THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
[July, 1921. 
SIR TREVOR LAWRENCE’S ORCHID PAINTINGS. 
C HE late Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, for many years President of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, and. whose Orchid collection at Burford 
was one of the finest ever formed, possessed a highly interesting series of 
paintings of rare species and early-day hybrids. At the disposal by auction 
of the plants in May, 1916, these paintings were placed on view, and 
after a few had been removed by certain purchasers, the large number 
that remained : were very kindly .presented, by . Sir rWilliam Lawrence,. 
Bart., to the present Editor of this journal, who fully appreciates 
their value. 
Unlike the R. H. S., and other, series of paintings, the items in Sir 
Trevor’s collection vary considerably as regards size. The largest measures 
36 x 23 inches and represents a plant of Odontoglossum coronarium in full 
flower, while the smallest is about two inches square, and depicts a single 
flower of Vanda ccerulescens. The majority are fine examples of Mr. J. L. 
Macfarlane’s exquisite work. Others are by Mr. J. Nugent Fitch, while 
the remainder are as yet undetermined. 
Sir Trevor’s desire was that something more than the actual flower 
should appear in his pictorial records. This wish is effectively carried out 
in the case of the larger paintings, for not only are the plants represented, 
but the position of the flower spike is also indicated. In Odontoglossum 
coronarium the many-flowered spike is shown appearing in erect style from 
one of several matured bulbs. In the rare Trevoria Chloris the plant bears 
a pendulous spike of four flowers, while in Odontoglossum prionopetalum 
the two coloured flowers show respectively front and back views, the 
remainder of the spike being drawn in outline only. Another point worthy 
of notice is the method of placing somewhat similar varieties on the same 
card, this proving useful in the case of Calanthe hybrids. One set thus 
executed depicts no less than eleven closely related varieties, and is dated 
1887. Dendrobiums are similarly arranged. Another example of recording 
can be seen in two paintings by M. Hudelot of rare Zygopetalums, in which 
the nature of the foliage is also seen, while on the back of the cards pencil 
sketches depict the habit of the plant as well as the position of the flower 
spike. 
No doubt these paintings were formerly kept in classified order, but in 
their removal and the considerable use made of them during the period of 
the three days’ sale they became as thoroughly mixed as a recently shuffled 
pack of playing cards. It proved a comparatively easy matter to classify 
the pictures so far as size was concerned, and no difficulty was experienced 
regarding the various genera, but there were some, apparently those first 
