ORCHIDS 101 



nearly every case carried off by bouquets, tables, or 

 other exhibits composed almost entirely of orchids. 

 This became so marked that classes had to be 

 instituted in this section for work in which they 

 were not allowed. 



I have tried several times to see if I could alter 

 this state of affairs, as it has struck me that it was 

 not fair to those who could not get Orchids to have 

 their work repeatedly passed by the judges ; but 

 I am sorry to say I number among those Orchidless 

 experiments of mine the few failures that I have 

 had during my long career as an exhibitor. There 

 seems to be a magic charm about those lovely 

 flowers which always catches the judge's eye, 

 although the work in which they appear may not 

 be the best. It must be admitted they always look 

 rich and costly, and it is this, I suppose, which causes 

 many judges to overlook better arrangements of 

 less costly flowers. 



It is repeatedly said of the leading horticultural 

 shows that unless an intending exhibitor has a 

 good supply of Orchids he might as well stay at 

 home, as without them he has no chance of 

 winning. 



When I said earlier in this chapter that I did not 

 like Orchids mixed with any thing but Lilies and Lilac 



