INTRODUCTION. » 



that such would be the case with the majority of small-growing 

 tropical plants, when we consider the struggle for existence 

 which is constantly going on throughout the vegetable kingdom, 

 and remember that they are subject to all the vicissitudes of 

 the weather, whereas under cultivation extreme care and atten- 

 tion are bestowed upon each individual plant, and no pains 

 are spared to develop its beauties, and shield it from every 

 harm. I admit that we should by all means take nature as 

 our guide for the production of good plants, but it should be 

 nature in her best garb only ; and then, looking as I do upon 

 cultivation as a help to nature, the result can only be an improve- 

 ment, if success has been attained in the object aimed at. 



Let me endeavour to render my meaning clear by a familiar 

 example. I have frequently seen some of our indigenous 

 ferns, such as Scolopendriums, Lastreas, &c., growing upon 

 dry banks, stony ground, and old ruins, where they have pre- 

 sented the appearance of short, stunted, ill-favoured plants, 

 but still they were in a state of nature. Now, no one would 

 recommend the cultivator to imitate that phase of nature. 

 No ; rather would the counsellor say, " Go to that shady dell, 

 with the limpid stream flowing through it ; there you will see 

 the rich green, fully developed, and graceful fronds of these 

 gems in all their beauty." This, then, I say is the phase of 

 nature which cultivators should take as their guide, and 

 endeavour to improve upon ; and I submit that these con- 

 siderations are strictly applicable to the plants we have taken 

 under our especial cognizance in this volume. To exemplify 

 this I wUl take an extract from a letter of Colonel Benson's, 

 one of the most acute observers and successful introducers of 

 Orchids of the present day. He says : " Dendrobium formosum 

 does not appear to seek shady places for growth ; in fact, as 

 far as my knowledge goes, few Orchids do, beyond what is 

 given by the trees when in leaf. During the months of 



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