T;ENANTHERA. 



83 



This grand old orchid, one of the earliest of the Asiatic epiphytal 

 species cultivated in the glass-houses of Great Britain, was introduced 

 Bome time previous to 1817, but owing to the imperfect treatment 

 to which it was subjected in those early days of orchid cultivation, 

 resulting from the crude ideas that then prevailed respecting the 

 epiphytal character of the plants, it could not be induced to flower 

 till 1827. In that year Mr. Fairbairn, the gardener at Claremont, 

 brought a plant into flower by tying moss around the stems, which 

 he kept constantly moist, and at the same time exposed the whole 



Reuantliera eoccinea. 



plant as much as possible to direct sunlight. This is the first 

 recorded instance of its flowering in this country ; three years later 

 it flowered in the garden of Earl Fitzwilliam at Wentworth Woodhouse, 

 near Shefiield, and subsequently at Chatsworth and in other collections, 

 the occasion of its flowering being always regarded as an exceptional 

 one and deserving of es])('cial notice on account of the difficulty of 

 inducing the plant to produce its gorgeous panicles. Even ai iho 

 present time the difficulty of flowering Renantliera eoccinea regularly 



