2 
THE OHCHIDACEiE OF THE 
vastness of such a study, the admiration of the creature is turned 
to adoration of the creative power. 
In a cultural sense the order may be separated into two classes, 
founded on their geographical distribution, or those which inhabit 
the regions of the East, and those from America or the Western 
hemisphere; experience shows that to cultivate a general collec¬ 
tion well, this division is absolutely necessary, for the difference 
in the leading features of the two climates is so great as to prevent 
the plants of the one thriving in that of the other. The regions 
whence Indian Orcliidacese are obtained are remarkable for three 
distinct seasons in which the plants grow, rest, and produce their 
flowers ; the first is distinguished by its great heat and excessive 
moisture, the next by a considerable reduction of both, and the 
third by an increased temperature over the last, but devoid of 
the aqueous character of the first. The climate of the western 
world, it is well known, is on the whole far more temperate, the 
seasons are alternately warm and moist, or cool and dry; the 
third period is unknown, and it is not a little remarkable, so ad¬ 
mirably harmonious are the operations of Nature, that the 
Orchids of these regions, or the greater part of them, instead of 
growing, resting, and then flowering, produce their blossoms 
simultaneously with the new growths, and they are displayed 
either at the commencement of the seasonal action, or imme¬ 
diately it is complete ; this renders their management far easier, 
as if a vigorous movement of the foliated parts can be secured, 
it follows, as a matter of course, that the flowering shall also be 
fine; while with the Indian species it is not only necessary to 
attain the utmost vigour in the plant itself, but through the long 
period of dormancy which follows, are all the chances of a pre¬ 
mature excitement so certainly fatal to the development of 
flowers, and inimical to the plant’s future progress. 
It would be difficult to settle accurately which of the divisions 
may claim to rank as the most beautiful; a considerable difference 
exists in the general aspect of the plants, but each has its pecu¬ 
liar beauties; those from the Eastern hemisphere partake more 
fully of the arborescent character, many of them have woody 
stems, either erect or pendent, their leaves are more coriaceous, 
and the presence of pseudo-bulbs is less frequent than among those 
from the other quarter of the globe, but to say which have the 
