68 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [MarcH, 19122. 
MRS. G. B. WILSON’S COLLECTION. 
UNDER the title ‘‘ Fortunate is the Orchid Hunter Who Emerges from the 
Jungle Alive,” the New York Daily Tribune, in its issue of January 28th 
last, publishes an illustrated article on the fine Orchid Collection of Mrs. 
G. B. Wilson, of Philadelphia, the illustrations including a photograph of 
Mrs. Wilson, of her residence and block of Orchid houses, the interior of a 
Cypripedium house, of three Orchids from the collection, and of two phases 
of Orchid collecting in South America. It contains some interesting and 
amusing details, but is rather the work of the newspaper correspondent than 
of the expert in Orchidology. For example, he says :—‘ In one of the East 
Indian houses is a specimen of the Phalznopsis, or great white moth Orchid, 
called the Harrietta. It is the only example of this hybrid plant in 
existence, and is priceless.” This appears to be the one figured as “‘an 
Orchid for which Mrs. Wilson refused $2000,” but the figure represents a 
small plant of Phalznopsis Aphrodite or P. amabilis with five flowers, not 
the unique P. Harriette, raised by Messrs. Veitch, from P. amabilis and 
P. violacea, which was obtained at the sale of the Corning collection. This 
is apparently the ‘‘ Orchid variety that is the envy and wonder of enthusiasts 
the world over,” and which “lovers of this rare flower come from all 
countries to examine and admire.” 
The history of Cypripedium Fairrieanum is graphic. ‘‘ Many years ago 
this wonderful Orchid was discovered by an English collector in India. He 
brought four of the plants to England, and they caused a sensation there 
among collectors. The finder was urged to tell where he had discovered 
this beautiful Orchid, but no inducement could make him betray the hiding 
place of the treasure. All four of the plants he had brought to England 
died, but the discoverer kept his secret, always intending to go back to 
India and gather more specimens. Death intervened, and the secret of the 
hiding place of the rare Orchid was lost. For more than forty years the 
search for the plant was kept up assiduously, Orchid hunters examining every 
nook and corner of the country where specimens might be lurking. No one 
found asingle specimen. At last a prize of a thousand pounds ($5000) was. 
offered by English horticulturists to any person who might rediscover the 
variety. Under the stimulus of this reward the waning energies of the 
hunters became galvanised into remewed activity, and at last, about six 
years ago, a collector won the prize, finding the plant in the interior of 
India, near the Burmese border. There are only two specimens in this 
country. They are priceless.” 
The stories of Orchid collecting are full of moving incidents, by land 
and water, but we cannot follow them through their picturesque details. An 
account of the collection would be interesting. ~ | 
