274 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [Jan*y, 



) m O) 



**! reputation is a very small part of the pleasure derived from study of (V 



the inexhaustible field of nature. V 



Management of Orchids. — Why haven't we more of this beautiful 

 family in cultivation! To be sure they are, some of them, very ex- 

 pensive ; but for a few hundred dollars a very fine collection might be 

 had, which might be continually added to 5 and we know that Catile- 

 yas, Maxillarias, and some others, may easily be obtained from South 

 America. We do not often see more than one or two exhibited at a 

 time here ; still there are some very fine specimens in our houses, and 

 some which are probably only kept because they are Orchids, such as 

 some Oncidiums, Epidendrums, &c. I think that if amateurs would 

 confine themselves to a much smaller number than those proposed by 

 Mr. Meehan, it would be well enough at present. Lycaste Skinnerii, 

 and several Cattleyas, as crispa, labiata, fimbriata. Mossise, someDen- 

 drobiums which are very free blooming, and Stanhopeas and Gon- 

 goras for fragrance would make a beautiful show. We lately had the 

 pleasure of seeing in bloom at Mr. Dundas' a plant of Peristeria, the 

 Holy Ghost plant of the Spaniards, the column of which resembles 

 very closely a dove brooding over her nest. 



Foreign Horticultural Establishments. — Loddiges' nursery comes 

 very apropos after the Orchids, as from his place has emanated so 

 many fine ones ; his name is perhaps lost to the horticultural world, 

 but the greater part of his collection will be preserved at Sydenham 

 under the care of the great Paxton. Hugh Low &, Co., are almost as 

 well-known in this country as Buist, or Parsons, or Hogg, and we hope 

 still to hear of many of his plants in this country. The others are 

 also well known to the readers of horticultural books and papers — 

 but does any one, even on this side of the Atlantic, dare to attack the 

 great Dr. Lindley, the Lion of Botanical science and of Horticulture! 

 Yet perhaps he is as open to attack as any lessor mortal — especially in 

 his attempt to anglicise botanical names, which, if his own paper be 

 any criterion, won't work in all cases: for instance, in his reports of 

 the London Hort. Society's exhibitions we read " Mr. Franklin, gr. to 

 Mrs. Laurence, exhibited Vanda teres, Lycaste Skinnerii, Cattleya 

 Mossice superba, and the Dalhousie Dendrobe-" I don't think that I 

 ever saw the translation carried out in a single instance ; it is certainly 

 an affectation which will die out in time. But the learned doctor 

 seems to be objectionable on other accounts; he certainly does ride 

 rough shod over the heads of the poor gardeners, and all who presume 

 to question his sway. He is like many other persons in office, they 

 "wax fat, and kick ;" but generally speaking, they lose entirely the 

 respect of all who come within their sphere. What "Anthophilus" has 

 to say about gardeners is remarkably true ; some of the specimens we 



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