46 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



siderable, and I doiiln very inuch whether this plant has ever paid 

 to extract. In this same state at higher altitudes, Odontoglossum 

 Pcscaiorci occurs, also several fine ]\Iasdevallias such as M . Veitrhii, 

 M. Ilarrijana, etc. Also the pretty Oncidium cuculkiUint, Angu- 

 loas, and many more. From Santander I will take you across the 

 Eastern Cordillera to Los Llanos de Cazanare. From where we 

 are now, say in ^Malaga, we can cross the Cordillera in a straight line, 

 but it will take us at least fifteen days, if all goes well, before we can 

 set foot on the eastern side of the mountain. Four or five days of 

 this time will have to be spent tramping eternal snow, so we will 

 take a route further south where the elements are more favorable. 

 The trails, however, are abominable and the journey a hard one, 

 so we will simply place ourselves on the other side in the immense 

 and grand region of Cazanare. This region where we now are is 

 without the slightest doubt the most wonderful on this entire hemi- 

 sphere, if not in the world. EverN-thing is here on such a gigantic 

 scale as to inspire terror in a man; its flora is marvellous; plants 

 occurring in other parts of the country are as pygmies compared to 

 those found here; and even the animals are much larger than in 

 the other parts. There are giant tapirs, pumas, and leopards in 

 the forests; the rivers are full of fish, alligators, rayfish, electric 

 eels, etc.; and millions of waterfowl, etc. Here it is we find Caifleya 

 Schroderae in all its glory. The first plants were taken out of this 

 region in 1893; so it is, comparatively speaking, a virgin region; 

 and will remain so for some time for many reasons. C. Schroderae 

 is today the most abundant of all the Colombian Cattleyas. It is 

 found from about the 3° northern latitude up to about the 7° but, 

 like C. Trianae, it runs along the lower edges of the woods. The 

 plants are of extraordinary vigor and size and the varieties are 

 superb, compared -with those of the older district of Villa Vicencio 

 where plants are still gathered, it being a less risky region. 



When the collector goes into the Cazanare he takes his life in his 

 hands, so to speak. The only practical way to transport the plants 

 is by rivers and there are a good many of these that can be utilized 

 with more or less success; another thing to be reckoned with here 

 is the seasons. L^nlike the rest of the country we have here a 

 six months' rainy .season and a six months' dry season, Avith more 

 or less variations, and here it is that several have failed who 



