Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-11-05
WONDERFUL ORCHIDS.
CURIOUS VEGETABLE IMITA-
TIONS OF ANIMAL LIFE.
Where the Most beautiful Species Are
Found-Some Varieties That Can
BE Converted to the Use
of Mankind.

Mature is much given to counter
ieiting her own work said a botan-
list to Washington Star writer.
Among the most remarkable imita.
tions OF animal life. You will find
this sort of freak best exhibited in
plants of the orchid kind whose
oddly-formed flowers suggest various
queer resem blances. There are two
species, for example known as the
'oee orchid and this lily orchid from
the likeness between their flowers and
those insects. Other varieties for
similar reasons are called the man
orchid. the lizard orchid and the
lady's slipper In some species the
flowers are like splendid butterflies
One again reminds the observer OF u
grinning monkey; another suggests
the aspect of an opera dancer sus-
pended by the head while IA third
named the spider orchid affords a
striking likeness OF that animal
although there are orchids OF
various kinds TO be found in temperate
ATTITUDES. the most beautiful species
grow in luNuriauce where tropical
climate deyelepes these exquisite
vegetable iormc - the branches OF
the living trees 10 the decayed bark
OF fallen trunks running over messy
rocks or hanging suspended from
boughs in the untrodden forests For
a long time IL was supposed that this
most curious tribe in all tho vegetable
kingdom could not be subjected 10
! the uses OF the gardener. but ii has
| been discovered OF late years that
with care and perseverance. they
can be brought to as high perfec-
ton in green house as they obtain
in their native woods. IL is chiefly in
the fOrestc = =outh America that the
species which grow on the bark OF
trees are found. Some Of them are
known as air plant from their
power OF negotiating when simply
suspended In the ali without any soil
| or direct supply OF water supported
| only by the moisture Of the at.
mosphere. When hung up by the
strings from the ceiling OF room
they will live for months and will 20
on poisoning luxuriantIy. such
houses in China and japan.
There are nearly two thousand
known species OF orchids. Probably
rs many more remain undiscovered
in the depths OF unexplored tropical
forests He who comes upon "a new
one obtains almost az much glory as
is got by the discovery OF star II
seems curious that whereas thesa
plants are spread over nearly all OF
| the world, us far as the borders Of the
frozen zone there should be so fe W
| kinds that are useful in any way 10
man. Vanilla Is in an orchid. which
in the West Indies creeps over trees
and walls like Ivy A substance
called salep somewhat resembling
arrowroot or sage Is obtained from
the tubers Of variety that grows IN
Turkey and Persia where II Is highly
| esteemed.
This @alep used to be sold nj the
corners OF streets in London. SAYS DR..
Carpenter in his Vegetable Physiol.
ogy. 1t was q favorite drink with
| porterS coal beavers and other hard
working people, by whom IL was con.
| sidered very strengthening. 10 il
said TO contain q greater amount oil
nutriment than any other vegetable
substance in the same bulk. and for
this reason il is much eaployed by
travellers who have TO carry supplies
with them into deserts and other un.
| inhabited countries One ounce OF
salep boiled with an equal quantity
OF the animal jelly known rs portable
soup. in two quarts OF water. will
suffice for the daily nourishment Of an
able-b bodied man. Some OF the South
American species yield by boiling. d
sort OF glue, utilized by the Brazilians
for fastening leather together These
are the only orchids that are Of utility
| 10 mankind"
! saa..H.s.