rREPACE, 
THE purport of this book is shown in the letter 
following which I addressed to the editor of the 
Dazly News some months ago :— 
“T thank you for reminding your readers, by 
reference to my humble work, that the delight of 
growing orchids can be enjoyed by persons of very 
modest fortune. To spread that knowledge is my 
contribution to philanthropy, and I make bold to 
say that it ranks as high as some which are com- 
mended from pulpits and platforms. For your 
leader-writer is inexact, though complimentary, in 
assuming that any ‘special genius’ enables me to 
cultivate orchids without more expense than other 
greenhouse plants entail, or even without a gar- 
dener. I am happy to know that scores of worthy 
gentlemen—ladies too—not more gifted than their 
neighbours in any sense, find no greater difficulty. 
If the pleasure of one of these be due to any 
