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diff --git a/32205-h/32205-h.htm b/32205-h/32205-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcafbf7 --- /dev/null +++ b/32205-h/32205-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8787 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Woodlands Orchids, by Frederick Boyle. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body {margin-left: 12%; margin-right: 12%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right; font-style: normal;} + + .blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .poem {margin-left:15%; margin-right:15%;} + .note {margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%;} + + .right {text-align: right;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .smcaplc {text-transform: lowercase; font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + a:link {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:#6633cc; text-decoration:none} + + .spacer {padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} + .spacer2 {padding-left: .5em; padding-right: 1em;} + .spacer3 {padding-left: 1.5em; padding-right: 1.5em;} + .spacer4 {padding-left: 2em; padding-right: 2em;} + + ins.correction {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin solid gray;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Woodlands Orchids, by Frederick Boyle + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Woodlands Orchids + +Author: Frederick Boyle + +Illustrator: J. L. Macfarlane + +Release Date: May 2, 2010 [EBook #32205] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS *** + + + + +Produced by Ben Beasley, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by Biodiversity Heritage Library.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<h1>THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS</h1> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-002.png" alt="" /></div> +<p> <a name="front" id="front"></a></p><p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-004tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-004.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">ZYGO-COLAX × WOODLANDSENSE.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> +<p> </p><p> </p> + + +<h1>THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS</h1> +<h3>DESCRIBED AND ILLUSTRATED</h3> +<h3><i>WITH STORIES OF ORCHID-COLLECTING</i></h3> +<p> </p> +<h4>BY</h4> +<h3>FREDERICK BOYLE</h3> +<p> </p> +<h4>Author of<br /> +‘Camp Notes,’ ‘Legends of My Bungalow,’ ‘About Orchids, A Chat,’ etc, etc, etc.</h4> +<p> </p> +<h3><i>COLOURED PLATES BY J. L. MACFARLANE, F.R.H.S.</i></h3> +<p> </p> +<h4>London<br /> +MACMILLAN AND CO., <span class="smcap">Limited</span><br /> +NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY<br /> +1901<br /> +<br /> +<i>All rights reserved</i></h4> + +<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> +<p class="note">This work is not of the class which needs a Preface. But to the Editors of +the <i>Pall Mall Gazette</i>, <i>Sunday Times</i>, <i>Black and White</i>, <i>Chambers’s +Journal</i>, <i>Wide Wide World</i>, and <i>Badminton Magazine</i> I am indebted for +license to republish my stories of Orchid-seeking, and it is pleasant to +acknowledge their courtesy. If those tales amuse the general reader, I +trust that other portions of the work will be found not uninteresting, nor +even unprofitable, by orchid-growers. Plain descriptions of scarce species +and varieties are not readily accessible. A mere list of the hybrids in +the Woodlands collection would be found useful, pending the issue of that +international catalogue which must be undertaken shortly; but beyond this +I have noted the peculiarities of colour and form in such of the progeny +as seemed most curious. No doubt many experts will wish that I had +described some which are passed over and omitted some described—without +agreeing among themselves in either case perhaps. But I have done my best.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="contents"> +<tr><td> </td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td align="right"><span class="smcaplc">PAGE</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">How the Collection Was Formed</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Cattleya House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">A Legend of Roezl</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Cattleya House</span>—<i>Continued</i></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">A Story of Cattleya Bowringiana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">A Story of Cattleya Mossiae</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Cypripedium insigne</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Cattleya Skinneri alba</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Phalaenopsis House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Vanda Sanderiana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Phalaenopsis Sanderiana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Hybrid Cattleyas and Laelias</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">A Legend of Madagascar</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Laelia purpurata</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story Of Dendrobium Schröderianum</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Dendrobium Lowii</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Calanthe House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Coelogyne speciosa</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Cattleya Labiata House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">A Story of Brassavola Digbyana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Lycastes, Sobralias, and Anguloas</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Sobralia Kienastiana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Cypripedium House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Cypripedium Curtisii</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Cypripediums</span>—<i>Continued</i></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_191">191</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Cypripedium platytaenium</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Cypripedium