46 Upon the Cultivation of Epiphytes of the Orchis Tribe, 



of Rio Janeiro is mentioned by one of the Society's Collectors who 

 visited him, to cultivate with the most perfect success above seventy 

 species upon a wall in his garden at Boto Fogo. We see some 

 of them germinate and grow most luxuriantly in damp places, in 

 the stove, upon the sides of the garden pots, and among gravel, 

 and Dr. Wallich found them in all cases growing equally well 

 upon trees, and stones, provided the latter had a certain quantity 

 of mould and moss adhering to them. 



In the Botanic Garden at Calcutta they are cultivated with suc- 

 cess in raised beds of solid brickwork, so contrived as to ensure 

 the most perfect drainage ; the soil being rich vegetable matter 

 mixed with at least two thirds small pebbles, and covered with a 

 dense layer of moss. 



Shade seems essential to them, their natural situation being in 

 deep forests, or among the branches of growing trees. In Brazil 

 they exclusively occupy damp woods, and rich vallies, among vege- 

 tation of the most luxuriant description by which they are em- 

 bowered. In Nipal, I learn from Dr. Wallich, that Orchideous 

 Epiphytes grow in company with ferns, and the thicker the forest, 

 the more stately the trees, the richer and blacker the natural 

 soil, the more profuse the Orchideae and ferns upon them. There 

 they flourish by the sides of dripping springs, in deep shady 

 recesses, in inconceivable quantity, and with an astonishing degree 

 of luxuriance. 



In the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, it is found that they thrive 

 best under the shade of trees with dense but airy foliage, such as 

 Mimosas, especially the Acacia stipulata, the huge stem of which 

 is the more remarkable when compared with the myriads of minute 

 leaflets by which it is formed. 



High temperature and excessive humidity are together the other 

 conditions essential to the well-being of these plants. The hottest 

 countries if dry, and the dampest if cool, are destitute of them, 



