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THE CULTIVATION OF ORCHIDS. 
Oct., 1892. 
are formed, then the plants should be potted, as I have before 
explained to you, but if you place soil round them, before the 
new roots appear, you will probably cause the orchid to decay. 
Plants which have no pseudo-bulbs require very careful 
treatment. They should be cleaned and hung, head down¬ 
wards, in a moist, shaded house, until the leaves are plump 
and new roots are seen forming. This precaution is necessary 
for the safety of the central eye or crown, which generally 
rots if moisture is allowed to lodge in the bases of the leaves. 
I have not touched upon the fertilization of orchids, and 
shall do so only very slightly, as this is of such a very 
wonderful and complex character that it would take a 
great deal of time to go into, and in so doing would open up a 
discussion upon the theory of evolution and survival of the 
fittest. I will therefore say that if any one is interested 
in this matter, they cannot do better than studv Darwin’s 
“ Fertilization of Orchids.” 
FERTILIZATION. 
To effect the fertilization of the flower, and the production 
of seeds to perpetuate the plant, it is necessary that the 
pollinia be conveyed to the stigma, and as in the majority of 
cases these organs are so placed that it cannot be accomplished 
without foreign aid, we perceive a reason for many elaborate 
contrivances that compel or induce insects .to afford the 
requisite assistance. It has been observed that in some 
species self-fertilization is commonly effected owing to the 
pollen masses partly falling out of the anther case, and 
hanging in front of the stigma, against which the slightest 
wind blows them. On the other hand, it would require a 
great deal of time to describe the very many plans by which 
the conveyance of pollen masses from one flower to another is 
provided for, examples of which are found in plenty in our 
wild orchids. These are fully described by Darwin in his 
work on the “ Fertilization of Orchids.” 
One extraordinary example I may bring before your 
notice, it is Coryanthes macrantha. In this and others of the 
genus the lip is formed like a bucket, one portion of which 
secretes a fluid that falls into the lip and remains there until 
evaporated, or it sometimes fills the bucket and overflows 
like a spout. Coryanthes macrantha has projections upon the 
lip, which tempt bees to gnaw them ; and Dr. Cruger has 
observed that “ the bees may be seen in great numbers, 
disputing with each other for a place on the edge of the 
flower. Partly by this contest, partly, perhaps, intoxicated 
by the matter they are indulging in, they tumble into the 
bucket of fluid; they then crawl along in the water towards the 
anterior side of the bucket, where there is a passage for them 
