10S THE ORCHID REVIEW. 



THE HISTORY OF ORCHID CULTIVATION. 



(Continued from vol. ix. p. 336.) 

 We have now reached a very important period in the History of Orchid 

 Cultivation, for the year 1841 witnessed the inauguration of the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle, under the editorship of Dr. Lindley, and although Orchids did 

 not at first occupy a very prominent place in its pages, it gradually 

 became the medium in which most of the novelties were described, 

 and its influence in other ways can hardly be over-estimated. 

 The first number appeared on January 2nd, and we find notices of 

 Oncidium pectorale, Catasetum laminatum, and Dendrobium macrophyllum 

 (i.e., D. superbum), from the Sertum Orchidaccum ; a short note in the 

 Calendar of Operations, in which the use of sphagnum is recommended ; 

 and an account of a meeting of the Horticultural Society on December 1st 

 previous, in which we find among the exhibits :— " Some beautiful 

 specimens of Orchidaceous plants from Mrs. Lawrence ; especially a 

 Zygopetalum Mackaianum with thirteen spikes of flowers, and a noble 

 plant of the old Epidendrum nutans. The latter, although its flowers are 

 green, was, from the beautiful state of health, one of the most interesting 

 objects in the room. A Silver Knightian Medal was assigned to these 



The following week we find an account of two small snails which were 

 injurious to Orchids, particularly to Stanhopeas, hiding "by the dozen in 

 the large bracts which enclose the buds," but which might be trapped by 

 means of cabbage leaves. On January 14th is given a plan and elevation of 

 the " Orchidaceous House and Stove Aquarium " at Ealing Park, the 

 residence of Mrs. Lawrence, mother of our present worthy President of the 

 R.H.S. It was fifty feet broad, and consisted of three spans, and was 

 heated by hot-water apparatus, " constructed by J. Weeks, junior, in 1839, 

 and has been found to answer well." The Orchids were cultivated in 

 baskets and on logs of wood, and suspended from the roof. Mr. Butcher, 

 the gardener, refers to the many prizes which have been awarded to 

 specimens from the collection, and then describes the method of treatment, 

 using the genus Zygopetalum as an example. The only Orchid illustrated 

 in the volume is Megaclinium Bufo, or the Toad Orchis, under the heading 

 of " Vegetable Reptiles." It had been introduced from Sierra Leone, by 

 Messrs. Loddiges, and a strange creature it is according to the description. 

 It is not a little remarkable that at the present day nothing further is 

 known about it. 



At page 564 is given a figure of an Orchid basket, made of elder wood 

 •with the bark on, which had been found useful for cultivating Stanhopeas 

 in. At page 87 we find an account of fine specimens of Odontoglossum 



