18 
ON GROWING PLANTS AS EPIPHYTES. 
But to return to the professed object of this paper — a consideration of " growing 
plants as Epiphytes," which we shall carry out by giving some account of the 
experiments alluded to. 
Few who had seen the lovely Mclxmea fulgens, as it flowered, planted in rich 
soil, in the large conservatory, that any improvement as regarded its flowering could 
be expected, much less is it credible that treated in every respect as an Epiphyte, the 
most striking improvement in the freedom and luxuriance of its growth, and increased 
size and splendour of its inflorescence was effected. 
True Epiphytes consist of all the numerous genera and species of Orchids that, 
in their native climes, depend for their subsistence and supply of nutriment upon the 
heavy dews and saturated state of the atmosphere, pervading the jungles and woods, 
of which they are inhabitants. 
They are found attaching themselves to fallen trees, sucking with their large 
fleshy roots the moisture from the decayed vegetable matter that accumulates upon 
them, or, hanging on the branches of living ones, striking the organs with which they 
drink in their food into the naked atmosphere, imbibing from it the moisture it holds 
in suspension. 
The difficulty of creating, by artificial means, conditions similar to those which 
the description of plants under consideration enjoy naturally, was, on their being first 
brought under cultivation, the great obstacle that prevented so long a time success 
crowning the efforts of those engaged in growing them. Such difficulties are, by the 
light of science combining its influence with the exertions of practice, in the present 
day almost forgotten. But we must not yet give persevering inquiry long vacations, 
so much is there directly or indirectly connected with horticultural pursuits that we 
have yet to learn. 
The usual method of obtaining the moistness of atmosphere necessary to the 
successful cultivation of Epiphytal plants, is by placing in contact with the sources 
of heat a body of water, which is engendered into the atmosphere by gradual 
evaporation, the amount of such moisture being regulated by the quantity of water 
employed in the manner alluded to, and the degree of heat existing where it acts 
upon such water. 
In placing the element in question to produce the evaporation just mentioned, 
various contrivances are resorted to. Shallow cisterns formed of zinc, of various shapes, 
according to the situation they are required to occupy, and placed upon the flues or 
hot-water pipes ; garden-mats or similar material, kept saturated with moisture, and 
put in like situations, are amongst the methods in practice. The first mentioned 
should always be used in preference to the latter, where practicable. But these are 
being fast superseded by the various heating apparatus, which, in their construc- 
tion, provide appendages of this last subject, carries us back to a point from which 
we fear we have been digressing. 
A small plant of Mchmea fulgens was selected, and fastened with fine copper wire 
upon one of the rhizomes described ; in placing it, attention was paid to preserving 
