BOTANY.-No. XXVII. ORCHIDEE-THE ORCHISES. THERE is something peculiarly interesting in the very outward appearance of the orchises, which commends them to the attention of the curious. The figure at the head of this article is a fair representation of a pretty sample of this group, as far as outline and proportions are concerned, but it is impossible in a woodcut to exhibit the texture and colour of this plant; for the tender and delicate nature of the substance, as well as the shades with which it is enlightened, are VOL. III. very remarkable. They are in general solitary plants, even in those places where they occur in the greatest frequency. In the sultry climates of the earth, many delightful specimens of the orchis tribe are to be met growing parasitically upon trees, and presenting the loveliest hues in places where the sun never penetrates the umbrageous foliage of the woods. While collecting plants and other natural productions in the island of Aimeo, a few hours' sail from Tahiti or Otaheite, the writer of this paper was greatly amused and instructed by the specimens found by 3 E with one or two would always be able to tell, by the inspection of a plant, whether it did or did not belong to it. The first singularity which strikes us, is the shape of the lower part of the blossom, which always presents certain tokens of a highly finished workmanship, in company with the greatest variety of form. In the common orchis, just referred to, it terminates in a spur behind. It has been customary since the time of Linnæus to call the part in question a nectary, because it is found in some cases to secrete a certain portion of honey or sweet juice. In the bee orchis, at the head of this article, its form is convex or round, and of such an outline and colour as to resemble the body of some kinds of humblebee. The next him in that island; for the singularity of their contour or outline naturally leads the mind to desire a more intimate acquaintance. Nor did a minuter examination of their parts afford less pleasure to him than he had felt in roaming amidst the loneliness of the solitary waste. There is little in a life chequered with much suffering and human infirmity which would tempt him to wish to live any of its scenes over again; yet his mind often reverts to these lovely spectacles of nature's benevolence, while the imagination paints him as once more straying through the distant forest, toiling up the laborious height of some well-wooded mountain, or threading his gloomy way as he follows the bubbling stream which tumbles from ledge to ledge down the shelving steeps in some seques-object of curiosity is the mode in which tered valley. Those curious vegetables, the epidendrums, belong to this family: in the hothouses we see them growing from a bundle of moss suspended from the roof, and owing nothing to the cradle in which they are thus made to rest, except support; for the air, which is always very moist there, supplies them with an abundance of watery nutriment. It gives an admirable notion of what we may call the chemistry of nature, when we see such a variety of texture, hue, and property, which there exists in almost every plant, emerging from a bundle of moss, and deriving all its plastic powers from the simple vapour that floats around it. How wonderful must be the operation that can rear such laboured edifices out of such simple materials! For a very common sample of this order, we might refer the young collector to the orchis mascula, or common field orchis, which in early spring is seen in almost every piece of green pasture. The leaves are broad, grow in a knot, and are remarkable for being spotted with large deep purple stains. The flowers are borne upon a single stem, and range themselves in a spike or raceme. These are of a purple colour, and make a conspicuous figure amid the surrounding verdure. The orchis mascula has various names in different parts of the country; in Suffolk it is called the cuckoo-flower, but it would not be easy to guess by what name it is known in the neighbourhood of any particular individual who may glance at these pages. It should be remarked, that there is a great similarity between the members of this family; so that a person acquainted the anthers grow; not, as in other flowers, upon filaments or threads, which are distinct from the rest of the flower; but they either adhere to, or grow upon the style, which is generally a large pillar (fig. a) in the middle of the flower. In our figure, this large style or pillar is represented with a small body borne upon a stalk protruding from a little cell behind it. This little body (fig. b) is a mass of pollen, which in this order is often of a waxy consistence. The fine powder, with which we see the bristles upon the thighs of a bee loaded, is destined for the composition of the wax; but in the orchises it is generally in the solid state of wax, when obtained from the recent flower. To speak in simple terms, we