Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-14
ORCHIDS THAT ARE WONDERS.
Curious Plants Which Afford Commercials
of Animal Life.

Mature is much given 10 counterfeiting her
own work, said q botanist to a STAR writer
Among the most remarkable illustrations of
this tendency on her part are numerous vege-
table limitations of animal life. You will find
TINS sort OF freak best exhibited in plants of
the orchid kind, whose oddly formed flowers
suggest various queer resemblances. There
are two species, for example, known as the bee
orchid and the fly 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 grinning monkey; another sug-
gests the aspect of an opera dancer suspended
by the head, while third, named the spider
orchid, affords striking likeness to that ami
NAL.
Although there are orchids of various kinds
to be found in temperate ATTITUDES the most
beautiful species grow in luxuriance where a
tropical climate develops these exquisite veQe-
table forms on the branches of the living trees
IN the decayed bark of fallen trunks running
over messy rocks or hanging suspended from
boughs In the untrodden forests. For long
time 1t was supposed that this most curious
tribe in all the vegetable kingdom could not be
subjected to the Uses of the gardener but it has
been discovered of late years that. with care and
perseverance. they can be brought to as high
perfection in green house as they obtain in
their native woods. 1t is chiefly in the forests
OF South 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
veSetating when simply suspended in the air
without any soil or direct supply of water. sup
ported only by the moisture OF the atmosphere
When hung up by strings from the ceiling of a
room they will live for months and will go on
blossoming luxuriantly. Such orchids are
favorite ornaments of houses in China and Ja-
pan.
There are nearly 1000 known species of
orchids. Probably rs many more remain I'M
discovered IN the depths of unexplored tropical
forests. He who comes upon a new one obtains
almost as much glory as is got by the discovery
or star. 1t seems curious that, whereas these
plants are spread over nearly all of the world,
as far as the borders of the frozen zone there
should be SO few kinds that are useful in any
way TO man. Vanilla is an orchid which. in the
west Indies. creeps over trees and walls like ivy
substance called 'salep.' somewha resembling
arrowroot or sage, is obtained from the subers
OF variety that grows in Turkey and Persia.
where it il highly esteemed
This 'salep' used to be sold at the corners of
streets III Eondcn. says DIR. Carpenter in his Veg
etable Physiology 1t was favorite drink with
porters. coal beavers and other Woodworking
people. by whom 1t was considered very strength
ening. 1t is said to contain a greater amount of
nutriment than any other vegetable substance
In the same bulk. and for this reason it is much
employed by travellers who have to carry sup
plies with them into deserts and other unin-
habited countries. One ounce of .salep. boiled
with an equal quantity of the animal jelly known
as portable soup. in two quarts of water. will
suffice for the daily nourishment of an able
bodied man. Some of the South American spe-
cies yield. by boiling. sort of glue, utilized by
the Brazilians for fastening leather together.
These are the only orchids that are of utility to
mankind