A RETROSPECT OP ORCHIT) CULTURE. 121 



following passages, which are quite characteristic of his style: — "I never 



did nor never could purchase any of these plants, consecjuently I only 



in the first instance received the smallest bit of most of my plants, and 



I have succeeded far beyond my expectations. The last two winters I 



removed my larger plants from my regular orchid-house for wintering, 



and kept my smallest plants in a regular heat of from 70 to 80 degrees 



(F.), and had a good crop of cucundDcrs to the bargain. I never water 



them overhead in the winter, l)ut the house is kept moist." He does 



not inform us how long he kept his plants alive under that treatment, 



but experientia docet, and no gardener was more apt to avail himself of 



the teachings of experience than Beaton, for five years later — when he 



was with Mr. Harris at Killjurn — we find him writing to Sir William 



Hooker on the treatment of some orchids that had been gathered in 



the high mountainous districts of Michoacan in Mexico by Galeotti, 



including Lcdia autumnalls, L. alhida, L. glauca, Cattleya citrina, 



Oiicidium leucochilum and other well-known kinds, which he kept 



in a wanter temperature of 40° to 45° F. (4° to 7° C); he was thence 



one of the first who ventured to grow orchids in so low a temperature. 



He was apparently surprised at his own success, for he adds with 



remarkable foresight — " You will thus see how desirable it is for the 



extension of the cidtivation of this family that we should procure all 



the species that are to be found in the higher altitudes in Mexico 



and other places, to enable amateurs of limited means to cultivate a 



few beautiful plants of OrchideyE ; for hitherto this fine tribe of plants 



has only been enjoyed by the wealthier classes." * From that time 



Beaton insisted upon more attention being paid than hitherto to the 



climatic conditions under which orchids grow, especially at high altitudes 



within the tropics, and the consequent necessity of adapting their cultural 



treatment accordingly. 



About this time a pamphlet On the Mana/jevwrit of Orchidaceous 



Plantft was printed for pi'ivate circulation by Mr. J. C. Lyons, t an 



amateur living- at Ladiston, in Ireland. It contained a general 



essay on the cultivation of orchids and a calendar of operations, 



probably the fiist ever issued in a complete form. The cultural 



directions were mainly those followed by most growers at that 



period, but the author recommends a distinction being made 



between those orchids that grow naturally in shade in damp hot 



places, and those that grow in an elevated situation in a drier 



atmosphere and in direct sunlight. His chief deviation from the 



ordinary practice of his time was the admission of steam from 



* Bot. Mag. sub. t. 3804 (1841). 

 t His name is preserved in Schombitrgkia Lyonsii. 



