THE ORCHID WORLD. 
RoseJielJ, Sevenoal^s, Kent. 
(Pliolo by H. Esscii/iii;/! Coike, F.R.P.S.) 
The Rosefield Collection, Sevenoaf^s, Kent 
SITUATED m one of the southern 
Enghsh counties, and thus being in an 
excellent growing atmosphere, this 
collection of Orchids has for more than thirty 
years attracted the attention of all of those 
who have been interested m this fascinating 
art. 
The earliest date to record is December 
23rd, 1880, for on this day the first imported 
Odontoglossums were purchased and, on 
account of the Orchid-house being still un- 
finished, they were kept in a cellar for more 
than six weeks, the temperature during this 
time being maintained by means of gas 
burners. One of these, a luteopurpureum 
"No. I," has produced a spike of 53 flowers, 
and was in bloom when we visited Rosefield. 
Two Odontoglossum crispums, purchased in 
February, 1881, and the first spotted one to 
flower, which appeared in February, 1882, are 
still alive and in the collection. Although 
many other plants flowered it was not until 
the year 1887 that the first really good variety 
made its appearance, this large white variety 
being named Mrs. de B. Crawshay. 
From an early date Mr. Crawshay studied 
these plants with intense interest, even the 
minutest details attracting his keen observa- 
ticin ; the significance of the shape of any 
particular organ, the importance of colour, or 
the inheritance of special characters in the 
now numerous class of hybrids have all been 
recorded for the special purpose of advancing 
the knowledge of these marvellous plants. 
Sir Humphrey Davy once stated : " To me 
there never has been a higher source of 
earthly honour or distinction than that con- 
nected with advances in science," and no 
sequence of words is more a]3plicable to the 
owner of this collection, for it has ever been 
