Mil. T. SIIORTT ON TEBRESTRIAL ORCHIDS. 



17 



tracts the moisture to the part with which it is connected, which 

 is the cause of the formation of the Strawberry, of the Hovenia 

 just mentioned, and of the maturation of some other pericarps. 

 It may be objected that the pollen, especially its contents, has 

 nothing to do with oils, sulphuric acid, or petroleum. But still 

 the nature of the fovilla in different plants is not clearly known 

 with respect to other secretions ; and admitting its great dif- 

 ference as regards the substances mentioned, it is not the less 

 true that the final effect of the pollen on the stigma, and that of 

 the oil on the scales of the fig, with what follows it, present such 

 an analogy as to justify the opinion expressed by me two years 

 ago in the following words : — " I incline to believe that there is a 

 certain relation between the effect of the pollen on the stigma and 

 what is induced by anointing the mouth of the fig. That part 

 coming in contact with the other softens and perishes in a short 

 time, which may conduce, at least in a small degree, to the in- 

 crease of the subjacent ovary"*. 



II. On the Cultivation of some G-enera of Terrestrial Orchids. 

 By Mr. Thomas Shortt. 



Many of the most beautiful and delicate of Terrestrial Orchids 

 are seldom seen in cultivation. This cannot be from want of in- 

 terest ; for what can be more gorgeous than Disa grandiflora and 

 macrantha? or more beautiful than Cypripediuni niacranthum, TJie- 

 lymitra ixioides, and Lissochilus speciosa ? or curious than Ptero- 

 stylis nutans, Acer as anthropopJiora, and Ophrys apifera? 



The delicate habits of some species make them rather difficult 

 to manage ; at the same time they are of sufficiently robust 

 growth and of such beauty as to make them worthy of more 

 general cultivation. 



As they require different treatment according to their various 

 habitats, I propose dividing them into European and North-Ame- 

 rican, African and Australian. As the European and North-Ameri- 

 can species require similar treatment, I will take them first. These 

 will comprise the genera Cypripediuni, Platanthera, Gymnadenia, 



* [A translation of Gasparrini's paper on Caprification appeared in the former 

 series of this Journal, vol. iii. p. 185. Pedagnuoli are the fruit at the base of 

 this year's wood, cimaruoli the fruit at the tips, and fioroni the new spring fruit 

 from last year's wood. — Ed.] 



VOL. II. C 



