jui-v i, 1887.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
63 
and magnificent species from the Hymalayas 
Rhododendron Aaklandi, the flowers were of huge size 
and of the purest white, a truly noble flower 
which with its clear pale brown stem and branches 
anil long loaves give the tree a very beautiful appear- 
ance. This would also be a grand plant for the hills. 
Gaowiug beside it was a large tree of the Neilgherry 
Rhododendron, large and well shaped and crowded 
with trusses of its bright scarlet flowers. Another 
Hymalayan species was also in flower Rhododendron 
Nvittalli, flowers very large trumpet-shaped white, 
yellow iuside, a striking and splendid flower but not 
so pure in colour as Rhododendron Auklandi. Also in 
the same house I noticed several plants of a creeper 
Hibbertia dentata from south-east Australia, with 
very dark shining leaves and single yellow flowers, 
it struck me as a particularly handsome climbing plant 
for walls or bowers, and no doubt would thrive well 
in the climate of Ooty as most Australian plants do. 
The three species of Araucaria from the same quarter 
of the globe, viz., A. excelsa, A. Bidwilli, and A. 
Cunninghaini were all represented by tall and superbly 
graceful specimens ; these are all easily raised from 
seed and should be extensively grown on the hills 
as ornamental plants for lawns, &c, than which 
there are none fiuor. In one of the hotter houses 
I saw a cluster of Impatiens Sultani, fine plants in 
pots drowned in scarlet blooms. This plant is familiar 
enough at Ooty with you, I have no doubt, but I 
saw another new species of Impatiens also in flower, 
wh;ch perhaps may not be so well known, Impatiens 
Hookeri from the South Sea Isles a stronger and 
stiffer plant with black polished stem and side shoots 
and large scarlet flowers a most striking and lovely 
plant. For hanging baskets let me recommend 
Begonia yluueophi/lli i splendent; as a veritable gem. 
It is plentifully seen at Kew and also in all the 
Loudon nurseries, and everywhere it is a beautiful 
object, when well grown and iu full leaf. Covering 
the sides and top of the wire baskets it might, I 
think, be grown to advantage mixed with a few roots 
of a devallia fern of which you have sueh an abundance 
growing on the trees in any shola. Another fine 
plant for covering a pillar is Begonia lucida; and 
for growing in pots or out of doors as a companion 
to Begonia fuchsioides, which used to grow so plentifully 
in the Government gardens — its scarlet flowers making 
a grand display— is B. odorata, flowers white and 
ex [iiisitely scented, the plant grows to about the 
same size as B. fuchsioides. Another evergreen 
green house shrub which in all likelihood would thrive 
in the climate of the Neilghcrries is Euehium aalhf- 
thrysumv, it is rather a tall growing shrub with light 
green leaves and long spikes of splendid blue flowers. 
In the houses devoted to Orchids I saw many fine 
eximplcs in flower, and was very much struck with 
the freshness and clean appearance of the structures, 
ev.'ry plant looking the picture of health and vigour. 
A nougst those Orchids not in bloom I may mention 
Uiehyyne corrngata, a dwarf growing plant common 
on the Neilgherries, flowers white with yellow lip 
striped with orange and forming huge masses grow- 
ing on sheet rocks on many parts of the hills ; 
the plant at Kew is grown in a large pot and looks 
healthy, but with leaves much longer than those pro- 
duced in its native habitat. I was told by the person 
in charge that the plant had not flowered during 
the three years he had been employed at Kew, the 
result, I would venture to suggest (and I do it with 
all due deference to the Kow authorities) of wrong 
treatment, the plant being subjected to stronger 
heat than is necessary and being kept too far re- 
moved from the glass. A thorough knowledge of the 
true position in which these plants are found in a 
wild state and the nature of the climate to which 
they are exposed would, I imagine, be often of con- 
siderable advantage to English cultivators. 
