HISTORY OF ORCHID CULTURE IN AMERICA. 135 



At the present day these would not be wonderful, but 

 at that time, probably, no Orchid house in the world could 

 have shown a finer display. The collection of Mr. Van 

 Voorst embraced about two hundred and fifty species, 

 among which were nineteen species of Aerides, forty Cat- 

 tleyas, fourteen Qdontoglossums, ten Anczctochiluses, thirty 

 Dendrobiums, sixteen Lcelias, and was especially rich in 

 fine plants of Cattleyas, Aerides, Saccolabiums, and Den- 

 drobiums. There were specimens of Cattleya crisp a, An- 

 sellia africcifia, and Aerides odoratum, which two men 

 could hardly lift. 



In 1870, the whole of the Van Voorst collection was 

 bought by Mr. M. Lienau, then of Jersey City. Mr. 

 Lienau was one of the first who sent Orchids to Europe. 

 As a young man, he was sent to South America, as super- 

 cargo in one of his uncle's vessels, and saw fine Orchids 

 with Mr. Perrin, of Rio Janeiro. He bought of Mr. 

 Perrin seventy pounds worth, Lczlia Perrinii among the 

 number, and sent them to his uncle in Germany. After 

 his uncle's death, he brought a share of these plants to 

 Jersey City, and these, with the large collection of Mr. 

 Van Voorst and numerous importations, formed the 

 largest and finest collection in the country. 



In 1873 Mr. Lienau returned to Germany, taking with 

 him many of his choicest plants to Hamburg, where he 

 now resides, still an amateur in Orchids. The balance 

 of the Lienau collection was sold at auction, October 4th, 

 5th, and 6th, 1873. This was the largest sale of Orchids 

 ever made in this country. There were in all 917 lots, 

 among which were 136 Cattleyas, 75 Dendrobiums, 30 Cy- 

 pripediums, 12 Selenepediums, 41 Stanhopeas, 25- Aerides, 

 40 Odontoglossums, 70 Oncidiums, 28 Vandas, and 40 



