82 
REMARKS 
ON THE 
PROPRIETY AND IMPORTANCE OF HAVING TWO OR MORE HOUSES IN WHICH TO CULTIVATE 
ORCHIDACEOUS PLANTS, DIVIDING AND ARRANGING THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR HABITS. 
After the long articles which have appeared at various times in this Magazine 
on the cultivation and management of Orchidaceous Epiphytes, any further obser- 
vations on this subject may seem superfluous ; but, taking into consideration the 
high estimation in which this peculiarly interesting tribe is now held in the horti- 
cultural world, and conceiving that any additional particulars relative to its culti- 
vation will always be acceptable to our readers, we propose in the present instance 
offering a few practical observations on the expediency of dividing a collection of 
these plants into two or more parts, according to the peculiarities of their habits, 
and placing each section separately and distinctly from the other in a different 
house. 
The genera and species of plants constituting the Natural Order Orchidaceae, 
are of the most diverse habits ; some requiring an extremely high temperature and 
excessive moisture, others thriving best in a comparatively low temperature, and a 
perfectly dry or very slightly humid atmosphere. Yet how frequently do we 
find the inexperienced gardener, and even cultivators of the first class and acknow- 
ledged ability, with the whole of their collection of orchidaceous plants assembled 
together in one house, kept in the same degree of temperature, and treated in 
nearly, or (in many instances) precisely the same manner ! That this system of 
management is prejudicial to many species, the most inattentive observer cannot 
fail to have noticed ; and the reason usually assigned is, that some cultivators 
maintain their houses at too high a temperature, while others again adopt the 
opposite extreme ; and it is generally believed that those individuals who pursue 
an intermediate course, and keep their houses at a moderate degree of temperature, 
with a very slight atmospheric moisture, are most successful in cultivating these 
plants, and bring them to the highest state of perfection. To a certain extent 
this opinion is well founded ; but we imagine that few individuals, who have had 
any experience in the cultivation of this tribe of plants, are not now prepared to 
admit, that the notion above alluded to, and which has been very generally enter- 
tained and adopted, is far from being correct. It is true that by this system the 
two extremes of temperature which various species require, are modified to such a 
degree, as to admit of the bare existence of plants of either class; but, we ask, 
is the cultivator of orchidaceous or any other plants satisfied and contented with 
merely seeing his plants alive, without making any progress in size or stature, or, 
at least, with progressing very tardily? No one, we are sure, can for a moment 
