RISKS OF COLLECTING ORCHIDS. I'S 



distinguish them, and there are also other kinds of Orchids, 

 such as Odontofjlots, to which the same remark applies. Some- 

 times a particular species may have dark-coloured bulbs, and 

 at other times light green ones, and yet be of the same variety 

 with the same flowers. This adds to the difficulty of identify- 

 ing the difierent kinds. In the case of Odontoglossum Alex- 

 andra; there are some bulbs that will enable the observer to tell 

 if the varieties are likely to be good as to form and size, but one 

 cannot tell the colour. There are no doubt localities where 

 the best species and varieties have been observed to abound, 

 and when this is the case bad kinds very rarely appear in these 

 spots, even through insect agency. Collectors should en- 

 deavour to avoid sending home the bad strains of these plants. 

 Many of them are acquiring more knowledge of the localities 

 where the best varieties are to be found, and they begin to see 

 that the good forms pay the best, since they take up no more 

 room than the bad ones, and buyers are willing to pay more 

 for them instead of growing the poor varieties, of which there 

 are so many sold in auction rooms. Even purchasers now 

 appear to know more than they did of the quality of the 

 plants by the appearance of the bulbs, though sometimes they 

 are disappointed. On the other side there is the chance of 

 picking up new ones among those which are not considered 

 to be of the right sort, so that it is advisable not to destroy 

 any until they have flowered ; even then, if the plant is weak, 

 though the flowers may be poor, yet if there is form and sub- 

 stance in them, it is best to grow them on and flower them 

 again, and then it is more than probable they may be 

 approved. 



