By John Lindley, Esq. 



45 



possess of parting with superfluous moisture : in consequence of the 

 compact nature of their cuticular tissue and of the minute size, or 

 small number, of stomata or evaporating pores. We have found that 

 no soil or temperature would nourish them in drought, and that any 

 soil was good when the temperature and atmospheric humidity were 

 carefully regulated. To speak very accurately upon these points, I 

 should say that the mean temperature of the air in the day ought 

 to be 87° or thereabouts, and that its humidity should be at the 

 point of saturation or nearly so. We have found that the same 

 plants which refused to grow when placed upon the stage of a hot- 

 house, the air of which possessed the necessary conditions of heat 

 and vapour, flourished with all their native luxuriance, if the pots 

 in which they were planted were suspended freely by wires from 

 the roof ; a difference which no doubt depended essentially upon 

 drainage ; and we have seen that moss alone would under these 

 circumstances maintain in perfect health plants which the most 

 carefully managed soil appeared to kill if the humidity of the air 

 and the drainage were unattended to. 



Having originally taken great interest in this enquiry, I have for 

 some years been collecting information relating to it, and I find 

 that if we had had in the beginning the same knowledge of the 

 native habits of Orchideous Epiphytes that we now possess, those 

 conclusions that are now the result of many years careful and ex- 

 pensive enquiry would have been obvious inferences prior to any 

 experiments whatever having been instituted. The facts that I 

 have collected are the following. 



Orchideous Epiphytes grow naturally upon trees, in the recesses 

 of tropical forests ; they establish themselves in the forks of branches, 

 and vegetate amidst masses of decayed vegetable and animal matter; 

 in consequence of their position there cannot possibly be any accu- 

 mulation of moisture about the roots. They will also grow equally 

 well upon rocks and stones in similar situations. Mr. W. Harrison 



