626 



ORCHIDS 



Orchids are found in utmost nil junta of tlie world, 

 except in extremely dry climates and on tin 1 bonten 

 of the frozen NgiaMi * In 111 iliiin there me found 

 sixteen genera and nearly forty specie*. In Km.. p.-, 

 the temperate parts of ARM, in North Amcii. a, 

 and the Ca|ie of Good Hope they ore common 

 inhabitanU of groves, marshes, and meadows ; and 



in these regions 

 they are invariably 

 terrestrial in linhit. 

 Hut in the hot 

 damp parts of the 

 \\i-t and East 

 Indies, in Mada- 

 gascar, and other 

 island* in the same 

 region, in the moist 

 forests of Itrnzil, 

 tin- warm |rts of 

 Central America, 

 ami western Mexico 

 they abound in the 

 greatest profusion, 

 no longer depend- 

 ent on the soil for 

 their nutriment, 

 but clinging to 

 the trunks and 

 branches of trees, 

 to stones and crags, 

 where they vege- 

 tate among ferns 

 and other shade 

 loving plants, or 

 occupy by them- 

 selves exclusively the places which they affect. 

 The family is a very numerous one, there being, 

 according to the Genera Plantarnin, 3,'U genera and 

 about 5000 species known to l>otanists. Of exotic 

 species UMHSM knew only aliout a dozen a little 

 over a century ago. Aliout 2000 species have l>ecn 

 introduced to cultivation. The beauty and the 

 fragrance of the (lowers, the singularity and almost 

 endless variety of form which they exhibit, and their 

 interesting structure botanical ly, along with the 

 rarity of many of the most beautiful, place orchids 

 among the most remarkable of the families of the 

 vegetable kingdom. Darwin, who devoted much 

 attention to the family, particularly in regard to 

 their fertilisation, says of the peculiarity of the 

 structure of the (lowers of orchids that ' aii exami- 

 nation of their many licaiitiful contrivances will 

 exalt the whole vegetable kingdom in most person--' 

 estimation,' and that 'hardlv any fact has struck 

 him so much OR the endless diversities of structure 

 the prodigality of resources for gaining the 



Fig.2.- 



j, Mudevallia chinuera; 

 6, H. SchlimiL 



Fig. 3, M ormode* Ocamue. 



same end, namely, the fertilisation of one flower 

 with |Millcn from another plant.' This part of the 

 hilory of orchids is, like everv other point con- 

 nected with tin-in, loo wide to tic dealt with In-n- 

 in detail. Those, however, who desire to study 



the matter closely should see the work quoted from 

 The t'crliliaitiiiii uf Urrhnl.1, by Chiules Darwin. 

 Since the middle of the 10th century the 

 cultivation of orchids in Itritain, on tin- i'onti 

 in lit. and in America has Itecome an absorbing 

 pursuit with wealthy amateurs. The possession 

 of a rare or unique species or \aiiety is an ambi- 

 tion that can only lie attained by the millionaire ; 

 the prices of sucu are quite ln-\ond the means .,i 

 those possessed only of moderate wealth. Syndi- 

 cates are formed for the purpose of collecting and 

 importing orchids from all countries in which 

 rare or otherwise valuable species are known 

 to exist, and private persons and several of tin- 

 leading London and continental nurserymen send 

 experts in orchid-collecting to those countries at 

 great expense with the same object in view. 

 There is thus considerable commerce in orchids, 

 in connection with which large sums of money are 

 circulated annually. The genera which are in 

 greatest request among amateurs are Cypripeilium, 

 Dendrobium, Masdevallia, < Montoglossnm. Call- 

 leva. Ixclia, Oncidium, Chysis. < 'vmhidmin. Cal- 

 anthe, Phala-nopsis, Cuelogyue, Angra-cuiu, Vanda, 



Fig. 4. Odontoglossum Harryanum. 



Anguloa, Epidendrum, Sophronitis, Kcnanthera, 

 Saccolabium, Miltonia, Peristeria, Ly caste, and 

 ninny others. 



Amongst notable English collections have been 

 those of Baron Schroeder at K;jliam in Surrey, and 

 Sir Trevor Lawrence at Dorking, each of which 

 must have cost its owner fiom 30,000 to 40,000 

 to bring together. Among large commercial col- 

 lections are those of Veitch, Williams, Low, and 

 Bull, all of London, Sander & Co. at St Albans, 

 and in Scotland of Messrs Thomson at Clovenfords. 

 Sales by auction, at which orchids to the value of 

 thousands of pounds may change hands, take place 

 frequently in London, which is the centre for the 

 world of the trade in orchids. The prices of indi- 

 vidual plants vary fr .V. Gd. to hundreds of 



pounds, the prices depending on qualities of si/e, 

 form, colour of (lower regulated by canons appreci- 

 able only by connoisseurs. Baron Schroeder sold a 

 unique plant of ('i/jiri/ii-i/iiiin .^/mui, viir. Platylu- 

 iniuni. for 36."i ; another connoisseur paid 340 for 

 a variety of Aeridea J.inrn i;,t . The ordinary 

 form of the latter may lie obtained for about two 

 guineas per plant, and that of the preceding species 

 for half a guinea each, simply because they are 

 more or less plentiful, while rare or unique forms 

 command hundreds of pounds sterling. These 

 unique forms make their appearance very generally 

 without any exercise of skill on the part of the 

 fortunate possessor. They may be bought along 



