144 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



the examples possessed by Mr, R. H, Measures belonged to the 

 variety Pescatorei, named after General Pescatore, the same 

 leading amateur of early days whose memory is kept green 

 by the sweetest of Odontoglossums, saving crispum, Cattleya 

 labiata Pescatorei was a precious treasure then ; ' none so 

 poor as do it reverence ' in this generation. The plant is 

 still here, pretty enough so far as it goes, slightly dis- 

 tinguished by a silver edging to the petals. 



The puzzle of that first consignment has not been 

 explained — we have only eluded it, like Alexander at 

 Gordium. Certainly Swainson did not find his plants in the 

 neighbourhood where they exist at this time. It is con- 

 jectured that there were woods close to Rio, now cultivated 

 ground, where it flourished at the beginning of the century. 

 However, in 1889, Cattleya labiata reappeared; oddly 

 enough a collector of insects found it originally, and a 

 collector of insects rediscovered it. The ' professionals ' 

 were beaten to the last. 



And now it has become almost the commonest of 

 orchids ; but for the same reason we may be sure that it will 

 grow scarce again in no long time. Not to England only 

 but to France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, such 

 vast quantities have been consigned that to one who knows 

 something of the facts it seems amazing that the limited area 

 could furnish so many. And for one that reaches the 

 market three, perhaps six, die. 



I have alluded to the extermination of orchids already. 

 It is a sadly fascinating subject for those who think, and ' out 

 of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh.' The time 

 is very close when Odontoglossum crispum, most heavenly 

 of created things, will arrive by tens and units instead of 

 myriads — and then will arrive not at all. Already a gentle- 

 man who boasts that he has leased the whole district where 

 the ' Pacho ' form still survives, reckons the number of 



