The Culture of Greenhouse Orchids 



had to find names for half a dozen species daily, 

 you would not trouble yourself to correct small 

 mistakes. We are too glad to hit on a new 

 descriptive title of any sort in this age of the 

 world." 



The amateur must make up his mind to learn 

 those awful polysyllables. And he will find that it 

 is not really difficult, even though his memory be 

 not strong. The outsider thinks it a desperate 

 task, but he may notice that very few who grow 

 orchids fail to recollect genera — I might say none. 

 Names of species bother all of us sometimes. I 

 have heard great authorities, who could not afford 

 to allow that recollection failed them at the instant, 

 make the wildest shots. 



The reader, therefore, may take heart of grace. 

 In a few weeks he will find himself chattering 

 about Zygopetalums and Epidendrums as fluently 

 as a veteran. To know the meaning of the long 

 words will assist him, and I append a translation in 

 every case. 



But I have taken a liberty which will shock the 

 purists. " In Latin prose of any elegance," said 

 Dr. Johnson, " English names require to have 

 inflection given to them." Macaulay was very 

 hard on Crofton Croker for not understanding this 

 remark. " Every one who knows anything of 



38 



