PACKING ORCHIDS FOR EXHIBITIONS. 61 



All Orchids if going a long distance should have fine paper placed 

 over the flowers, as the dust often spoils the delicate bloom ; this also 

 protects them from cold. 



The best means of conveyance for Orchids is decidedly a spring van 

 with a cover on the top. In placing the plants in the van, we always put 

 some hay between the pots, to keep them firm and prevent their rubbing 

 against each other ; this, moreover, helps to retain the warmth in the 

 pots by preventing draughts from reaching them, and thus the roots 

 are not subjected to any great check through change of tempera- 

 ture. 



An opportunity occurs here to remark upon the paucity of Orchids 

 at our great London exhibitions of the present day, as compared with 

 those of former years. It is true several of the large contributors are 

 dead, and their collections are dispersed ; some few have relinquished 

 their culture, and others have removed to a distance ; but there still 

 remains ample material in the numerous rich collections in the vicinity 

 of the metropolis to again furnish a glorious bank of flowers, such as 

 formerly greeted the eye at the Chiswick and Eegent's Park Gardens on 

 Exhibition days ; and we are fiiUy persuaded it is only from the want of 

 encouragement in the matter of prizes that we do not now see these 

 gorgeous displays at our London shows. That such is the case, we have 

 only to turn for proof to the great Whit-week show at Manchester. 

 There the prizes are good, and not only do the cultivators in the imme- 

 diate vicinity bring their plants, but others from a considerable distance 

 can be seen staging their productions for competition against the celebrated 

 growers of " Cottonopolis " ; indeed, the display of specimen Orchids made 

 in 1870 we never saw surpassed, if equalled, at any show. This may be 

 readily imagined when it is stated that a double row of these plants alone 

 extended a distance of over three hundred feet, and amongst them were 

 many of the grandest Lcelias, Gattleyas, Vandas, Trichopilias, Odonto- 

 glossums, and a host of others, we have ever beheld. Some may contend 

 from these facts that the love of gain is the chief motive power. This 

 would be a wrong conclusion to draw; but, although gentlemen and 

 gardeners do sometimes exhibit for the honour only, such cannot always 

 be the case. Indeed, the cost of obtaining a proper conveyance, the 

 packing, the transit, and the time occupied at the exhibitions, represents 

 a considerable sum of money, and very fejv persons can be induced to 



