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; Che Orchid Review . 
VoL. XXVI. NoVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1918. No. 311-312. 
a. E Oo. 311 312. 
IVE were on the tip-toe of expectation—things had been happening, and 
the moment of crisis had arrived. A sudden reverberation, and 
people burst into the street. It was the signal of the failure of a great 
military autocracy, which had enslaved a nation and sought to dominate 
_ the world, and an announcement of a return to sanity. It meant that 
q civilisation had been saved, and that henceforward the development of the 
. peaceful arts would again be possible. The houses were soon gay with flags 
and bunting, the streets filled with a joyous crowd, and the air was 
7 pulsating with electricity. A sedate Orchidist is said to have thrown up 
7 his hat; we are charged to announce the fact, and we see no reason for 
_ witholding it, for with the shortage of labour and the abnormal conditions 
_ generally it has been difficult to ‘‘ carry on,” however strong the conviction 
that the fruits of so much activity in the past must not be lost. And they 
| have succeeded, though the fuel difficulty remains for the present, and it 
will be some time before normal conditions return. And then we anticipate 
_ that progress will again be rapid. It now remains to secure the world from 
a similar, indeed a worse catastrophe, and we hope that Orchidists every- 
where will accord to the idea of a League of Nations their cordial sympathy 
OUR: NOLE -BCUs. 
and active support. 
4 Many fears have been expressed as to the safety of Orchid collections in 
: the area devastated by the war; our readers will remember the account of 
_ the destruction of M. Alfred de Gentil’s collection of Ancectochili during 
_ the bombardment of Arras (O.R., xxiii. p. 128), and we are the more pleased _ 
_ tolearn that the Orchids at Messrs. Sander & fils fine establishment at 
Details will be found on another page, 
Bruges are to a great extent safe. 
lgian collections from which 
_ 4nd next month we hope to hear of other Be 
_ We have been cut off for years. Last April would have seen another great 
Quinquennial Show at Ghent but for the tragedy of the war. Is it too 
much to hope that something may be done to remedy the deficiency before 
another quinquennial period comes round ¢ 
——<——$ 
225 
