CULTIVATION OF ORCHIDEOUS EPIPHYTES. 
263 
blisliments in this country can boast of far richer collections, and more successful 
management than the most celebrated gardens of the continent. 
It is well known that the stoves of Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney, Messrs. 
Richard and Arnold Harrison of Liverpool, and Mr. Cattley of Barnet, are unrivalled 
in the number of species that they contain, and that the total number now found 
in the gardens of Great Britain, is certainly not less than two hundred* ; while the 
catalogue of the Jardin du Roi at Paris, made up the last year, enumerates but 
nineteen. 
In instituting this inquiry, the obvious question was, what are the conditions of 
soil and climate, under which these plants flourish in their native place ? but it was 
found exceedingly difficult to answer this question with any degree of precision. 
The data that existed upon the subject were imperfect, and the conclusions that 
were drawn from them were necessarily proportionably unsatisfactory. It was 
only known that generally their native climate was the tropics, and their food the 
decayed vegetable soil that collects upon the trees. 
All our earliest experiments were consequently unsuccessful ; we lost our plants 
as quickly as we received them, and when we preserved a single species out of an 
entire collection, we thought we had met with great success. By degrees, however, 
we discovered better means of management, and acquired more precise information 
upon the subject of their native places of growth, the substance of all which may 
be said to amount to this, that a well drained soil, shade, a high temperature, and 
an atmosphere nearly saturated with humidity, are the conditions that are requisite 
to ensure their successful cultivation, and that soil itself is of little importance to 
them. No soil or temperature will nourish them in drought, and any soil is good 
when the temperature and atmospheric humidity are carefully regulated. 
It has been found that the same plants which refused to grow when placed 
upon the stage of a hot-house, the air of which possessed the necessary conditions of 
heat and vapour, flourished with all their native luxuriance, if the pots in which 
they were planted were suspended freely by wires from the roof; a difference 
which no doubt depended essentially upon drainage. Moss alone would, under 
these circumstances, maintain in perfect health plants which the most carefully 
managed soil appeared to kill, if the humidity of the air, and the drainage were 
unattended to. 
The facts collected relative to these plants, are the following:— 
Orchideous epiphytes grow naturally upon trees, in the recesses of tropical 
forests ; they establish themselves in the forks of branches, and vegetate amidst 
masses of decayed vegetable and animal matter : in consequence of their position, 
there cannot possibly be any accumulation of moisture about the roots. They also 
grow equally well upon rocks and stones in similar situations. 
* Since the publication of this paper in 1830, very many splendid species have been introduced. Dr. 
Lindley in his new work on Orchidese, has described no less than 1000 known species, how many are 
introduced we are unable to say ; we possess at Chatsworth upwards of 240 species, including such as 
are unnamed. — J. P. 
