THE ORCHID REVIEW. 77 
Tankervilliz. A peculiar interest attaches to this plant because it was in 
it, and at Kew, that, in 1802, Francis Bauer, who was “ resident draughts- 
man for fifty years to the Royal Botanic Garden,” discovered and figured 
the “nucleus of the cell,” an all important body, the first description of 
which was published by Robert Brown in 1833. 
By the time the second edition of the Hortus Kewensis was issued, in 
1813, the number of exotic species had grown to 84, belonging to 30 genera, 
the majority being epiphytal and natives of the West Indies, a few being 
East Indian, South African, and Australian. Roxburgh sent a number of 
species from India early in the present century, and of these John Smith 
wrote :—‘I found growing in 1822, on a shelf above a flue, against the 
back wall in what was then called the propagation house, the Aérides 
growing and flowering freely, its roots clinging to the back wall, as also 
Saccolabium guttatum. There were also plants of Dendrobium Pierardi 
and D. cucullatum flowering freely, which had recently been brought home 
from Calcutta by Mr. Pierard.” At this period, with the exceptions above- 
mentioned, the Orchids at Kew “were potted in common soil and plunged 
to the rim in a tan bed.” 
According to John Smith (Records, pp. 229, 230) :—‘* Between the years 
1823 and 1825 a considerable number of species were received from 
Trinidad, forwarded by Mr. David Lockhart, the Superintendent of the 
garden, amongst which were the first plants of Stanhopea insignis, Oncidiam. 
Papilio, Lockhartia elegans, Catasetum tridentatum, Ionopsis pallidiflora, 
and others, all of which were epiphytal, and many of them being sent grow- 
ing on portions of branches as cut from the trees, which, being accompanied 
by instructions from Mr. Lockhart as to how they should be treated, led 
to the successful cultivation of epiphytal Orchids.” ; 
In 1845 the span-roofed house which now forms the east wing of the 
Tropical Fern House was erected on the site of an old stove, and ea 
William Hooker described it in 1846 as “ occupied with a rich and inestim- 
able collection of orchideous plants (of which a great proportion was pre- 
sented by Her Most Gracious Majesty).”” This gift was recorded by him in 
1844 as the entire and valuable collection of orchideous plants formed at 
Woburn Abbey, which, on being offered to her by the present Jaga 
Bedford, Her Majesty was graciously pleased to accept pad to send to ah 
Royal Gardens at Kew.” Continuing Sir William Hooker's account of the 
house :—* the centre is filled with a handsome slate staging so large — oe 
admit of a raised walk through the centre, thus enabling the visitor to aa 
down upon each side of the house, while over his head, and from the sae 
on either hand, are suspended wire baskets filled with tropical ie tes. 
+ + . As the house in question opens on to another and cooler stove - 
We are enabled to remove the splendid epiphytes when in blossom to a le: 