At tlio entrance to tlio orchid house for species 
from hot climates was conspicuously place 1 a splendid 
plant of ThmbtoMwm allmluleum from India, with four 
long spikes of rich yellow flowers, each spiko com- 
posed of from 50 to (>0 individual Mowers, it was 
truly a splendid plant. Many well flowered plants of 
Dondrohiuni Nohile from Assam, helped to augment 
the fine display in this house, whilst in the cooler 
house, a number of plants growing ou blocks suspended 
from the roof added not only beauty to the general 
group but exquisite and powerful scent besides. These 
consisted of plants of an orchid from South America, 
Oattlcya citrina, beariug golden yellow flowers of large 
size singly on a stem scenting the whole house, numerous 
plants and varieties of Odontoglossom Alexandra, also 
from South America were also in full flower in this 
house adding greatly to the show, with their splendid 
spikes of delicate white pink and creamy flowers, and 
which are such great favourites in the making up of 
choice and expensive bouquets. Oypripediums or 
our lady's slipper in numerous and curious species were 
also in bloom, many of these plants are natives of 
India and are very curious and interesting. One species, 
C. caudatam, a species from Panama being amongst 
the most curious of orchids, the long tail-like petals 
are the most extraordinary part of the plant often 
reaching, when fully developed to the lengih of thirty 
inches, giving the plant a most wonderful appearance. 
Many other species were also in bloom but too numer- 
ous to mention. These plants are becoming more and 
more popular every day in England, and as many 
species come from cool climates and in large quant- 
ities, orchid growing is getting to be quite common 
even amongst people with limited means, as plants 
can frequently be picked up at sales at a remarkably 
cheap rate, and with regard to orchids from temperate 
or cool climates th 3r e is as little trouble required for 
their proper cultivation as there is . for an ordinary 
geranium or fuchsi a , so that the cultivation of this 
truely aristocratic tribe of plants is likely, ere long, 
to be developed to a yet greater extent iu England. 
Firms exist in London and its suburbs that employ a 
regular army of collectors all over the world, whose 
duty it is to rob the jungles of their natural treasures, 
establish them in glass cases, or pack them in dry 
moss, and transmit them to England for the decor- 
ation of the glasshouses and drawing rooms of the 
wealthy. The climate of Ooty and other parts 
of the Hills would admirably suit such kinds as 
O loutaglossoms, Oucidiums, and many others from 
temperate regions, and others from hotter parts could 
be grown and flowered with success under the shelter 
of glass structures, I imagine, with only a tithe of 
the trouble required for the cultivation of such plants 
in England. There are many grand species to be 
found in the Wynaad and other districts surrounding 
the Neilgherries, such as Succolabium guttatum, Den- 
drobium album, and others which could be collected 
with but little trouble and would amply repay any 
time spent on their cultivation. The two abovenamed 
kinds could be transported with the branches of the 
trees they are found clinging to, thus obviating the 
ill-effects produced by detachment from the trees 
and re-establishment on blocks of wood or baskets 
afterwards . 
The palm house at Kew on the day of my visit 
was patronised as usual by crowds of admiring 
visitors, and certainly the bringing together of such 
a vast collection of palms, cyclads, tree ferns and 
other splendid tropical plants from all parts of the 
world has produced a wonder exciting spectacle, and 
one not easily effaced from the memory. The Indian 
palms — and no doubt those from other countries also 
—look every bit as healthy and as much at home 
as in their native clime, and the house is so splend- 
idly arranged and furnished aud kept, in such 
beautiful condition withal, that a visit to it is a 
treat of no mean order. I saw the two tall coffee 
trees near one of the entrances to the building as 
usual in excellent health, aud carrying some withered 
" Cherries " and many clusters of recently withered 
flowers. The leaves and general appearance of the 
plants differed very little from those to be seen 
on the Neilgherries or in the Wynaad, setting 
the mind to work iu wondering if coffee cultivation 
in England under glass would be likely to '• pay '." 
Although tho arrangement of the plants iu the 
palm house, the general appearance of the building, 
ami the splendid growth aud health of tho various 
