Say BRA 
JANUARY, 1923 ] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 17 
ORCHIDS OF A CENTURY AGO. 
T is always a matter of interest to look back to the early days of 
Horticulture, when very few Orchids were known, or their cultural 
requirements understood. A century ago is a long time back for much to: 
be expected. There are comparatively few records to assist the investigator 
in obtaining an insight into the means employed in collecting the plants: 
and the conditions under which their cultivation was carried on in the 
primitive glass houses that were heated by brick flues. 
Between the years 1823 and 1825 a number of species were received. 
from Trinidad, among them being the well-known Oncidium Papilio, of 
which Messrs. Loddiges remarked, ‘‘ We received this very rare plant in 
1823, from His Excellency Sir Ralph Woodford, of Trinidad. It has 
flourished in our stove, planted in soil composed of moss, saw-dust, and. 
coarse sand, but we have not ventured to attempt separating it.” Baron 
de Schack, writing in July, 1823, to Loddiges, described this plant as being. 
called in Trinidad the Vegetable Butterfly, and that it had been known 
about eight years, and grows on the bark of Calabash trees. It makes two: 
bulbs annually.” The peculiar nature of producing a succession of flowers 
from the same spike was fully recognised at this early date, for the Baron. 
remarked, “‘ When it begins to flower, the same stalk continues to throw out 
blossoms in succession throughout the year ; each flower lasts ten or twelve 
days, after which, in fourteen days, another comes forth, and so on, till 
twelve or more flowers, according to the vigour of the plant, have been: 
produced.” In 1822 Messrs. Loddiges received Epidendrum fuscatum: 
(anceps) from St. Vincent, and although ‘it has flowered and produced 
seeds with us repeatedly, we have seldom been able to detect the blossoms: 
in an open state. It may be cultivated like the other species in a vegetable 
earth, and may occasionally be separated for increase, constantly preserving 
it in the stove.” 
Concerning Zranthes grandiflora, figured in the Botanical Register, t. 
817, Lindley there remarked that “‘ Roots of this singular plant were sent,. 
in a living state, from St. Mary’s, Madagascar, by the late Mr. Forbes, in 
1823, to the Horticultural Society, in whose garden our drawing was taken.. 
It is there successfully cultivated in decomposed woody soil, in the same 
manner as other plants of the same family.” Dendrobium fimbriatum 
was discovered by Dr. Wallich in Nepal, and introduced to England in 
1823. The best kind of treatment consisted of planting it in well-drained 
pots filled with turfy-peat cut into small pieces. : 
George Don, who was collecting for the Horticultural Society, sent 
home, in 1822, from Sierra Leone, “ roots ” of Eulophia ensata, descri 
as a tender stove plant, extremely difficult to cultivate, being liable to rot 
