The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-02-14
Wonderful Air Plants.

ST. range pldHtS
Rare orchids i'm curious forms are
now quite commonly found i'm our con-
servatOries and hOthOuses Even the
most inexperienced of amateur grow
ers will take pride in exhibiting a few
air plants; but the finest varieties to
be found in the collection of the pro-
feSSlOnal florist can give very little
idea of the wonderful orchid grOwths
which flourish in great luXuriance in
tropical countries
BOtaniStS tell us that mature is
much given to cOunterfeiting her own
work, and among the most remark
able illustrations of this tendency on
her part are numerous vegetable i'm
ltatiOnS of animal life" We find this
sort Of freak best exhibited i'm plants
OF the orchid kind, whose oddly form
ed flowers suggest various queer re-
semblances. There are two species. for
example, known as the 'bee orchid'
and the fly orchid" from the likeness
between their flowers and those in
sects
Other varieties, for similar reasons
are called the IMAM orchid the sliz-
ard orchid and the "lady's slipper"
splendid butterflies. One again re-
minds the observer of grinning
monkey; another suggests the aSpect
OF an opera dancer suspended by the
head; while third, named the s'spider
orchid affords a striking likeness to
large spider
Although there are orchids of va
riOus kinds to be found i'm temperate
ATTITUDES, the most beautiful species
grow in 1uXuriance where a tropical
climate develops these exquisite vege-
table forms on the branches of the
living trees, i'm the decayed bark of
fallen trunks, running over messy
rocks or hanging suspended from
bOughs in the untrOdden forests. For
a long time it was supposed that this
most curious tribe in all the vegetab bic
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 a greenhouse
as they obtain in their native woods. |
1t is chiefly i'm the forests of South |
America that the species which grow
on the bark of trees are found Some
or them are known as lair plantS'
from their power of negotiating when |
simply suspended i'm the air without
any soil or direct supply of water. |
supported only by the moisture of the |
atmosphere. When hung up by strings |
from the ceiling of room they will |
live for months, and will go on bloom
ing luXuriantly. Such orchids are IA
vorite ornaments of houses in China
and Japan.
There are nearly two thousand
known species of orchids Probably
as many more remain undiscovered in
the depths of UNEMPLOYED tropical for
ests. He who comes upon a new one
obtains almost as much glory as is OBJ
tanned by the discovery of star.
1t seems curious that, although these
plants are spread over nearly all the
world, as far as the borders of the
frozen zone, there should be SO few va
rieties that are useful in any way to
man.
Vanilla is an orchid, which in the
West Indies creeps over trees and
walls like ivy. A substance called
'salep," somewhat resembling arrow
root or sage, is obtained from the
-ubers of variety that grows i'm
Turkey and Persia, where it is highly |
esteemed. Il
''This. 'salep used to be sold at the t
corners of streets in London" says Dr.
L