might say, that instead of finding several little dusty heads, as in other flowers, we mostly find in the orchis tribe a small lid upon the top of a central column, under which lid a mass of pollen is found. And this mass, be it remembered, is unlike pollen in appearance. This difference in aspect is very apt to puzzle the beginner, if he has not been previously advertised of it. He is informed that the stamens grow upon the style, which in terms is intelligible enough; but when he gets a living specimen, he often looks in vain for the stamens. This central pillar, which is so notable an object in the blossom, seems to be formed by the growing toge ther of the filaments and style. Of this "coalition" among vegetable bodies, the writer has seen examples in some species of fig-tree in Mexico. There it is no unusual thing to see two trunks, if they happen to grow near enough to touch, embracing each other, and becoming one. The natives characterize this circum to be found in perfection. It is a native of South America, and very much in request as a condiment to correct the hurtful properties of the chocolate, and to impart to it a pleasant and stomachic flavour. Fig. c, in the engraving, threecelled capsule: fig. d, opened to release the seeds. stance, by calling the trees thus united, | In the vanilla aromatica this aroma is "Brothers." And without question they exhibit a lively image of the social compact: it were very much to be wished that brothers always did, especially when they profess to stand in that relationship by being members of Christ's body, in this instance copy nature, and by their union and affection fully justify this beautiful emblem. We have been thus familiar in speaking of the style in question, in order to bring the circumstance under the attention, and fasten it in the memory of the reader. This, therefore, may be done by thinking upon the brotherly fig-trees of Mexico, and considering withal that in the orchis tribe all those threads commonly seen in flowers are united with the style (or that which grows upon the seedvessel) into one common brotherhood. After stating thus much concerning the structure of the flowers in the orchis family, we will employ a few lines in speaking of their utility. And this is exemplified in salep, which is prepared from the roots belonging to a species of orchis. The roots, we should observe, in all the orchises are of the bulbous kind, that is to say, they grow in knobs. These knobs are collected in Persia, washed in boiling water to remove the outer skin, and then strung upon a thread, like a chaplet; thus arranged, they are hung in the sun for drying. In this process they lose about three parts out of four of their weight, and are converted into a horny substance, about the size of an olive. In this state it is imported, and after being reduced to powder, is made into a kind of gruel, in the same way as flour. It is said that the salep contains more nutriment in the same quantity than any other substance. The Turks and Persians are in the constant habit of using it at their meals, with that relish which an early and long-established custom never fails to impart. The Sandwich islanders prepare a starchy kind of mess from the taro, which is perhaps somewhat related to the salep; of this the natives of those islands are so fond, that the chiefs who accompanied the king and the queen a few years ago in a voyage to this country, seemed to long for nothing with so much impatience as for a calabash full of this "home-born" diet. Such is the force of early habit. Some of the orchises which grow wild in this country give out a very pleasant odour, and a few in foreign countries possess an aromatic fragrance. CANONS. ONE of the most sumptuous establishments of the last century was Canons, near Edgware, in Middlesex, where a superb palace was built by the first duke of Chandos, whose princely spirit was such, that the people in the above neighbourhood, long after his death, called him "the Grand Duke." The mansion, with its decorations and furniture, cost 250,000l. The pillars of the great hall were of marble, as were the steps of the principal staircase, each step consisting of one piece, twenty feet long. The locks and hinges were of household was upon a comparative scale, silver or gold. The establishment of the and extended even to the ceremonies of religion. The chapel had a choir of vocal and instrumental music, as in the chapel royal; and when the duke went to church, he was attended by his guards,* ranged as yeomen of the guard. Music was played when he was at table; and he was served by a long retinue of gentlemen. The plan of housekeeping was drawn up by one of the ablest accomptants in England: it was engraved on a large copper plate, and from it 66 66 as you could ascertain, at once, the total of a year's, a month's, a week's, or even a duke was magnificent, he was not wasteful. day's expenditure. Thus, although the All the fruit in