136 Comineitccment and Progress of Orchid Culture. 



season for rest and the formation of flower-buds was given. Such treatment 

 may be likened to keeping an animal perpetually awake, or keeping our 

 forced grapes or fruit-trees in perpetual growth : in either case, death by 

 exhaustion would be the result. 



It may, however, be said, that, in their native countries, these plants enjoy 

 perpetual summer. This, as far as a high temperature is concerned, is 

 often the case ; but rest is afforded by a decrease of atmospheric moisture 

 during certain seasons of the year, and thus the force of the argument is 

 more apparent than real. 



In fact, at the end of the last century, there were only about a dozen 

 poorly-grown plants of this family in the greenhouses at Kew. From 1800 

 to 1815, about ten more species were added to this little collection; and, 

 from 18 1 5 to 1830, fifty-three new species and varieties formed, with those 

 we have mentioned, all the living plants of this numerous family which we 

 either possessed or had knowledge of. Since 1830, constant additions 

 have been made, till to-day the number of orchids introduced to cultivation 

 is so great, that we may safely say there is no family of plants so rich in 

 species and varieties. 



What, then, have been the reasons which have operated so unfavorably 

 for the introduction and cultivation of orchids ? 



The first and most natural was, that they could not be made to live in 

 the climate of Europe. If any were imported in good condition, they were 

 doubtless cultivated like greenhouse plants. There being entire ignorance 

 of their requirements and habits, they received only the care ordinarily 

 given to plants under glass ; that is, they were potted and watered in the 

 ordinary way ; and the consequence was, that few survived the experiment. 

 Cultivators knew nothing of the moist-heat which is indispensable, or of 

 the care necessary to be taken for the preservation of the roots and pseudo- 

 bulbs : in a word, the plants perished from a total want of all the requisites 

 for successful cultivation, and none cared to repeat the experiment of their 

 culture. 



About the year 1820, Mr. Cattley, to whom is dedicated the magnificent 

 genus Caitlcya, by a series of experiments arrived at the mode of success- 

 ful culture. His success was soon known ; and many amateurs, following 

 his example, sought to stock their hot-houses with these beautiful plants. 



