74 



limited means to the conclusion that the cult of the orchid is 

 only the pastime of the rich. Any one may grow orchids if 

 he is careful to select those which he can manage, and to this 

 end it is well to start the collection with the most ordinary 



Catasetum Christyanum, the Bat Orchid 



species, and thus gain experience. /\part from the pleasure 

 of orchid-growing, there may be a very substantial profit at- 

 tached to the cultivation of these plants. 



The principal romance in connection with the cult of the 

 orchid surrounds the collection of the plants in localities where 

 they abound. The chief firms whose specialty is the supply- 

 ing of orchids retain men at high salaries whose sole object 

 is to obtain new and rare species for their employers. The 

 life, although an attractive one to those of an adventurous 

 turn of mind, is by no means without risk. Naturally, civ- 

 ilized and therefore fairly safe countries have been pretty 

 well worked by orchid collectors, and there can be little hope 

 of finding a great novelty except in out of the way parts. 

 Here, surrounded by all the dangers of unexplored tropical 

 lands, the orchid collector labors at his task. At every foot- 

 step some foul disease may dog his way; the human inhab- 

 itants of the lanei in which he is working may have strong 

 cannibalistic tendencies, while all kinds of wild beasts and 

 venomous snakes may at any time cause his death. Still this 

 strange worker thinks that he is amply rewarded should he 

 bring to light some new variety. As plants orchids are vari- 

 able beyond all imaginings, and more often than not a fine 

 natural "sport" or hybrid of some fairly well known kind 

 will prove to be of more value than a new species. 



As instancing some of the difficulties which are experienced 

 by orchid collectors, the following extract taken from the 

 letter of a French adventurer, who went in search of a par- 

 ticular species of orchid named Eulophiella elisabethse. He 

 says : "It was nearly a year before T discovered the gorgeous 

 orchid. This plant grows in a very limited region only . . . 

 and flourishes on the tops of the tallest trees. To secure the 

 orchids I was obliged to have the trees cut down, and then I 

 most carefully gathered all the plants myself." Later on, 

 when speaking of the perils of the journey, which led right 



February, 1907 



Into the interior of Madagascar, he says: "Not counting the 

 constant exposure of my life, and the lives of those accom- 

 panying me, not only was our party exposed to the risk of 

 being strangled by hostile and ferocious tribesmen — a fate 

 that befell many a poor fellow belonging to our expedition 

 whose unwary footsteps led him astray — but we had to 

 struggle almost night and day against the wild animals which 

 haunt these primeval forests." 



It is probable that one of the most romantic stories of all is 

 that told in connection with the Ladies' Slipper Orchid, Cypri- 

 pedlum falrieanum. About fifty years ago this plant, a native 

 of the Eastern Himalayas, was quite a common and 

 well-known species, selling at a dollar or less a plant. 

 Strangely enough, in the course of time the exact locality of 

 the species was quite lost sight of, and as its area was very 

 restricted, the plant became practically extinct so far as the 

 cultivation of it was concerned. It was known to exist some- 

 where in the northward of India, and several expeditions 

 were got together, at considerable expense, to search for this 

 Cyprlpedlum. Owing to the extremely hostile nature of some 

 of the tribes, several districts had to remain quite unvisited, 

 and it was with a feeling akin to despair that the various 

 firms at last came to the conclusion that it was useless to 

 spend any more money on the quest. A few years ago, how- 

 ever, the British Government decided to open up once more 

 some of the districts in the Eastern Himalayas, and to this 

 end a strong expeditionary force was despatched, which speed- 

 ily brought home to the natives the fact that no more re- 

 bellions would be tolerated. An enterprising collector, who 

 was working Northern India, followed closely on the heels of 

 the soldiers, with the result that one day he came upon the 

 long lost orchid, growing in such profusion that it will scarcely 

 be likely to become a rare species again. 



Often and often the collector does not see the orchids 



A Giant Orchid 



which he is collecting in bloom, and can therefore have but 

 little Idea as to their real value. Nevertheless, he is careful 

 to take large numbers of even the common kinds, or those 

 which are apparently so at any rate. One man will forward 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