the garden, not wanted for his table, was sold on his account : It is as much my property," he would say, the corn and hay, and other produce of my fields." He would never give as a bounty to a labourer more than sixpence at a time. "This," he would observe, "may do you drunk." The duke maintained his splengood; more may make you idle and dour until his death, in 1744; after which, the estate being encumbered, and there being no purchaser for the mansion, the materials were sold by auction, in 1747, in *The duke had accumulated his vast fortune as paymaster to the army, in Queen Anne's reign. At the end of each of his chief avenues, he had neat lodgings for eight old sergeants of the army, whom he took out of Chelsea College. These veterans guarded the whole property, went their rounds at night, and called the hour, as watchmen till lately did in London; and they attended the duke to chapel on sundays. separate lots, and produced 11,000l. The | marble staircase was purchased by the earl of Chesterfield, for his house in May Fair; the fine columns were bought for Wanstead House, (since taken down ;) and the equestrian statue of George 1., one of the numerous sculptures that adorned the grounds, is now the ornament of Leicestersquare. And, as the poet has said, "Laughing Ceres re-assumes the land;" or, in plain English, the site of the mansion and gardens became cultivated fields. One of the principal lots of materials was bought by a cabinet-maker, who with them built a handsome villa; and the two porters' lodges, which were not taken down, subsequently became the residences of two baronets. Yet the magnificence of Canons would scarcely have borne comparison with Fonthill Abbey, the wonder of the present century, the building of which cost upwards of 400,000/., or nearly half a million; but the purchase-money of the whole estate, in 1823, was but 330,000l., although its cost had been upwards of a million. Here also a considerable part of the fabric is level with the dust. "Surely every one walketh in a vain show!" Psa. xxxix. 6. "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity," Eccles. i. 2. SCENE IN EGYPT. MR. CARNE writes." Evening now drew on, and the labour of the day being finished, we seated ourselves at an humble repast at the door of the place of tombs. The solitude that spread around was vast, and the stillness unbroken: the Arabs had all retired to their homes in the distant villages; the Santon, who lived in a lofty tomb by, was the only tenant of the desert save ourselves, and his orisons were always silent: in such a situation, one hour of life leaves recollections which no change or distance can impair or efface. lity and beauty marked the course of the Nile, that wound its way as far as the eye could reach into Upper Egypt; beneath, amidst the overflow of waters, appeared the numerous hamlets and groves, encircled like so many beautiful islets; and far in the distance was seen the smoke of Cairo, and its lofty minarets, with the dreary Mount Mokattam rising above. Who but would linger over such a scene; and, however wide he roamed, who would not feel hopeless of ever seeing it equalled! PRECIOUS THOUGHTS. HAST thou, O Lord, from eternity had thoughts of glorifying me, a poor miserable man, who am less than nothing? and shall not I again always carry thee in my eyes and in my bosom ? shall not I be delighted in meditating on thee? shall not I cry out, "How precious are thy thoughts also unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!" Psalm cxxxix. 17. Shall I not be affected with most sincere repentance of that time wherein so many hours, days, weeks, months, and years have passed me, wherein I never had a holy, pleasant thought of thee? Hast thou, out of mere love, chosen me to salvation, and shall not I again choose thee for my Lord, my King, my Spouse, the peculiar one of my soul, my chief, or rather my only delight? Hast thou chosen me out of so many others, who, being left to themselves, eternal destruction abides them; and shall I not with my utmost power endeavour to shine before others in love, in thy worship, and in all duties of holiness? Hast thou predestinated me to holiness, so lovely in itself, so necessary to me, as that without it there is no salvation; and shall not I walk therein? Shall I presume to sophisticate with thee, O thou brightest Teacher of truth, that, separating the end from the means, I shall promise to myself the end, as being predestinated thereto, in a neglect The next morning I ascended the of the means, to which I am no less pregreat pyramid. The outside is formed destinated? Is thy purpose concerning my of rough stones, of a light yellow colour, salvation fixed and immoveable; and shall which form unequal steps all round from I every hour be changed, now for thee, the bottom to the summit: these stones now again giving up my service to Satan? or steps are two, three, or four feet high, Shall not I rather with so firm purpose