232 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [AuGuST, 1923. 
ORCHID CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
URING my recent first visit to the United States of America it 
occurred to me that it might be of interest to readers of the Orchid 
Review if I made a few notes on what is actually taking place in Orchid 
circles in that up-to-date and extensive country. Being privileged to visit 
there the principal collections, both amateur and trade, I jotted down some 
remarks that I hope will not be out of place. Any comparisonsI make will, 
I trust, not be taken as too personal, as my only ambition is to bring 
growers on both sides of the ocean into closer touch, and also to let English 
growers know that the cult of these interesting plants has caught on, and is: 
daily growing stronger among our near relations in the States. Having 
for many years been in close touch with British establishments, I can form 
a fair comparison of what I have seen, and my opinion is that amateurs on 
the other side are much more personally interested in what is taking place’ 
in England than we are in affairs of their land. This is perhaps due to our’ 
insular habits. However, as Orchid growers are comparatively a small 
family, I hope closer intercourse may result in benefits to all. 
On my journey to Boston for the Spring Show I paid my first visit to’ 
an American amateur’s collection, that of A. N. Cooley, Esq., of Pittsfield, 
where I was welcomed by Mr. Oliver Lines, the affable grower and my 
compatriot. He has charge of certainly the choicest collection of Orchids: 
in the States. Mr. Cooley has without doubt the keen eye of a trained: 
expert. The rare and choice plants he has added to his stock caused me. 
astonishment, and their vigour is remarkable. Among the noteworthy’ 
plants I saw were Cattleya Clotho var. General Pershing, a splendidly 
grown plant which each year produces flowers finer than formerly; C. 
Fabia memoria Lord Roberts, of great size and rich colour, said to be the’ 
finest Fabia known; and C. Mossiz Reineckiana, of the excelsa type, a 
remarkable flower with the petals spreading over a large area and having a 
streak of colour on each, the lip being brilliant rose-purple. C. Schroedere’ 
alba is always a rare plant, many of the varieties bearing this particular 
distinction having a slight blush tint, but here is to be seen a flower of 
perfect shape and snowy whiteness, and one, moreover, that is above the: 
average size. One of the most famous of all white Cattleyas is Ce 
Warscewiczii var. Firmin Lambeau, and it is a pleasure to note how freely 
this grows at Pittsfield. In England there is generally a deficiency of light 
during the winter months that has a detrimental effect upon the flowering, 
of Cattleya Triane. But Orchid growers in the United States are free 
from this unfavourable condition, so that they flower this species with much 
finer results. The selected varieties in this collection are numerous, and I: 
place first as being of outstanding merit that known as Grand Monarch- 
