4 1 



326, as we learn from Sweet's " Hortus Britannicus," of that date. 

 During this period, Messrs. Loddiges', of Hackney, were doing 

 much to spread a knowledge of Orchids, both by introduction 

 and good culture, and their catalogue issued about this time 

 enumerated 84 forms, which was then a remarkable collection for 

 one firm. Taking four of the largest genera, we find the following 

 members of species in Sweet's list : Epidendrum, 17 ; Oncidium, 12 ; 

 Dendrobium, 10 ; and Cypripedium, 8. Of the same genera in 

 1840, Paxton enumerated of Epidendrum, 48 ; Oncidium, 43 ; Den- 

 drobium, 40 ; and Cypripedium, 12, when the first Odontoglossum 

 O. cordatum is named ; while in the next ten years, the members 

 had increased surprisingly, no less than 94 Dendrobiums; 172 

 Epidendrums, and 69 Oncidiums having been added to the list. 

 These will convey some idea of the advance made, but the 

 increase has been very rapid since then, for its is variously 

 estimated that at the present time, betwen 4 and 5,000 species 

 are known, of which probably at least half are in cultivation, 

 about 200 species each of Dendrobium and Oncidium being 

 known, while the Epidendrums have advanced to 400 species, 

 other genera being proportionate. 



At the commencement of the third decade of the present cen- 

 tury, orchid growing was making some progress, Mr. Richard 

 and Mrs. Arnold Harrison's collections at Aigburth, Liverpool, at- 

 tracted much attention, Mr. Jas. Bateman, Knypersley Hall, 

 Congleton, was gaining fame as an orchidist, and Mr. John 

 Lindley, who commenced editing the " Botanical Register " in 1829, 

 was giving much study to the family, the result being, that the 

 plants were brought prominently into public notice. Mr. Cattley 

 of Barnet, and the Rev. T. Huntley of Kimbolton, also grew 

 considerable numbers of orchids. Collectors were dispatched 

 to various regions, and the result of their journeys was the 

 successful importation of many plants. In 1833 and 1834, Kew 

 was enriched by collections from Demerara and Surinam, brought 

 by Messrs. Aldridge and Lance, while Mr. Colley collected in 

 Demerara, and dispatched to Mr. Fairbairn of Oxford, 60 species, 

 two-thirds of which were said to be new Mr. Knight of Chelsea, 

 also, having acquired Mrs Arnold Harrison's orchids, soon formed 

 a considerable collection, the Liverpool Botanic Gardens, the 

 London Horticultural Society, and Messrs. Lee, had more or 

 less extensive collections. In the course of this decade, the 

 Duke of Devonshire began to increase his collections, and Mr. 

 John Gibson was dispatched to the East Indies in search of 

 novelties, several hundreds being sent home during 1837, and 

 in subsequent years the Chatswoth collection became, under 

 the charge of Mr. Paxton, one of the most noted in the king- 

 dom. In 1841, the " Gardener's Chronicle " was founded, and 

 aided still farther in extending the public favour to these plants, 



