72 ORCHID-SROWER S MANUAL. 



vast quantity of plants upon the market at various prices, by winch, in 



some instances, a good margin of profit is realised, and at others a loss 



has to be credited to some of the plants. But, taking it on the whole, 



we think the purchase of good Orchids and growing them well is a very 



good way of spending one's spare cash, and in many instances, independent 



of the large amount of pleasure and happiness one derives from them, 



proves a good pecuniary investment. Still, the prices of Orchids 



vary considerably, ilany plants that were high priced some thirty or 



forty years ago are now very much reduced in value, and, for the matter 



of price, some of those plants which brought a very long price, say, only 



ten years back, are very low in price at the present time : and this gives 



to many an opportunity to indulge in their taste for Orchids at a 



moderate expenditure, rendering our early statement of "Orchids for the 



Million "' more applicable than ever it was. The highest prices now 



obtained for Orchids is first, for those which have only been imported 



upon a very few occasions ; for instance, we have Aerides Schroderii. 



The original plant of this was sold at Mr. Schroder's sale for £89, and it 



cannot be bought at the present time under some fifteen or twenty 



guineas, according to the size and strength of the plant. So with 



Oyprlpedium Stonei platytaeniuvi, when it was sold at Mr. Day's sale, 



brought 140 guineas, these prices having been obtained for plants which 



had never been imported from their native country upon more than one 



occasion. Other plants may be named which have realised high prices 



upon their first introduction, and the case of Ihe fine Aerides La/wreiiciae 



^vhich realised in the public auction rooms the highest price given for an 



Orchid, viz., 235 guineas ; so Coelor/i/iie cristata hololeuca (alba) brought 



£200, Vanda Sanderiana £180, Ci/mhidium Farishii £105, Eenanihera 



(Vanda) Loicii 100 guineas, Pludaenopsis intermedia Portei and P/to- 



laenopsis mnahilis £100. But it is useless to multiply examples of high 



prices which particular plants have realised, as we have daily examples 



how cheaply plants of beautiful and showy species can be bought ; it 



is the good varieties of these species which are always sought after, 



and which serve to realise long prices. Hence it is ahxays well for an 



amateur to surround himself with varied and good forms, and these will 



always be in demand. As an example, we may mention Odontoglossum 



Alexandras, which in the ordinary type we catalogue at 3s. M. and 5s. 



each in fair sized plants : varieties of this plant have realised as much as 



