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ORCHID CULTURE. — I. 



By John G. Barker, Cambridge, Mass. 



In presenting to the readers of the Journal a series of short articles 

 on the cultivation of Orchids, I shall endeavor to be as brief as possi- 

 ble, and without any further introduction than has already been given 

 in the May number, I proceed at once to my task. 



Until within a few years past the cultivation of Orchids has been 

 but little known, partly from the supposed great cost of suitable struc- 

 tures to grow them in, and partly from the high cost of the plants 

 themselves. And indeed at the present time there is not, to my knowl- 

 edge, any large collection in this state, or even in New England ; there 

 are several small collections in this vicinity — one at the beautiful 

 country-seat of R. M. Pratt, Esq., at Watertown, and another at the 

 Cambridge Botanic Garden — the latter of which composed a part of 

 the beautiful collection of plants of Edward S. Rand, Senior, Esq., and 

 which were very successfully grown and exhibited by that gentleman 

 at the exhibitions of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Then 

 we find at Mr. Taft's, at Providence, R. I., a very choice collection 

 indeed, the beauties of which it has been my privilege to admire on 

 several occasions. No lover of flowers could look at these truly beau- 

 tiful and in many cases gorgeous plants without a desire to possess 

 some himself. 



vou IX. II i6i 



