360 GAKDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



10. C. flaccida. This is a most beautiful plant, totally distinct 

 from all the other species in the size and form of its flowers, 

 which are of a bright yellow, and as large as those of an Iris. 



Besides the foregoing I find in Dr. Anderson's catalogue, C. 

 crenulata ; C. Cubensis ; C. diversicolor ; C. esculenta ; C. Lagu- 

 nensis ; C. Lambert! ; and C. limbata, a species said to be " above 

 all remarkable for its very large petal-like stamens of a lively 

 scarlet-red, with the borders of the limb surrounded with a 

 golden-yellow band."* To these may now be added some 

 thirty named kinds raised from seed. 



ORCHIDACE.E. 



ORCHIDS. 



For the successful cultivation of the larger part of this 

 peculiar and delightful race of plants an atmosphere either 

 naturally humid, or rendered so artificially, is absolutely 

 essential. The Khassya Hills, Nepal, Assam, Java, and the 

 locality of the Straits, are the native districts of large numbers, 

 where the air is almost constantly saturated with moisture, and 

 where they flourish in all their vigour and loveliness. Until 

 recently in the locality of Calcutta there were a certain few 

 only that could be cultivated with much satisfaction. Numbers, 

 it is true, were from time to time introduced, and seen to 

 blossom beautifully ; but they were here but the one season to 

 perish and be gone before the next. More especially was this 

 the case with many of the superb species imported from 

 tropical America and the Brazils. 



It was at one time conceived that Orchids might be cultivated 

 most successfully in glass conservatories, but it has been ascer- 

 tained that, from the want of sufficient ventilation probably, such 

 depositories are not well suited to them. In the Betel-houses 

 described at p. 36 the cultivation of nearly all has proved a 

 'complete success. It appears to me that one main point in the 

 treatment of Orchids, formerly not given due attention to, was a 

 sufficiency of light. It is a mistake to think these plants live in the 

 dark in their native localities, and that a situation where no sun 



* ' Le Bon Jardinier ' pour 1866, p. 257. 