Spicerianum</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_213">213</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Cool House</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_221">221</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Odontoglossum Harryanum</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_229">229</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Masdevallias</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_237">237</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Oncidiums</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Oncidium splendidum</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Laelia Jongheana</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Story of Bulbophyllum Barbigerum</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Index</span></td><td> </td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="illustrations"> +<tr><td>Zygo-Colax, Woodlands variety</td><td><span class="spacer"> </span></td><td colspan="2" align="right"><a href="#front"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Laelia elegans cyanthus</td><td> </td><td><i>To face page</i></td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Macfarlanei</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cattleya Trianae Measuresiae</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Schroderae Miss Mary Measures</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cypripedium insigne Sanderae</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Laelia grandis tenebrosa, Walton Grange var.</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cattleya labiata Measuresiana</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Lycaste Skinneri R. H. Measures</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_161">160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Cypripedium William Lloyd</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_182">182</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>Rothwellianum</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>reticulatum, var. Bungerothi</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>Dr. Ryan</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr> +<tr><td>Odontoglossum Rossii, Woodlands variety</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Harryano-crispum</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>coronarium</td><td> </td><td align="center">"</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h2>HOW THE COLLECTION WAS FORMED</h2> + +<p>This question may be answered shortly; it was formed—at least the +beginning of it—under compulsion. After fifteen years of very hard work, +Mr. Measures broke down. The doctor prescribed a long rest, and insisted +on it; but the patient was equally determined not to risk the career just +opening, with an assurance of success, by taking a twelve-months’ holiday. +Reluctantly the doctor sought an alternative. Yachting he +proposed—hunting—shooting; at length, in despair, horse-racing! +Zealously and conscientiously undertaken, that pursuit yields a good deal +of employment for the mind. And one who follows it up and down the country +must needs spend several hours a day in the open air. Such was the +argument; we may suspect that the good man had a sporting turn and hoped +to get valuable tips from a grateful client.</p> + +<p>But nothing would suit. After days of cogitation, at his wits’ end, the +doctor conceived an idea which might have occurred to some at the outset. +‘Take a house in the suburbs,’ he advised, ‘with a large garden. Cultivate +some special variety of plant and make a study of it.’ This commended +itself. As a boy Mr. Measures loved gardening. In the Lincolnshire hamlet +where he was born, the vicar took pride in his roses and things, as is the +wont of vicars who belong to the honest old school. It was an hereditary +taste<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> with the Measures’ kin. Forthwith a house, with seven acres of land +about it, was purchased at Streatham—‘The Woodlands,’ destined to win +renown in the annals of Orchidology.</p> + +<p>But the special variety of plant had still to be selected. It was to be +something with a flower, as Mr. Measures understood; hardy, and so +interesting in some way, no matter what, that a busy man could find +distraction in studying it. Such conditions are not difficult for one +willing to spend hours over the microscope; but in that case, if the mind +were relieved, the body would suffer. At the present day orchids would +suggest themselves at once; but twenty or twenty-five years ago they were +not so familiar to the public at large. One friend proposed roses, another +carnations, a third chrysanthemums, and a fourth, fifth, and sixth +proposed chrysanthemums, carnations, and roses. Though the house and the +large garden had been provided, Mr. Measures did not see his way.</p> + +<p>I am tempted to quote some remarks of my own, published in October 1892. +‘I sometimes think that orchids were designed at their inception to +comfort the elect of human beings in this anxious age—the elect, I say, +among whom the rich may or may not be included. Consider! To generate them +must needs have been the latest “act of creation,” as the ancient formula +goes—in the realm of plants and flowers at least. The world was old +already when orchids took place therein; for they could not have lived in +those ages which preceded the modern order. Doubtless this family sprang +from some earlier and simpler organisation, like all else. But the Duke of +Argyll’s famous argument against the “Origin of Man” applies here: that +organisation could not have been an orchid. Its anatomy forbids +fertilisation by wind, or even, one may say, by accident. Insects are +necessary; in many cases insects of peculiar structure. Great was the +diversion of the foolish—eminent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> savants may be very foolish +indeed—when Darwin pronounced that if a certain moth, which he had never +seen nor heard of, were to die out in Madagascar, the noblest of the +Angraecums must cease to exist. To the present day no one has seen or +heard of that moth, but the humour of the assertion is worn out. Only +admiring wonder remains, for we know now that the induction is +unassailable. Upon such chances does the life of an orchid depend. It +follows that insects must have been well established before those plants +came into being; and insects in their turn could not live until the earth +had long “borne fruit after its kind.”