34 ABOUT ORCHIDS. 
of type were employed to call public attention to 
its merits, and this was really no extravagant 
allowance under the circumstances alleged. It 
was a “grand new species,’ destined to be a 
“oem in the finest collections,” a “favourite,” the 
“most attractive of plants.” Its flowers were wholly 
“tinged with a most delicate mauve, the base of the 
segment and the lip of a most charming violet ”— 
in short, it was “ the blue Odontoglossum ” and well 
deserved the title cvleste. And the whole stock 
of two hundred plants would be offered to British 
enthusiasm. No wonder the crowd was thick at 
Messrs. Protheroe’s room on that March morning. 
Few leading amateurs or growers who could not 
attend in person were unrepresented. At the 
psychological moment, when eagerness had reached 
the highest pitch, an orchid was brought in and set 
before them. Those experienced persons glanced 
at it and said, “ Very nice, but haven’t you an 
Odontoglossum caleste to show?” The unhappy 
agent protested that this was the divine thing. No 
one would believe at first ; the joke was too good 
—to put it in that mild form. When at length it 
became evident that this grand new species, 
heavenly gem, &c., was the charming but familiar 
Odontoglossum ramossissimum, such a tumult of 
laughter and indignation arose, that Messrs. 
