4 OBCHID-GRO'SNTER S MANUAL. 



this by an extract from a letter of one of tlie most acute 

 observers and successful introducers of Orchids of the present 

 day, Colonel Benson. He says — '^ Dendrobium formosum 

 does not appear to seek shady places for growi;h ; in fact, 

 as far as my knowledge goes, few Orchids do, beyond what 

 is given by the trees when in leaf. During the months 

 of February, March, and April, they must be exposed to an 

 atmosphere of 110° in the shade. That the fresh-grown 

 pseudobulbs are by this means reduced in size or shrivelled 

 there can be no question ; and in some of the mountain 

 Orchids this reduction takes place to such an extent as to 

 render it doubtful whether they are the same plants when 

 first seen at the end of raras." Now take the case of these 

 plants under culture ; the growing or rainy season past, 

 their supply of water would be gradually diminished, and 

 they would be exposed to the full effects of the sun, with 

 plenty of air, but only so long as they could withstand this 

 treatment without shrivelling ; for, should this condition ensue, 

 or should exhaustion from any other cause arise, the culti- 

 vator would step in, and b}' judicious treatment preserve the 

 strength and consequently the health of the plant, whilst the 

 plants in their native localities must bear the full power of 

 the scorching sun, let even death be the result. Here, then, 

 we say is a proof that art does in some instances assist nature. 

 Nearly all epiphytal Orchids are subject to a period of 

 rest, growth taking place during the rainy season, while 

 their resting period occurs during the dry season. Under 

 cultivation, however, we have to alter the circumstances con- 

 siderably, and make our dry season also the coolest, which 

 is the reverse of what the plants experience naturally ; this, 

 indeed, seems to be the most judicious plan we can adopt, for 

 it would simply be madness to endeavour to force our Orchids 

 ti) make their growth during the winter months, and rest 



