In order to grow homogeneous single crystals of semiconducting compounds, we have devised a new method of growth from solution, which ensures constant and selective thermodynamic conditions at the liquid-solid interface, and allows the growth of large-size crystals. The concentration of the solute in the solvent, and the crystallization temperature, are kept at constant values. This is obtained by continuously feeding the solvent with the solute, at a well defined rate, which exactly compensates the progressive exhaustion of the melt due to crystallization. Thus a stationary regime is established for the transport of the solute from a source, through the melt, to the crystal. Simultaneously a steep temperature gradient in the temperature range corresponding to the saturation of the melt ensures an oriented growth. This method has been studied in the case of compounds containing a volatile component, the non-volatile component being generally used as the solvent. The rate of dissolution of the solute in the solvent is controlled by the vapour pressure of the volatile component and the temperature of the melt at the liquid-vapour interface. The rate of transport of the solute in the melt depends on its diffusion coefficient and on the temperatures at the interfaces liquid-vapour and liquid-crystal. The speed of growth of the crystal, necessary to establish the stationary regime, may be calculated as a function of these parameters.