AN ORCHID SALE. 29 
of Masdevallia Tovarensis—-sent them direct to 
the auction-room—and drove down the price in one 
month from a guinea a leaf to the fraction of a 
shilling. 
Other great sales might be recalled, as 
that of Pkhalenopsis Sanderiana and Vanda 
Sanderiana, when asum as yet unparalleled was 
taken in the room; Cypripedium Spicerianum, 
Cyp. Curtisiz, Lela anceps alba. Rarely now are 
we thrilled by sensations like these. But 1891 
brought two of the old-fashioned sort, the re- 
appearance of Cattleya labiata autumnalis and the 
public sale of Dendrobium phalenopsis Schro- 
derranum. The former event deserves a special 
article, ‘‘ The Lost Orchid ;” but the latter also was 
most interesting. Messrs. Sander are the heroes 
of both. Dendrobium ph. Schroederianum was not 
quite a novelty. The authorities of Kew obtained 
two plants from an island in Australasia a good 
many yearsago. They presented a piece to Mr. 
Lee of Leatherhead, and another to Baron 
Schroeder ; when_Mr. Lee’s grand collection was 
dispersed, the Baron bought his plant also, for 
£35, and thus possessed the only specimens in 
private hands. His name was given to the 
species, 
Under these conditions, the man lucky and 
