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efforts will most seriously exhaust the available supply after the- 

 spring of next year. 



It is noteworthy that during the present year something like a fraud 

 is being perpetrated upon European orchid growers. In consequence 

 of the difficulty of obtaining an adequate supply of the Pacho type for 

 export, native orchid exporters have undertaken to supply the deficiency 

 by bringing to Pacho about 100 mule loads of the inferior types from 

 a distant region some four days' journey. Thus during the past six 

 months some 50,000 of the inferior forms have been conveyed to Pacho 

 where they are packed for transmission to Europe. These inferior 

 forms on arrival in England are not distinguishable from the standard 

 Pacho type, until under cultivation they have flowered. 



The vast majority of these orchids grow on trees, and large numbers 

 of trees are cut down annually in order to secure the plants. But many 

 plants are also found growing on the ground — on banks of moss 

 and on rocks : in general, but not always, under the shade of 

 the forest,-that is to say they are frequently found in places more or 

 less exposed to the sun. Frequently too when a clearing is made in the 

 forest by fire, in rocky places, many thousand of plants spring up on 

 these spots on which self sown seeds require some eight years to become 

 strong plants. 



Another circumstance which has materially diminished the resources 

 of the Pacho district, a circumstance that threatens in the near future to 

 exterminate the plant — at any rate for commercial purposes, is, 

 thousands of acres of forest in which this orchid has been dispersed are 

 yearly cut down for the establishment of pastoral farms — a great in- 

 dustry on these elevated lands. Also, some eight years ago, during an 

 exceptionally prolonged drought, many thousands of acres of forest, 

 on which these plants abounded, were destroyed by fire. 



In a state of nature seeds of this orchid are produced in vast 

 abundance. The seeds being extremely minute and light float in the 

 air. Millions are thus disseminated yearly. 



The price of the newly imported plants in the sale-room in London,, 

 according to the size of the plant averages from a half crown to a half 

 a guinea each. It may be anticipated that the price will be augmented 

 owing to the collapse in the supply. It may also be me ntioned that 

 special or rare forms of established plants in flower fetch from two to 

 five and even ten guineas each. Furthermore, about three per cent of 

 the plants obtained in the Pacho region consist of peculiar or unique 

 varietal forms. The anticipation of such forthcoming novelties enhance 

 the enthusiasm with which orchid cultivators are inspired. 



I have been engaged in the Odontoglossum crispum business during 

 several years. At present and until the spring of next year all 

 the plants of this orchid — the famous forms growing on one hundred 

 square miles of mountains are under my exclusive right and privi- 

 lege. The number of plants available on this mountain tract may be 

 estimated to comprise more than one third of all that now remain of 

 the famous forms in a state of nature. 



A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to forward forty plants of this 

 orchid to the Jamaica Botanic Garden for cultivation at the Cinchona 



