i8o 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1866. 



THE advent of the great International 

 Exhibition calls to mind the immense 

 strides that have been made in the 

 improvement and hybridisation of Orchids 

 since the last exhibition, held in i S66. There 

 are few Orchidists now living who were 

 present at this event which, in its day, was 

 looked upon with quite as much excitement 

 and wonder as we regard the great show of 

 191 2. In 1866 almost any Orchid was 

 considered a rare specimen of vegetable life, 

 a marvel to be owned by none but the 

 wealth)-, an exotic requiring the greatest 

 cultural skill, and an example of the curious 

 and varied forms of tropical vegetation from 

 distant climes. How all this has changed. 



At the Botanical Congress, held in the 

 South Kensington Museum during the period 

 of the exhibition, Mr. Robert Warner read a 

 paper on " Cool Vinery Orchids," a subject 

 at that time almost startling, for few realised 

 the fact that a large number of Orchids could 

 be grown in a comparatively cool atmosphere. 

 Mr. Warner explained his methods and gave 

 for the use of future generations many of the 

 details of cultivation which time alone has 

 proved correct. Hybrids, although not 

 unl-oiown, were of great rarity, and the groups 

 were almost entirely made up of species and 

 their various varieties. 



The 1866 exhibition buildings cost i,'2,ooo, 

 in addition to which must be added the cost 

 of the glass sashes specially made for lighting 

 the Orchid tent. These, however, proved 

 unnecessary, the tent being light enough 

 without them, and the glass, where it was used, 

 had to be painted over. The Orchids covered 

 a space of about 400 feet of the bank allocated 

 for that purpose ; the judges being Prof. 

 Reichenbach, of Hamburg, Mr. Anderson, of 

 Meadowbank, Mr. Lawrence, of Farnham, and 

 Mr. W. Rollisson, of Tooting. 



In the open class for 50 Orchids, any kind, 

 in flower, Mr. Robert Warner was the only 

 e?chibitor and consequently secured the ist 

 Prize of ^^^30. In the amateur's class for 20 

 Orchids, the 1st Prize of £2^ was secured 

 by Mr. Turner, of Leicester. Mr. W. Leaf, 



of Streatham, Mrs. Treadwell, of Norwood, 

 and Mr. Buller, of Exeter, secured the 

 remaining prizes. 



Class 29 was for 12 Orchids, distinct, in 

 flower. The 1st Prize of £\o was won by 

 Messrs. Veitch and Sons, Chelsea,, the 2nd 

 by Mr. B. S. Williams, and the 4th by Mr. 

 William Bull, Chelsea ; the 3rd Prize was 

 withheld by the jurors. In the following 

 class four money prizes were offered, Mr. 

 Gibbs, of Regent's Park, being placed first, 

 and Mr. William Marshall securing the second. 

 Two other amateurs were also successful. 

 Classes 31 and 32, each for six Orchids, 

 enticed several entries. 



Class 33 was for one new Orchid, shown 

 for the first time in flower. The ist prize, £1, 

 was awarded to M. ]. Linden, for brides 

 japonicum ; the 2nd prize, £2, was won by 

 Messrs. Veitch, for Angraecum citratum. 

 Other exhibitors m this class were Messrs. 

 Backhouse, who showed Oncidium concolor, 

 Maxillaria leptosepala, and an Odontoglossum 

 species from Venezuela ; Messrs. Veitch, who 

 staged Cypripedium lasvigatum ; Mr. Robert 

 Warner, who exhibited Dendrobium 

 Wardianum and Cattleya Mossise Marianae ; 

 Mr. B. S. Williams, who brought Vanda 

 cristata superba and Phalasnopsis Ludde- 

 manniana superba ; and Mr. James Bateman, 

 who showed a variety of Miltonia spectabilis. 

 With all these interesting plants before them 

 the jurors thought fit to withhold the 3rd 

 prize. 



Class 34, for one Orchid in flower, 

 encouraged the Duke of Northumberland, Mr. 

 Robert Warner, Mr. A. Turner, Mr. James 

 Bateman, and Mr. B. S. Williams to enter for 

 the three prizes. 



The class for ten variegated Orchids, 

 including Anoectoehilus, Ph)surus, Macodes, 

 Good)-era, etc., induced several exhibitors to 

 compete ; in nearl}' every group the varieties 

 of Anoectoehilus formed the principal part. 

 The 1st Prize of £^ was awarded to Mr. B. S. 

 Williams, and the 4th to Messrs. S. Glen- 

 dinning, Chiswick. Variegated Orchids are 

 rarely seen in present day collections. 



