44 ORCHIDS. 



1st; these should be preserved in herbaria, and notes 

 taken of their peculiarities of growth and location, in 

 order, as far as possible, to aid in their classification. 

 The points which should be especially observed are the 

 size and the form of the flower, the color of the perianth 

 and labellum, the number of flowers, the height of the 

 flower stalk, the point from which it springs, whether the 

 base, the middle, or the top of the pseudo-bulbs, the 

 form and disposition of the leaves, the shape of the bulbs 

 and their markings, and finally, any other peculiarity which 

 may attract attention. 



The woods or places where the plants occur should be 

 noted, whether more or less shady, warm or cool, the 

 temperature by day and night, and whether wet or dry. 

 All this information is valuable to those who receive the 

 plants, as thereby they are enabled to adapt their culture 

 to the requirements of the plant. 



A collection once made should be forwarded as soon 

 as possible. There are many modes of packing, of which 

 the most simple is to envelop the plants in moss, pack- 

 ing them tight in a basket. This method, however, has 

 but little chance of success, only the hardier Orchids sur- 

 viving the voyage, most plants dying from want of mois- 

 ture. 



They are often sent in wooden boxes, instead of bas- 

 kets, with a few holes bored for air ; these retain moisture 

 longer than the baskets, and about a fourth of the plants 

 survive. Importations made in close wooden cases, the 

 seams of which have been tarred, arrive safely, if the 

 passage, is not very long. Where the plants have been 

 carefully packed, wrapped in moss, the decayed and in- 

 jured bulbs removed, and the plants placed on openwork 



