Probably no one except a few professional botanists knows that there are at present no less than twenty-two species of native, epiphytic Orchids known in the State of Florida. Some of these are beautiful while all are strange and interesting. Nearly all of these are natives of the West Indies or Tropical America, and it is probable that they were introduced, for the most part, in to South Florida during late geological time by birds, winds, and, it may be, on floating vegetation carried on the Gulf Stream.

There are nine species of Epidendrum known in the state, most of which have no beauty, as the Epidendrums are called the weeds among Orchids. However, E. cochleatum has odd purple and yellow flowers that remind one a little of those of a pansy. E. nocturnum has spidery white blossoms and E. tam-pense has really pretty flowers of purple, greenish and white with sometimes yellowish or chocolate tints.

Cyrtopodium Punctatum

Cyrtopodium Punctatum is a noble Orchid, sometimes forming immense clumps, the stems and numerous rather large flowers being greenish yellow barred with brown red; a large plant may carry as many as 300 blossoms at a time. There are three species of the genus Dendrophylax in lower Florida, one of which, D. lindeni, with leafless stems and handsome, large, satiny blossoms, usually grows on the trunks of royal palms. Oncidium luridum is a magnificent Orchid with large, thick leaves, and stems of flowers which sometimes reach a length of ten feet. The color of the blossoms is lurid, greenish yellow barred and blotched with red or red brown. O. sphacellatum is an epiphytal Orchid in Cuba but here it is more or less terrestrial, growing on pine land in the edges of swamps or rarely in hammocks. The flowers are yellow and quite attractive. Besides the above there is a Macradenia, an Ionopsis, a Polystachya and a Brassia, the latter only just discovered in our region. This strange plant, B. caudata, is a native of Cuba and has curious spider-like greenish yellow blossoms. We have two Vanillas which climb trees by means of aerial roots and have rather attractive flowers. With their thick, fleshy stems and scale-like leaves, they are curious plants.

Many of the exotic Orchids can be successfully grown on the trees of our hammocks if proper care is given them. Two of our native species, Epidendrum conopseum and E. tampense grow on trees in the hammocks throughout the greater part of the peninsula of the state and it is probable that a few of the hardier exotic species might be cultivated over most of this area. First among exotics are the Cattleyas, - queens among Orchids. All of them bear large, handsome flowers, and with the exception of C. citrina, which is a cool house species, all that I have tried have done well. With a good selection one may have blossoms throughout the entire year, provided his plants are large and in good condition. C. labiata and its varieties will furnish flowers during the spring, summer and autumn and C. trianae, by some considered a variety of labiata, is a winter bloomer. C. labiata and C. trianae have mostly pink to purplish flowers; C. dowiana, yellow, and C. wagneri, white.

The Laelias

The Laelias have handsome flowers and are closely related to the Cattleyas, having much the same range of color, though they are less showy. L. anceps, L. majalis, L. perrini, L. jonghiana and L. superbiens promise well here.

Dendrobium

Dendrobium is a large genus of Oriental Orchids, most of which are handsome and easily grown. D. nobile and its varieties are among the finest; D. wardianum, D. palpebre, D. moschatum, D. superbum, D. fimbriatum, D. formosum, D. densifiorum and D. griffithianum are all doing well with me. The last two have hyacinth-like spikes of deep yellow flowers; those of the others vary through white, red, purple and straw color. D. phalanopsis and its variety schroederianum are very fine, with deep purple flowers, individual specimens of which have remained in perfection with me for over three months. So far the Dendrobes are perfectly healthy with me. A number of them throw out air roots from the young stems; these stems can be cut off and will make new plants. I occasionally put stems among my pots containing plants on the shelves in the slat house and by keeping them slightly moist I can sometimes root them.

Oncidium

Oncidium is a large and fine genus inhabiting the American Tropics and yellow and brown-red are the prevailing colors of their flowers. 0. tigrinum and its near ally O. splendidum are exceedingly showy; O. leucocheilum from Guatemala has panicles of flowers often nine feet long, the color being greenish and white. O. papilio, the Butterfly Orchid, has broad, usually spotted leaves and striking yellow and brown banded flowers which bear a stong resemblance to a butterfly, O. cavendishianum, O. varicosum and its variety rogersi, and 0. ampliatum have all done well with me. 0. ornithorhynchum has lovely, delicate lilac flowers, but is a coot house orchid and soon dies here.

The Vandas

The Vandas are superb Orchids from the East Indian region.. I have V. coerulea which has handsome blue flowers and V. teres with pink flowers, also an unnamed species, all of which are doing well.

Phalanopsis

Phalanopsis is a genus of Orchids from the Indo-Malayan region, and contains, perhaps, the most chastely beautiful species of the entire family. Here I have in splendid condition P. ama-bilis and P.schilleriana, the former bearing long racemes of nearly pure white, large flowers while those of the latter are a lovely lilac rose. They have a rich, waxy texture and solid substance that causes their flowers to be as lasting as those of any Orchids grown in the state. I have had individual blossoms of P. ama-bilis remain in perfection for four months. Here on my trees in the low land they send out their large, flat roots in great profusion and produce their handsome, glossy, leathery leaves with the greatest vigor. In fact, although these are considered rather difficult plants to grow in northern hothouses, they have done better with me than anything I have grown. They have endured long droughts and winter temperatures of light frost without injury, and when in bloom they have been the wonder of a great number of visitors.

Besides the above I have tried quite a number of other Orchids including Brassia verrucosa, Brassavola glauca, Chysis aurea,. Lycaste aromatica and skinneri, several Maxillarias, Miltonia roezeli, Schomburgkia tibicina, a couple of Gongoras, Stanhopea sp. and a considerable number of unnamed plants from Guatemala and Cuba, most of which are doing well.

There is a class of Orchids which grows at high elevations in the tropics where the atmosphere is always moist and cool. These are called "Cool House Orchids" and can only be grown in the north with great difficulty. Among them is the genus Odonto-glossum, containing some of the most exquisitely beautiful things in the world, and there are many others. I have repeatedly tried a number of these in my hammock and have met with absolute failure. Our summers are no doubt too warm and they can-not stand dry weather.

There is another class of Orchids which is neither wholly epiphytic nor terrestrial; the plants may grow in a native state near the ground on trees, on rocks or even in the ground. Among these is Oncidium sphacellatum, which I have mentioned in the list of Florida species, the Coelogynes and some of the Cymbidiums. They should be grown in moist places in the hammock at the bases of trees, on rocks with moss or leaf mould, or a sort of artificial rock-work with decaying wood and leaf mould mixed in will suit them. I have not had much experience with Cypripe-diums and other strictly terrestrial forms but they might probably be grown successfully in moist hammock in a mixture of peat, fern root and leaf mould.