HISTORY OF ORCHID CULTURE IN AMERICA. 137 



a visit has been the first incentive to the construction of 

 many an Orchid house. Such magnificent Cattleyas, 

 Aerides, Vandas, Dendrobiums, Ccelogynes, Lizlias, Zygo- 

 petalums, and hosts of other choice Orchids, can be found 

 nowhere except in the splendid collections at Albany of 

 which we make mention hereafter. 



Leaving New York by the Hudson, we find at many of 

 the country seats small collections of Orchids. At 

 Tarrytown, Mr. Mitchell has a beautiful Orchid house 

 containing some nice plants. At his charming country 

 seat Tioronda, Matteawan, Gen. Joseph Rowland has 

 an assortment of rare species under perfect culture. 



At Rhinebeck, at the residence of the late William Kel- 

 ley, there is a good assortment, containing fine plants, but 

 generally of old and long known species. 



In Albany exist the finest collections of Orchids in 

 the United States. No lover of Orchids, in visiting Al- 

 bany, should fail to spare a few hours for the green- 

 houses of Mr. Louis Menand, an ardent lover of flowers, 

 and especially of Orchids. We never fail to find with 

 him choice and rare plants, which we see nowhere else. 

 With Mr. Menand a flower is not valued for what it 

 will bring in dollars and cents ; a florist, and growing 

 flowers for the market, he has all the love of an ardent 

 amateur, and his love for his pet plants, which no money 

 can buy, and his companionship with them, will be ap- 

 preciated by all lovers of flowers, and is as rare as it is 

 attractive. 



At his country place Ta-wass-a-gun-shee, near Albany, 

 Erastus Corning, Esq., has the most extensive collection 

 of Orchids in the United States. There are about four 

 hundred species and varieties, and many very fine sped- 



