STORY OF CYPRIPEDIUM CURTISII 



My tales do not commonly bear a moral. If one they 

 have It is apt to be such as grandmamma teaches — foresight, 

 perseverance, the habit of observation. Those virtues need 

 no finger-post. They are illustrated by the story of Cypri- 

 pedium Curtisii, and rewarded there, as they should be 

 always, by a notable instance of luck. I have not heard of 

 any special circumstances attending the first discovery of 

 this plant. It was found in Sumatra by Mr. Curtis, travel- 

 ling for Messrs. Veitch, in 1882 — a large green flower, 

 margined and touched here and there with white, the pouch 

 vinous purple. This brief and vague description may suffice 

 for readers who take more interest in romance than in 

 orchidology. Mr. Curtis did not tell the world at large 

 where he found the treasure. It was his intention, doubtless, 

 to work the mine himself But after sending home the first 

 fruits, he was offered the Directorship of the Botanic Gardens 

 at Penang, and left Messrs. Veitch's service. He may well 

 have hoped to revisit Sumatra one day, but the opportunity 

 never came. Messrs. Veitch knew the secret, doubtless, and 

 kept it f^aithfully ; but they took no steps. And so, the 

 first consignment being scanty, no more arriving, and the 

 plant growing in favour, Cypripedium Curtisii rose to 

 famine price. 



The St. Albans firm took note of this. The home of 



