H ouse and Garden 
L^LIA PURPURATA 
of' the two classes. When we realize that these clus¬ 
ters of' aerial plants and blossoms, the chief charm of 
the city florists’ display windows, the pride of nur¬ 
series and conservatories, and the choicest blossoms 
of bridal bouquets and table displays, are here solely 
through the efforts of daring, intrepid collectors who 
have at the risk of life and limb, explored the densest 
jungles or the rugged mountain summits of Central 
and South America, of Asia, Africa and the Pacific 
and South Atlantic islands,—then we begin to appre¬ 
ciate more fully the beauty and worth of the most 
ravishing of Mother Nature’s inanimate creations. 
.Many of these collectors are free-lances, organizing 
their expeditions at their own expense, and are to-day 
generally French or Belgian. One might write a 
volume on their experiences and hardships, of 
how they have undergone the ravages of malaria, 
yellow fever, and all the diseases common to 
tropical countries, the constant fear of poisonous 
snakes and insects, the difficulties with unscrupulous 
interpreters and officials, of the danger from treach¬ 
erous natives, and still worst of all, the possible and 
often quite probable loss of an entire collection. 
Colombia is a favorite resort for collectors owing 
to the great variety of plants found in its higher lands 
and has with Costa Rica a favorable climate—but 
malarial Panama is the most dreaded of Central and 
South America. An aged German, now an expert 
with one of our leading horticulturists, tells of many 
journeys made in the interiors of these countries. 
“After landing at some principal port (we always 
went in pairs for greater safety) it was our business to 
procure first a competent guide and interpreter. 
'Phen there were mules to buy, natives to hire, the 
necessary stock of dried beef, white beans, our princi¬ 
pal sustenance, onions, flour, sugar, coffee and tea, 
machetes and axes for cutting through tangled under¬ 
growth or hewing down trees and not the least im¬ 
portant, arms and ammunition. We might be away 
for three months at a time, wholly cut off from the 
outside world. The orchids as they were discovered, 
their roots clinging fast to the branches of gigantic 
trees and their blossoms dancing in the sunlight far 
above our heads, must be secured by our natives wbo 
either climbed up to them and cut them away, or 
down must come the entire tree. Then the plants 
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