February, 1907 



each year to the different centers in America and Europe 

 enormous quantities of plants. It is at times a most difficult 

 matter to get the newly collected orchids down to the coast 

 after they have been wired into boxes by a skilful packer. 

 Once aboard the steamer the risks are by no means at an 



A Recently Imported but Undeveloped Example 



end. Even in the well regulated temperature of a special 

 cabin, a great many of the plants will perish on the way, and 

 pass from their dormant condition into the sleep that knows 

 no waking. Many thousands of dollars will be lost in this 

 fashion on every consignment of orchids. But supposing 

 that the shipment in its entirety comes more or less safely to 

 hand, the importer goes carefully through the uninteresting 

 looking roots. Of course any that he suspects may be some- 

 thing special he places aside, but the majority, which will be 

 examples of common species, he will place aside for entry in 

 the next possible auction sale. Now these may be simple 

 types, or they may not. Illustrative of this, let us consider 

 an actual instance, which occurred not so very long ago in 

 London. A big firm placed some of their outcast orchids on 

 sale, and a number of these lots averaged not more than half 

 a dollar apiece. One amateur grower went in for half a 



A Fine Type of Natural Hybrid Odontoglossum Crispum 



75 



dozen or so of these, and after tending them for two or three 

 years they all bloomed. What was the owner's surprise and 

 delight when he observed that one of his treasures was a 

 unique variety — quite a gem in fact! Most strange of all, he 

 hies him to the firm which had originally spurned the plant, 

 and which had gladly accepted a modest sum minus the auc- 

 tioneer's commission. They in turn are so struck with the 

 novelty that they at once offer to buy the specimen back again, 

 and after a good deal of bargaining the price is fixed at a 

 sum equalling two thousand five hundred dollars. The record 

 price for an orchid plant, however, was considerably more 

 than this, and was attained in March, 1906. In this month 

 a variety of Odontoglossum crispum changed hands at the 

 enormous sum of one thousand one hundred and fifty English 

 guineas, about $5,750. By courtesy of Mr. J. Seel, we are 

 enabled to reproduce a photograph of this flower, which 

 stands alone as the most costly plant on earth. 



It is just here in this buying of plants freshly imported 

 that the amateur cultivator would be likely to turn an inter- 

 esting hobby to good account. The orchids as they appear 

 when just to hand from their country of origin seem to be of 

 little interest or value to any one. In its dormant state an 

 orchid is principally a mass of brown and withered pseudo- 

 bulbs, as the storage chambers of the plant are called. It is 



Odontoglossum Crispum Pittianum, the Most Valuable 

 Orchid in the World, Sold for $5,750 



only by skilful treatment that the plant can be induced to 

 grow, when after a lapse of some time the specimen will 

 blossom. If one were asked to point a finger to the particular 

 kind of orchids in which the grower would be most likely to 

 meet with salable varieties, one might mention the Odonto- 

 glossums, and specially the marvelously variable species 

 known as crispum. New and striking forms of this orchid 

 are in great demand at the moment, and if the variety be a 

 "blotchy" one, provided the markings are fairly regular, the 

 owner may consider that he is lucky. For the enlightenment 

 of the uninitiated in the mysteries of orchid culture, it may 

 be mentioned that the sole reason why the O. crispum pittia- 

 num referred to above fetched such a large sum was due to 

 the fact that the flower was more freely marked than any 

 other that had come to light previously. 



The artificial cross-fertilization by means of insects is a 

 matter which, at the present time, is receiving a great deal 

 of attention. The process is well known, and all must be 

 familiar with the manner in which the pollen from one flower 

 is transferred to the feminine organs of another bloom, in 

 the hope of affecting the resulting seed. It is a slow business, 

 the raising of orchids from seed, and one requiring an im- 

 mense amount of patience. As in the case of all kinds of 

 plants the outcome is exceedingly uncertain, and more often 

 than not wofully disappoints the experimenter. Still, good 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



