158 ABOUT ORCHIDS. 
technical. It may be observed that the famous 
Swan orchid, Cycnoches chlorochilon, flourishes at 
Maidstone as nowhere else perhaps in England. 
Phalcenopsis were first introduced by Messrs. 
Rollisson, of Tooting, a firm that vanished years 
ago, but will live in the annals of horticulture as 
the earliest of the great importers. In 1836 they 
got home a living specimen of Ph. amadilis, 
which had been described, and even figured, 
eighty years before. A few months later the 
Duke of Devonshire secured Ph. Schzlleriana. 
The late Mr. B. S. Williams told me a very 
curious incident relating to this species. It comes 
from the Philippines, and exacts a very hot, close 
atmosphere of course. Once upon a time, how- 
ever, a little piece was left in the cool house at 
Holloway, and remained there some months 
unnoticed by the authorities. When at length 
the oversight was remarked, to their amaze this 
stranger from the tropics, abandoned in the tem- 
perate zone, proved to be thriving more vigorously 
than any of his fellows who enjoyed their proper 
climate !—so he was left in peace and cherished 
as a “phenomenon.” Four seasons had passed 
when I beheld the marvel, and it was a picture of 
health and strength, flowering freely; but the 
reader is not advised to introduce a few Phalc- 
