STORY OF CATTLEYA SKINNERI ALBA 



The annals of botany are full of incident and adventure, 

 especially that branch which deals with orchids. All manner 

 of odd references and associations one finds there. I myself, 

 having studied the subject, was not much surprised to meet 

 with a tale of orchids and cock-fighting lately ; but others 

 may like to hear how such an odd connection arose. 



The name of the orchid was Cattleya Skinneri alba, one 

 of the rarest and most beautiful we have ; the name of the 

 hero, Benedict Roezl, greatest of all collectors. This experi- 

 ence gives some notion of his ready wit, cool daring, and 

 resource. But I could tell some even more characteristic. 



It is necessary to say that Cattleya Skinneri tout court — a 

 charming rosy flower — was discovered by Mr. Skinner long 

 before this date — in 1836 ; but no white Cattleya had yet 

 been heard of. 



It was in 1870. Roezl had made a very successful foray 

 in the neighbourhood of Tetonicapan, Guatemala, and with 

 a long train of mules he was descending towards the coast. 

 His head mozo could be trusted ; the perils of the road — 

 streams, mud, precipices, and brigands — had been left behind ; 

 Roezl, rejoicing in the consciousness of good work well done, 

 pushed on by himself towards the village where they were to 

 spend the night. 



He had not been there before, but the road — rather, the 

 trail — was plain enough. Unfortunately it led him, after a 



