ORCHIDS. 13 
DENDROBIUM DEVONIANUM. 
THE adjunct Devonianum, marking this variety,— which is 
represented by Plate No. I,—is affixed as a compliment to the 
sixth Duke of Devonshire, who was a generous promoter of 
botanical science, and in whose famous gardens at Chatsworth 
the new plant first blossomed in 1840. This variety is under- 
stood to have been originally found by Mr. John Gibson, —who 
was the Duke's collector of foreign plants,— hanging from trees 
in dense forests of the Khasya Hills, India, which are 4,500 feet 
above the sea level. 
Immediately before the appearance of bud or blossom, this 
plant much resembles a group of dried sticks; for a singularity 
is, that, having made its annual growth, the leaves drop off; the 
stalks appear for a brief space to be dead, and then start out 
and unfold exceedingly attractive blossoms. No one unacquainted 
with it would conceive the possibility of luxuriance and beauty 
growing out of such unsightly and hopeless stalks. 
This variety blossoms in summer, and is a free bearer; for 
the author has seen in the orchid house of Mr. Ames, of North 
Easton, Mass., a single plant bearing seventy-five flowers. 
What prodigies can power divine perform 
More grand than it produces year by year, 
And all in sight of inattentive man? 
Familiar with th’ effect we slight the cause, 
