BOTANICAL ORCHIDS 



flowers are small, or because they are unsuitable for 

 cutting purposes or for house decoration. They are 

 generally termed " Botanical Orchids," many of which 

 have marvellous structural peculiarities, and are a source 

 of wonder to those who see them for the first time, as 

 well as a source of lasting interest to those who care to 

 make a study of them. A collection of Orchids should 

 properly aim at embracing the whole of this natural 

 order of plants, made up of tribes and subtribes, of 

 many genera, and a vast number of species. The 

 Orchid collector should follow the example of col- 

 lectors in other branches of natural history, for example, 

 entomologists, who do not disdain the smallest and least 

 attractive of objects. It is in the endless variety of habit, 

 mode of growth, structure of flower, and peculiarities 

 of fertilisation that the charm of a varied collection of 

 Orchids lies. In such, the most exacting taste could 

 scarcely fail to find something of interest throughout 

 the year. I purpose, in the course of this book, touch- 

 ing upon a few of the more interesting " Botanical 

 Orchids," and shall endeavour to popularise a neglected 

 but extremely wonderful class of plants. 



