HORTICULTURAL SHOW. 57 



sia Metallica^ Sphoerostemma Mannorata, Caladium Belleymei, and 

 C. Baraqinna^ each of the iUustrious quartette thus making its 

 first American debut at this show of the American Institute. 



The sports of nature's colorman are evidenced in the striped 

 fern, Pteris Argentea here, which has just come from Borneo — an 

 exception to the good habits of the graceful ferns, the illustrious 

 Fanny not excepted. 



Since our last article was printed, several important additions 

 have been made to the exhibition. The highly perfumed flower 

 of the Victoria Regia, came by express from Philadelphia on 

 Friday, and now floats on the miniature house pond, a very vase 

 of odor. The petals of the flower are a pure waxy white, the 

 inner ones deeply stained with crimson, while the petals and 

 stamens when we last saw it were hidden from vieAv by a cap of 

 the deep dyed petals. The flower is not yet fully opened, but 

 will probably be so Friday afternoon or evening, and one must 

 watch it for a whole day to see the beautiful changes which its 

 tints undergo. The opportunity of seeing so rare and wonderful 

 a plant as this, will probably not occur in a generation again, 

 and none should neglect to take advantage of it when thus for- 

 tunately presented. 



THE ORCHIDS OR AIR PLANTS. 



In certain seasons of the year the dense forests of those coun- 

 tries of Asia, Africa, and America, which lie in the torrid zone, 

 are filled by a powerful fragrance which, sometimes, at a great 

 distance, betokens the presence of a curious family of plants. 

 Just after the season of rain has commenced, these wondrous 

 productions of the vegetable world, recovering from their long 

 rest through the summer drouths, unfold their glories one by one, 

 and when in full bloom, load the sylvan atmosphere with odors. 

 The spicy breezes which " blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle," are no 

 doubt in part perfumed by their breath, a breath, which, con- 

 sidering the romantic uncertainty which shrouds their origin and 

 growth, the superstitious natives think is borne from celestial 

 countries. The flowers of the various families of these plants 

 mimic the odors of the new-mown hay, wall-flowers, violets, 

 pomatum, anniseed, and angelica, of noyau, cinnamon, allspice, 

 citron, musk and honey. Some of the most fragrant yield their 

 perfume only in the day-time, while others, like the Epidendron 

 nocturnum and Brassavola nodosa, waste their sweetness on the 

 midnight air. 



