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New World its greatest numbers occur in Brazil and other 
parts of northern South America. In temperate regions 
relatively few species are found, while in very cold countries 
they are entirely absent. Most of the tropical forms are 
epiphytes, that is, they grow upon trees and usually have 
bulb-like or thickened stems and fleshy leaves for the 
conservation of their water supply, as, from their habitat, 
this supply must be precarious. In temperate regions 
nearly all of the species are terrestrial, and have thin leaves, 
the soil about their roots serving to protect them from the 
cold and also giving them a more constant water supply: 
they do not, therefore, need pseudobulbs or thickened 
stems. Coming from all parts of the world as they do, 
their blooming time varies greatly, so that at almost any 
time of the year, be it winter or summer, some of these 
interesting plants may be found in bloom. 
At range 2 is another large collection of orchids. 
On the central bench is an interesting palm, the double 
cocoanut (Lodoicea maldivica), a native of the Seychelles 
Islands, also known as the coco de mer, and coco des 
Maldives, and one of the rarest palms in cultivation. 
The tree in its native wilds attains a height of ninety feet, 
bearing aloft a magnificent crown of green leaves which 
make it an important feature of the landscape. This is 
the only plant in this house not a member of the orchid 
family; it is kept here for cultural reasons. 
Conservatory Court. "There are three attractive features 
here during the open season, viz., the display of tulips in 
the spring, followed by the collection of desert plants, and 
the water lily collection. The water lilies may be found 
in two tanks, one in each end of the court. In the easterly 
tank are placed the hardy sorts, such as are able to with- 
stand the severe cold of our winters, which remain per- 
manently where they are, winter and summer. In the 
westerly pool are the tender kinds, or such as require pro- 
tection during the winter, and many of these are stored in a 
warm cellar during winter and placed on view again in the 
