Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-18
A PLAY ON WORDS. ITO be read aloud rapidly. l
Orchids.

How They Are Prfzed ia FOgSy and
 Smoky London.
 The rage for orchids and for other exotics, which in this climate can only thrive under glass, says the London Telegraph, may be ac- cepted as an indication that the suburbs of this metropolis can grow fewer and fewer Towering plants which are able to stand the smoke infected atmosphere hanging over this mighty camp of human beings like 8 pail Within the memory of men who have not yet passed middle age, many kinds of roses did admirably in the open air upon spots in the neighborhood of Primrose hill Regents Park and Hyde Park. Latterly, however, a cry of agony has gone up from many lovers of gardens within the metropolitan area, that they can no longer grow multitude of plants which hourished and lowered to perfection in their youth. There are among the habitual residents in large cities many who cannot get on without home grown flowers of some kind, and the result is that hothouses, costing from e30 up to e1 ,OO0 or more, are nov to be found in gardens which the acid exhaled by coal smoke renders unfit for plants Towering out of doors In this way it is easy to under stand the attention bestowed by botanists, homologists, evolutionists and horticultnrists of all kinds upon orchidaceous plants, which bring the tropics and their rich vegetation to Stamford hill, Kensington, Brixton, Bromp ton, Chelsea and a dozen other suburbs These islands, and especially the county of Kent are not without their own indigenous orchids, among which the fly ophrys, the spider ophrys and the man, the toad, heliz- ard, the butterfly orchis and many more, are specially in request. Our native specimens, however, are altogether eclipsed by the beau ty and richness of exotics brought from the equatorial belt. The monkeys of Brazil are said ''to swing, leap, climb and chatter at the tops of trees, surrounded by thousands of twisting and dropping orchids, breaking out into yelLOvs to be dreamed of, into wonder ful chocolates and the most delicate of lilacs :" The management in 8 metropolitan garden of 8 hothouse which is solely devoted to this beautiful plant requires no small amount of experience and skill Water has constantly to be thrown upon the hot water pipes below. in order to produce the damp heat to which the plant is accustomed in its native habitat In the tropics great numbers of orchids grow upon the stems and branches of trees, and this tendency is reproduced in this country by multitudes of plants attached to bits of wood moistened with moss, and suspended on the siIls and attached with string to the roofs of hothouses. It is from an orchid that the well known vanilla is produced, the flavor of which is so largely utilized in some of our most delicate dishes. Many plants have their own faint scent, but it is for the beauty aud brilliancy of their richly colored and many hued flowers that, in this country, they are chiefly prized It would be hard to grudge wealthy men who are living in populous city pent' the pleasure they derive from their en- thusiasm about an exotic flower, even though scorners may here and there be found to laugh at what they regard as an eccentric and unremunerative craze.