6 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [ JANUARY, I907. 
The writer is rather puzzled by Mr. Crawshay’s remarks about the 
“districts,” San Cayetano, Pacho, La Vega, Chiquinquira, Velez, &c., and 
the different types found there, and he remarks :—‘“ I am familiar with and. 
have traversed these regions, and I would state:—1. That in all the 
localities mentioned except Chiquinquira the sugar-cane thrives, thus: 
indicating a very different climate to that required by O. crispum. 2. That 
there has never yet been seen one crispum in either of these localities. 
These ‘ districts’ are but small towns or villages, where, according to their 
wont, collectors apply for the special commodity which they are seeking. 
Plants are brought to them, which they have but to count over and 
purchase. This is done by Indians, who range the mountains, upon which 
the collectors themselves never set foot. These travellers then, finding the 
‘ posadas’ more or less comfortable, the price of the plants more or less high,. 
materials for their packing cases more or less easily procurable, and some- 
times governed by their own wishes only, move about, and settle 
successively at Pacho, La Vega, &c. The favourite districts now are Velez, 
Bolivar, and Jesus-Maria, new ‘districts,’ but not more new than others, as: 
a glance at a map shows that all are adjacent to a small part of the 
Cordillera, whence the true crispums have always been procured. In this 
part of the Cordillera, and not north, south, east, or west of it, crispum is: 
found. The centre of the region of crispum is, to be exact, Sucre Viejo, 
formerly called La Granja by the natives. This is a hamlet of from 12 to 
15 huts, at an altitude of about 2,500 m., and for years it has been the 
starting point for explorations in search of crispum.” This the writer terms 
the one and only “ district” for crispum, and he asks why Mr. Crawshay 
did not mention the districts of Zipaquira, Bogota, Tacatativa, and Aqua. 
Larga—localities whence for some years collectors have quietly waited for 
the plants brought from Sucre Viejo. and the neighbourhood ? 
Concerning the so-called “* Pacho type,” M. Poirier remarks that the 
search for O. crispum began towards the south of the region just described. 
“Then, gradally, exploration was pushed northward, and some good 
_ Varieties began to appear. At that time Pacho was the meeting-place of 
the collectors ; the Indians or natives came there to sell these varieties, 
and often to Bogota itself. These intermediaries were careful to conceal 
from the collector the exact habitat of the plant. Hence the origin of the 
fine types ‘from Pacho,’ &c. Collectors, thus mistaken, declare, in all 
good faith, that a certain variety is from Pacho or elsewhere. But if they 
went over these mountains they would at once perceive that the plants alll 
came from one relatively small district around Sucre Viejo. This is the 
only region yielding, of late years, those fine varieties now so much affected. 
Last year, only, we witnessed the purchase of many admirable varieties by @ 
collector for one of the largest trade growers in England. These varieties 
