2o6 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



rarity, it is distinguished by a peculiar slowness of growth. 

 Mr. Day multiplied the specimen as fast as he could, but 

 between 1863 and 1881 he only succeeded in making four 

 small plants from it. One of these was sold to Mrs. 

 Morgan, of New York ; it perished, doubtless, for when, at 

 her death, a Cypriped was put up under that hallowed name, 

 and bought at a long price, it proved to be the common 

 Stoneii. Mr. Dorman, of Sydenham, was the victim. I 

 may mention that two of the largest orchid-dealers in Europe 

 sent an agent expressly to buy this ' lot ' in New York. 

 Mr. Day then had three left. One of them he divided, and 

 gave a fragment to his sister, Mrs. Wolstenholme. The 

 Tottenham collection was dispersed in 1881 ; Mr. Day kept 

 one small plant, Baron Schroder bought one for ^106; Mr. 

 Lee, of Leatherhead, and Sir Trevor Lawrence, in partner- 

 ship, one for £14.7. Three or four years afterwards this 

 was divided, each partner taking his share. Baron Schroder 

 afterwards bought Mr. Lee's. Also he bought the one Mr. 

 Day kept back, for ^159 : 12s., at the death of that gentle- 

 man. Then Mrs. Wolstenholme's executors put up her 

 example — which had never flowered — and Baron Schroder 

 secured it for £ 1 00. These prices do not seem to bear out 

 my statement that platytaenium is the most valuable of all 

 orchids. Infinitely greater sums have been paid. But it 

 must be remembered that these were all tiny bits, weakened 

 by division whenever they grew big enough to cut. At 

 present Baron Schroder and Sir Trevor Lawrence have all 

 the stock existing, to human knowledge. How much either 

 would obtain at Protheroe's for his little hoard makes a 

 favourite theme for speculation in a gathering of orchidists. 

 They have one significant hint to go upon. Two years ago 

 Mr. Ames, of Boston, U.S.A., commissioned Mr. Sander to 

 offer Sir Trevor Lawrence a cheque of 800 guineas for one 

 plant. And Sir Trevor declined it. 



