132 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



F. Kathl)Ono, of Albany, N. Y., who founded his collection about 

 1853, and still maintains it in fine form. Louis Menand, of 

 Alban}-, was another. He had a few species as early as 1846, and 

 has kept pace with the progress of their culture, and is considered, 

 with Buchanan, amongst the pioneers of orchid-growing in this 

 country. One of the most enthusiastic of our American orchidists 

 was Edward S. Rand, Jr., who, leaving Boston some years since, 

 settled in South America, where he gave much attention to collect- 

 ing orchids, and made some experiments in growing the Indian 

 orchids, such as Phalaenopsids, Vandas, and Aerides, upon the 

 trees and trellises surrounding his dwelling at Para. His collec- 

 tion near Boston, started in 1S73, was an exceptionally good one, 

 embracing fine specimens of nearly every species then introduced. 

 His work on Orchid Culture embodied some valuable information, 

 especially on points relating to orchid culture in this countr}-. 

 Mr. Rand's collection was kept up for a short time onlv, most 

 of the valuable specimens going to Mr. Frederick L. Ames, of North 

 Faston. From about 18G5 up to the present time, orchid growing 

 in America has been more general, and is now widely diffused over 

 the country ; so that, in place of the dozen or fifteen collections kept 

 up twent}' years ago, almost entirely in the Eastern states, we 

 find good collections scattered all through the Northern states, and 

 iu Canada. Many of these collections number from one thousand 

 to one thousand five hundred plants, and are rich in fine varieties 

 and large specimens. 



The most rapid growth of the orchid fever has, however, 

 been within the last ten years. "Within that period, English 

 nurserymen have enormously increased the importations from 

 the tropics, and as a result of the activity of their trained 

 agents, most of them experienced botanists and familiar with the 

 orchid family, unexplored sections have been penetrated, and 

 hitlierto unknown species brought to light. ]\Iany more exist 

 which collectors have not found, or, having found, have not suc- 

 ceeded in introducing alive. An estimate has been made by good 

 authority that not less than five thousand species exist, of which 

 two thousand iiavc been, oi- are, in cultivation. In tlie Ibrniei- ])art 

 of the statement there is much of conjecture, but in regard to the 

 latter there is no doubt. Discoveries of new orchids of very prom- 

 inent distinctiveness are likely to continue as long as indefatigable 

 collectors arc kept at work in the tropics, urged on l)y the desire of 



