296 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
which induces me to think that humic acid does exist in peat, 
and that is, that the iron which gives sand the red colour is all 
abstracted when in this earth. 
W. S. 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF SACCOLABIUM. 
This is one of the most beautiful and interesting, and at the same 
time the most singular, of orchideous genera. They are all inha¬ 
bitants of the moist and warmest parts of India, where they decorate 
the woods with their splendid flowers, and perfume the country for 
miles round with their sweet odour. They are what are termed 
air plants. Their scent is to be compared to a bed of violets 
when in its highest state of perfection. The best mode of growing 
this singular and beautiful genus is to have billets of oak wood 
with the bark on. The billets should be proportioned to the size 
that the plants grow to. Before placing them on the billets, a little 
sphagnum should be placed on the part where the plant is to be 
put. The plant then should be placed on the moss, and fastened 
on by a piece of lead wire ; and two small nails should be used 
for the purpose of fastening the lead wire ; and when the plant 
is made fast, more sphagnum should be placed around the base of 
the plant and over the billet, so that it may be nearly two inches 
thick, that as much moisture may be retained about the plants as 
possible, as they are natives of the dampest woods of the tropics ; 
for in their season of growth the places where they grow cannot 
be compared to any thing but a strong vapour bath. The moss 
must all be fastened on by lead wire. The wire must be made 
fast with small nails on the under side of the billet. The 
billet then must have a nail at each end, for the purpose of 
making the wire fast, by which they must be suspended. The 
wire for this purpose must be copper. Their season of growth 
with us is generally from the beginning of March till the latter 
end of October. Moisture then should, in a great measure, be 
withheld ; for, after that time, if they have much water or mois¬ 
ture, there is little chance of their perfecting their flower buds. 
All their season of growth the plants should have plenty of mois¬ 
ture, and the heat should range from 65° to 100°. All this 
season they should be frequently syringed, so as to keep them 