and the ascent is rather laborious, but adhere to thee, that I should rather suffer perfectly free from danger, or any serious a thousand deaths than perfidiously depart difficulty. What a boundless and extra- from thee? Shall not I be stedfast, unordinary prospect opened from the sum- moveable, always abounding in the work mit! On one side a fearful and melan- of the Lord, knowing that my labour is not choly desert, either level or broken into in vain in the Lord? 1 Cor. xv. 58. Wilt wild and fantastic hills of sand and rocks; thou make me assured of thy love, which on the other, scenes of the utmost ferti-passeth all understanding; and shall not I again love thee with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my strength? Wilt thou assure me of my salvation; and shall not I, having this hope, purify myself, even as thou art pure? 1 John iii. 3. Who, understanding these things, will deny that the doctrine of election supplies to the pious soul plenty of matter for such meditations? and who will deny that in the practice of such meditations lies the very kernel of all holiness and godliness? 1 Thess. i. 4, 5; 1 Pet. i, 15, 16.-Witsius. THE TELESCOPIC APPEARANCE OF THE PLANETS, ETC.-No. I. IN page 389 we gave some account of the moon, as seen through a telescope of considerable magnifying power, and stated it to be our intention to give a similar description of the phenomena presented to our view by the other heavenly bodies, when subjected to the like examination. At page 60 of the Weekly Visitor for 1833, we have given some particulars (accompanied with an illustration) of the solar appearances; and in addition to what we have stated, we add the following: The dark spots on the surface of the sun are of various magnitudes; and as the smallest circular spot which it is possible for us to distinguish as a visible area (subtending an angle of one second in diameter) corresponds on the sun's disk to about 220,000 square miles, it is highly probable that there are multitudes of similar but smaller spots, which altogether elude detection; whilst, on the other hand, spots have been observed whose diameter has been so great, that they have occupied a space immensely greater in extent than the surface of the whole earth. The duration of these spots is as various as their magnitudes, but they seldom last longer than six weeks; and when observed from day to day, they appear frequently to alter their dimensions, by enlarging or contracting their diameters; they sometimes appear to change their form in a few seconds, and the writer has seen one, about four years ago, of great dimensions, in a very short space of time break up into several smaller spots, which continued to be visible throughout the following day: clouds prevented further observation; and when the sun was again seen, the spots were entirely gone. Their disappearance is gradual, and takes place at their outer edge in the first instance, and so contracts itself to a mere dark point before its total disappearance. Sir John Herschell has remarked, that a spot of 45,000 miles in diameter (of which there are frequent instances) to close up, in the manner we have described, in six weeks, would require that its borders must approach at the rate of 1000 miles a day. The annexed cut represents such a spot, surrounded, as usual, with a kind of mottled border, less dark than the central parts, and which is usually designated the penumbra. The whole of the phenomena attending these solar spots are similar to what would take place among fluids; indicating such violent agitation as would lead to the inference that the solar disk is a gaseous state of matter. As a confirmation of this view of the subject, it may be remarked that the whole disk of the sun at all times, when examined through a powerful telescope, is by no means of a uniform brightness, but presents the appearance of very fine reticulation, as if covered with network, and these in a constant state of agitation and change. On the nature of these spots, we shall quote the language of Sir John Herschell himself:-" Many fanciful notions have been broached on this subject, but only one seems to have any degree of physical probability, namely, that they are the dark, or at least comparatively dark, solid body of the sun itself, laid bare to our view by those immense fluctuations in the luminous regions of its atmosphere, to which it appears to be subject. Respecting the manner in which this disclosure takes place, different ideas have been advocated." Lalande, the French astronomer, suggests, that eminences, in the nature of mountains, are actually laid bare, and project above the luminous ocean, appear ing black above it, while their shoaling declivities produce the penumbra, where the luminous fluid is less deep. A fatal objection to this theory, is the perfectly uniform shade of the penumbra, and its sharp termination, both inwards, where it joins the spot, and outwards, where it |