52 



labiata, 31. The Rev. W. Ellis's collection sold for 600 in 

 1872. Mr. Russell's, of Falkirk, for 2,211, when Cattleya 

 Russelliana fetched 44, Saccolabium giganteum 72, and S. 

 guttatum 65. The Manley Hall collection, S. Mendel, Esq., 

 which during several years (from 1869 73) had gained such fame, 

 was sold for over 4,000, Saccolabium guttatum superbum 

 realising 46, Cypripedium Stonei 38, Oncidium splendidum 

 47, Masdevallia Lindeni 39, and many others for smaller 

 amounts. In 1877 Mr. Wilkin's orchids sold for 1,300. 

 Cymbidium Parishi, flowered at Fallowfield in 1878, and also 

 flowered at the same time by Mr. Day, of Tottenham, was pur- 

 chased by Mr. B. S. Williams for 100 guineas, and is figured in 

 the Orchid Album I. 25. 



The first portion of Mr. Day's celebrated Tottenham collection 

 was sold early in 1881 for 1,847, when Cypripedium Stonei 

 platytaenium brought the enormous sum of 140 guineas, the only 

 plants of Cattleya Blunti in the country realising 17 guineas and 

 42 respectively. The second portion, sold April i2th and i3th, 

 brought 1,803, Cattleya exoniensis 48 guineas, Phalaenopsis 

 intermedia 62 and 42 guineas. Dendrobium Schrceden 38 

 guineas, Laelia purpurata 30 guineas, and Cypripedium Spice- 

 rianum 25 guineas. The third portion was sold the 4th and 5th 

 of May, the total being 1,888 for 659 lots ; Cypripedium Stonei 

 platytaenium 120 guineas, Cypripedium Spicerianum 42 guineas, 

 Cattleya labiata, autumn flowering variety, 40 guineas, and many 

 others realised similarly high prices. The fourth portion was 

 sold at the end of May for 1,521, when Cattleya Skinneri alba 

 realised 52 guineas. The total amount of these four sales 

 exceeded 7,000, and some others were sold subsequently. Since 

 then high prices have been obtained at various sales, but the most 

 remarkable of all was in September, 1883, when a plant of a 

 new Aerides, introduced by Mr. F. Sander, was sold, at Steven's 

 Rooms, to Sir Trevor Lawrence for 235 guineas, the highest 

 price ever paid for any orchid. This was subsequently named 

 Aerides Lawrenciae, and resembles A. quinquevulnerum in habit, 

 the flower spike 2 feet long, the flowers numerous and inter- 

 mediate between the species named and A. odoratum. The 

 sepals and petals are white, tipped with rose-purple, the lip 

 white, marked with rich amethyst. A portion of Dr. Paterson's 

 collection was sold in 1883, realising 800, the plants bringing 

 large prices as Cattleya labiata Warned, 79 pseudo-bulbs 45 

 guineas, C. labiata 39 guineas, and Dendrobium thyrsiflorum 

 Walkerianum 37 guineas. 



Plants of Ccelogyne cristata alba have been sold for large sums, 

 and it is said that Mr. W. Bull gave 200 for a plant of this 

 variety in the Gledhorn collection, though huge specimens of the 

 common variety have been sold for 10. 



