64 ABOUT ORCHIDS. 
stake is precious: we enjoy the boon of relief 
proportionately. 
Very few of those who grow Odontoglossums 
know much about the “ Trade,” or care, seemingly. 
It is a curious subject, however. The genus is 
American exclusively. It ranges over the continent 
from the northern frontier of Mexico to the southern 
frontier of Peru, excepting, to speak roughly, the 
empire of Brazil. This limitation is odd. It can- 
not be due to temperature simply, for, upon the 
one hand, we receive Sophronitis, a very cool genus, 
from Brazil, and several of the coolest Cattleyas ; 
upon the other, Odontoglossum Roezli, a very hot 
species, and O, vexilartum, most decidedly warm, 
flourish up to the boundary. Why these should 
not step across, even if their mountain sisters refuse 
companionship with the Sophronitis, is a puzzle. 
Elsewhere, however, they abound. Collectors dis- 
tinctly foresee the time when all the districts they 
have “worked ” up to this will be exhausted. But 
South America contains a prodigious number of 
square miles, and a day’s march from the track 
carries one into terra incognita. Still, the end will 
come. The English demand has stripped whole 
provinces, and now all the civilized world is enter- 
ing into competition. We are sadly assured that 
Odontoglossums carried off will not be replaced 
