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PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



In addition to those two species the gardens now contain the following, which approach them 

 very nearly, and constitute the nucleus of the white-lipped group, viz. : — • 



0. maxillare. Mowers white ; the base of the sepals, petals, and lip equally stained with 

 crimson, and a very large yellow appendage. 



0. rubescens. Flowers lilac ; the sepals narrow, and spotted with crimson all over ; the petals 

 broad, and a little spotted near the base; the lip with no spots at all. 



0. Rossii (alias 0. Mrenhergii ; alias 0. acuminatum). Mowers not half as large as the last; 

 sepals green, spotted with crimson ; petals and lip pure white, the former only spotted 

 with crimson at the base. 



0. stellatum. Mowers much smaller than in the last; both sepals and petals green and spotted; 

 lip lilac in the middle, white at the edge, and strongly toothed. 



There are also some other species of the groups still to introduce from the west of Mexico, which 

 are even finer than those now enumerated. 



It does not much signify in what kind of material this is grown, provided only that it be of such 

 a nature as to detain damp, while water passes off freely and air replaces it. Fibrous peat and 

 decayed leaves are among the best substances ; the management of such plants is more important. 

 On this head Mr. Gordon's directions are among the best we have. 



"Injury is often effected by a sudden rise of temperature by fire-heat in winter, while little 

 or none is caused if the rise is occasioned by sun-heat ; care should therefore be taken to guard 

 against a rise of temperature by fire-heat, particularly in midwinter; rather suffer a depression 

 of a few degrees of heat in very severe weather than use over-strong fires, which will over-dry 

 the atmosphere, and, on the other hand, create too much moisture if water is supplied. Moisture, 

 however, is by no means injurious to Orchids, provided they can part with it freely, but they are 

 impatient of stagnant damp. 



" When in a dormant state they should receive no more moisture than is sufficient to prevent 

 their leaves from shrivelling; hence many of the more tender kinds do much better on blocks 

 of wood suspended from the roof, where they can part with the superabundant moisture freely, than 

 in pots. Nature herself indeed sets us an example to follow in regard to moisture, for we find, 

 where the atmosphere is saturated with moisture (and a truly moist atmosphere cannot exist without 

 a corresponding amount of heat), that the Orchids climb the loftiest trees ; but, as the climate 

 becomes drier, so they descend, until at last they are to be found growing upon the surface of the 

 ground or upon rocks in shady places/-' 



