88 



SOME OF THE BEST NEli' ORCHIDS. 



wider, and far before us we saw higher land. But all 

 thoughts of camping, the consequent supper and a good 

 night's rest free from mosquitos were lost in the beauty 

 of the scene which burst upon our sight. 



On our right the boughs of low trees which drooped to 

 the water's edge were laden with tens of thousands of 

 plants of Brassavola Alarliana , all in full bloom. Many 

 of the masses were many feet in diameter, and the long 

 terete pseudo-bulbs hid all the forest growth. The 

 spikes of delicate white flowers seemed a mantle of 

 color, and the air was heavy with the rich, spicy fra- 

 grance. This alone would have been enough for a feast 

 to the eye and a rich boon to memory, but it was only 

 a part of the beauty. On the left bank of the stream 

 some accident had killed the trees, which were of the 

 same low character as those on the right bank, and in 

 every possible place, clothing every branch, were small 

 tillandsias, all in full bloom, the rich scarlet bracts 

 making in the sunlight a glow which almost dazzled the 

 eyes. And this not here and there, but as far as the 

 eye could reach — on the one bank the rich color of the 

 tillandsias, on the other the soft snowy clouds of the 



brassavolas, the fringed lips of the countless flowers 

 giving an indescribable delicacy and grace to the picture. 



There was no intermingling — not a tillandsias on the 

 one bank, not a brassavola on the other. Even our stolid 

 Tapoia paddlers were moved into exclamations of sur- 

 prise, and the scene was one which can never be for- 

 gotten. 



All night, as we lay in our hammocks gazing through 

 the tree tops at the stars which seemed in the clear, 

 pure atmosphere like great jewels hung in the sky> 

 listening to the gentle break of the waves of soft sound 

 which at night always fill an Amazonian forest, the air 

 full of perfume wafted up to us in the gentle nigh^ 

 breeze, we dreamed of the beauty of the scene, and 

 when in the early morn we again saw it in the light of 

 the rising sun on our return to the main river, we found 

 it none the less beautiful. 



Never now do we see that brassavola and tillandsia, 

 both very common plants on the Amazon, without 

 thinking of the unnamed igaripe where they grow in 

 such luxuriant profusion. 



Brazil. Edward S. Rand, Jr. 



SOME OF THE BEST NEW ORCHIDS. 



S YET THERE is no indication 

 that the popularity of the or- 

 chid family has in any way 

 declined. On the contrary, 

 judging from the ever-increas- 

 ing mass of plants annually 

 imported, their cultivation is 

 spreading still more widely. It is true that several 

 of our largest and most famous collections have 

 lately been dispersed, but their loss is more than 

 counterbalanced by the numerous, if smaller, col- 

 lections that are continually being formed. Consid- 

 ering the number of firms now engaged in the im- 

 portation of orchids, the appearance of new and 

 really distinct species is by no means so frequent as 

 one might expect. This is to some extent explained 

 by the fact that collectors devote their energy less 

 to the discovery of new kinds than to the collection 

 of those whose value at home has already been 

 made apparent. Of course, amongst the hundreds 

 of thousands of orchids which are annually brought 

 to Europe, many so-called new species, and almost 

 innumerable varieties, of necessity occur. It is 

 rarely, however, that a new and beautiful orchid is 

 found in sufficient abundance to allow of its becom- 

 ing generally cultivated ; some, indeed, are unique, 

 whilst others are represented by so few plants that 

 they all find their way to the establishments of 

 wealthy amateurs, who are willing to pay stiff 

 prices for them. A considerable number of new 



species have lately been described by the botanists 

 at Kew, but the majority are not of sufficient beauty 

 to render them of more than botanical interest. 

 Those of most promise are enumerated below. 



One great feature in orchid culture to-day is the num- 

 ber of people who occupy themselves in hybridizing. 

 The enormous sums that have been realized in past 

 years for mule orchids have stimulated both amateur 

 and professional growers to try their luck in this fasci- 

 nating employment. A short time ago an orchid, so 

 long as it was of hybrid origin, even if it were no more 

 than a poor combination of its parents, could secure a 

 price utterly disproportionate to its real value. So gen- 

 eral, however, has the practice of this art become, and 

 so rapidly does the crop of hybrids increase, that it is 

 very unlikely, in the near future, that this can continue. 

 The results during the past year show that, with a care- 

 ful selection of material, valuable work can be done by 

 the hybridizer. The object to be kept in view is the 

 union of the good qualities of two parents in the prog- 

 eny. No better instance of success in this direction 

 could be given than the hybrid obtained by Mr. Cook- 

 son between Phaius Wallicliii and P. titherculosus, which 

 has flowered during the past summer. The latter species 

 is by far the most delicately beautiful in the genus, but 

 it is extremely difficult to keep in good health ; whereas 

 P. Wallicliii, whilst being distinctly handsome, is a most 

 easily grown plant. In the hybrid it is certain that the 

 flower has not deteriorated in beauty, whilst the habit 

 gives every indication that it has inherited the vigor of 

 P. IVallichii. 



In the following notes I have selected, from the more 



