapes, or the inaccessibility of their habitat 

 on the branches of living trees. 



The fragrance of one, Vanilla planifolia, is frequently 

 brought to our recollection by chocolate-creams and flavoured 

 confectionery, but the others do not yield much of value. 

 Their worth is in themselves, and no plants of a purely 

 ornamental character are more popular with wealthy amateurs, 

 and the prices given for many, run into hundreds of pounds. 



To the botanist they are of interest, because in spite of 

 their high differentiation and wonderful mechanisms to assist 

 cross-fertilisation by insects, their flowers are modified in the 

 number of stamens, which are reduced to two or even to one 

 only, as well as in the peculiar condition of their seeds, which 

 germinate with difficulty unless the conditions be just right. 



The epiphytic species are grown in fibre in open pots or 

 in wooden baskets slung from the roof. In a state of nature 

 their " air roots " are disposed so as to be wetted by rain 

 or to collect dew from the moist warm atmosphere they love. 

 In a green-house the conditions of a tropical rain-forest may 

 be well imitated by dipping the epiphyte into a bucket of 

 warm water. 



On the north side of the house is a collection of Terrestrial 

 Orchids, principally Lady's Slippers, Cypripedium, which are 

 generally in blossom during the later winter months : 



sallierii aureum x 



sanderianum 



selligerum 



spicerianum 



stonei 



superbiens 



venustum 



vexillarium superbum x 



wallertianum 



williamsianum x 



williamsonianum 



