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The Entrance 
HE entrance to the Conservatory is dignified and beautiful, 
and in keeping with the atmosphere of the Conservatory as a 
whole—such an atmosphere as is commonly associated with a 
great library or a great art gallery. 
The entrance has been arranged to afford an imposing view through 
the center of the Palm House and down the length of the Fern House. 
In the immediate foreground is a fern-bordered pool, flanked by Lorado 
Taft's beautiful groups—'’Pastoral” and “Idyl’—and by formal 
exhibition shelves whereon is maintained a constant display of flower- 
ing orchids and choice Aeroids, supplemented during a few months of 
each year by gloxinias, tuberous begonias, and similar material. 
The orchids are kept in the propagating houses during the time 
that they are out of bloom. The collection is a large and most valuable 
one, comprising between 3,000 and 4,000 specimens, representing 
about 500 species and varieties. The greatest exhibition of orchids 
is during the period between October and June, although there is never 
a time when less than 30 species are on exhibition. 
The Aeroids shown are usually some of the Anturium hybrids, 
commonly known as “Flamingo Flowers.” A large collection of 
related species is on exhibition in the Warm House. 
Among the most interesting of the orchids are the following: 
Aerides, a genus noted for its long racemes of flowers. The col- 
oo. includes a dozen species from the Malay archipelago, India, and 
apan. 
Angraecum, a genus from India, Japan, and Madagascar. The 
lection includes 4 species, among them the Star OF BETHLEHM ORCHID, 
which blooms at Christmas time. This rare orchid has a star-shaped 
waxy white flower with a drooping spur nearly a foot long that repre- 
sents the tail of the Christmas star. 
Anguloa, a choice genus from the South American Andes, represented 
in this collection by 3 species, among them the Boat ORCHID, whose 
very fragrant flowers are shaped more or less like a boat. 
Brassia, a genus from Guatemala. 
Calanthe, a terrestrial orchid represented in this collection by 26 speci- 
mens. This orchid, which bears long racemes of pink or white flowers, 
is very hard to grow and is rarely seen in collections. 
Cattleya, a genus from tropical America, represented in this collection 
by more than 90 species, varieties, and hybrids. This is the showiest 
of all the orchids, and is the favorite with the orchid buying public. 
C. Labiata is the common cattleya of commerce. Most of the cattleyas 
sold by local florists are grown by two local orchid growers, one in 
Naperville and the other in Morton Park. The collection here in- 
cludes many hybrids that are so expensive that they will never be 
profitable as commercial orchids. These orchids, along with all the 
other epiphytic orchids in the collection, are grown in a special fiber 
prepared by a New Jersey firm from the roots of certain native ferns. 
