FIGURE 51. The Librarian’s Ni 2. Vi Serre : 
. segs S Nightmare. \ ignette by G. Cruickshank fron ateman, The Orchidaceqe 
Mexico and Guatemala, 1837-43 : om J. Bateman, The Orchidaceae of 
Encouraged and assisted by his father in his botanical proclivities, 
Bateman sent out to Demerara at the end of 1833 a botanical collector named 
Colley, chiefly to search for orchids. About sixty species reached this 
country alive, of which a third were new. One of these was given the name 
Batemannia Colleyi by Dr. Lindley, thus commemorating at once both employer 
and collector. Bateman contributed an account of the expedition, based on 
Colley's report, to Loudon's Gardeners! Magazine for 1835. In 183) he be- 
came acquainted with G. Ure Skinner, a merchant living in Guatemala, who 
sent him many living orchids. In less than ten years the finest orchids 
of Guatemala were in cultivation in England, having first flowered at 
Knypersley. 
His Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala, perhaps the greatest botanical 
book in point of size ever published, was issued in parts from 1837 to 183. 
It consists of forty elephant folio plates, with descriptions and cultural 
hints, besides numerous sketches by Cruikshank. One of these represents the - 
opening of a box supposed to contain orchids, from which issue a pair of 
gigantic cockroaches, grown fat on the original contents, and which are 
chased by the gardener's family and assistants. The edition was limited to 
125 copies at twenty guineas each. 
Curtis's Botanical Magazine Dedications 1827-1927. 1931:h3- 
Bateman (J.) The Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemals. pp. VIII, 1,12, 
= 
lho. with 4.0 fine hand-colored plates. large folio. (1837-183). 165% 
A good copy of t he most imposing of Orchid books.....As usual, 
the text and some of the plates are rather spotted. This occurs 
in all copies and appears to be due to a defect in the paper. 
The work has become extremely scarce, which is hardly surprising 
as only 125 copies were tissued. ~ 
[ From Wheldon & Wesley's Catalogue No. 85. 1957 
