Sept.-Oct., 1919.) THE ORCHID REVIEW. 137 
Ray ney 
: AN OLD ORCHID BOOK. : 
es iS 
BAROBABLY the earliest book devoted exclusively to the cultivation of 
p - Orchids, was the one published in 1843, under the title ‘‘ Remarks on 
the management of Orchidaceous Plants, with a Catalogue of those in the 
collection of J. C. Lyons, Ladiston.” It was dedicated to the Council of 
the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, in the hope of exciting an 
interest in Orchids amongst amateurs, and inducing them to commence 
their cultivation. 
In some introductory remarks the author observes: ‘‘ The first small 
collection of Orchidacez which I received was from Mexico ; at that time 
I was in total ignorance of the general treatment required by the genus. 
My gardener potted them in the compost generally used for other stove 
plants; they all vegetated, and a few of them flowered that summer; there 
was not any difference made between the epiphytal and the terrestrial 
species, indeed we did not know that, any existed. I was disappointed 
in their growth, and began to consider that neither the gardener or his 
employer knew anything about them. I shortly after decided on being for 
the future my own gardener. I found it necessary to inform myself partic- 
ularly about Orchidacez, their nature, habit of growth, climate and changes 
of season, which they experience in their native habitats, but alas! unfort- 
unately for me, I had not the benefit of consulting the best authors. No 
authority then existed, and very little now, on the subject of theircultivation. 
There has not yet been any work published on the culture of Orchidacee. I 
therefore had recourse to such authorities as threw some light on the 
nature of the climate, temperature, and general history of the countries from 
which the plants come. They were the best authorities, as they gave an 
extensive view of the nature of the different localities; the remainder is_ 
only minutia, and in many instances common sense.” 
After some remarks not strictly relevant to the subject, he proceeds: 
*« Amongst the difficulties which I have experienced, and which others may 
have equally suffered from, is the too frequent practice of Nursery men, 
selling the same plant under different names, hencearises a great disappoint- 
ment to the purchaser, and an unnecessary outlay of money. It is probable, 
however, that blame is not in every instance to be attributed to the 
vendors. To enable purchasers, and particularly amateur beginners, to 
avoid in some measure this difficulity, I have given the synonyms of the 
plants in my own small collection. I have added, where it was practicable, 
the derivations of the generic and specific names of the plants, with ied few 
observations from experience on the mode of cultivation best suited, in my 
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