</p> + +<p>‘But from the beginning of things until this century, until this +generation, one might almost say—civilised man could not enjoy the +boon.... We may fancy the delight of the Greeks and the rivalry of +millionaires at Rome had these flowers been known. “The Ancients” were by +no means unskilful in horticulture—witness that astonishing report of the +display at the coronation of Ptolemy Philadelphus, given by Athenaeus. But +of course they could not have known how to begin growing orchids, even +though they obtained them—I speak of epiphytes and foreign species, +naturally. From the date of the Creation—which we need not fix—till the +end of the Eighteenth Century, ships were not fast enough to convey them +alive; a fact not deplorable since they would have been killed forthwith +on landing.</p> + +<p>‘... So I return to the argument. It has been seen that orchids are the +latest and most finished work of the Creator; that the blessing was +withheld from civilised man until, step by step, he gained the conditions +necessary to receive it. Order and commerce in the first place; mechanical +invention next, such as swift ships and easy communications; glass-houses, +and a means of heating them which could be regulated with precision and +maintained with no excessive care; knowledge both scientific and +practical; the enthusiasm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> of wealthy men; the thoughtful and patient +labour of skilled servants—all these were needed to secure for us the +delights of orchid culture. What boon granted to mankind stands in like +case? I think of none. Is it unreasonable then to believe, as was said, +that orchids were designed at their inception to comfort the elect in this +anxious age?’<small><a name="f1.1" id="f1.1" href="#f1">[1]</a></small></p> + +<p>Mr. Measures, however, was quite unconscious of his opportunities. It was +mere chance which put him on the right track. Tempted by the prospect of +obtaining something, forgotten now, in the way of roses or carnations or +chrysanthemums, he attended a local sale. Presently some pots of +Cypripedium barbatum were put up, in bud and flower. They seemed curious +and pretty—he bought them. It was a relief to find that his gardener did +not show any surprise or embarrassment at the sight—appeared to be +familiar with the abnormal objects indeed. But it would have been +subversive of discipline to ask how they were called. So Mr. Measures +worked round and round the secret, putting questions—what heat did the +things require, what soil, would the green-house already built suit them, +and so forth? Finally, in talking, the gardener pronounced the +name—Cypripedium. Planting this long word deep and firm in his memory Mr. +Measures hurried to the house, looked it out in the multitudinous books on +gardening already stored there, and discovered that Cypripedium is an +orchid. Pursuing the investigation further, he learned that orchids are +the choicest of flowers, that several thousand species of them, all +beautiful and different, may be cultivated, that some are easy and some +difficult. It dawned upon him then that this might well be the special +variety of plant which would answer his purpose.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>But he was not the man to choose a hobby without grave deliberation and +experiment. The very next essay, only three days afterwards, suggested a +doubt. He saw a plant of Dendrobium thyrsiflorum in flower, and carried it +home in a whirl of astonishment and delight; but next morning every bloom +had faded, and the gardener assured him that no more could be expected for +twelve months. This was a damper. Evidently a prudent person should think +twice before accumulating plants which flower but once a year, and then +last only four days. But just at that time, by good fortune, he made +acquaintance with Mr. Godseff who, in short, explained things—not too +hastily, but in a long course of instruction. And so, making sure of every +step as he advanced, Mr. Measures gradually formed the Woodlands +collection.</p> + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<p>Perhaps it would be logical to describe the arrangement of our treasures. +But an account which might be useful would demand much space, and it could +interest very few readers. It may suffice, therefore, to note that there +are thirty-one ‘houses,’ distributed in nine groups, or detached +buildings. All through, the health and happiness of the plants are +consulted in the first place, the convenience of visitors in the second, +and show not at all; which is to say that the roofs are low, and the paths +allow two persons to walk abreast in comfort but no more.</p> + +<p>The charge of these thirty-one houses is committed to Mr. J. Coles, with +thirteen subordinates regularly employed. Mr. Coles was bred if not born +among orchids, when his father had charge of the late Mr. Smee’s admirable +garden, at Wallington. After rising to the post of Foreman there, he +entered the service of Captain Terry, Peterborough House, Fulham, as +Foreman of the orchid houses; but two years afterwards this fine +collection was dispersed, at Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> Terry’s death. Then Mr. Coles went +to enlarge his experience in Messrs. Sander’s vast establishment at St. +Albans. In due time the office of Orchid and Principal Foreman in the Duke +of Marlborough’s houses was offered to him, and at Blenheim he remained +eight years. Thence he proceeded to the Woodlands.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-018.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p class="center"><b>MR. J. COLES.</b></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE CATTLEYA HOUSE</h2> + +<p>Our Cattleya House is 187 feet long, 24 feet wide; glass screens divide it +into seven compartments. The roof, of a single span, is 11 feet high in +the centre, 4 feet at the sides.</p> + +<p>The compartment we enter first is devoted to Laelia elegans mostly. On the +big block of tufa in front, blooms of Cattleya and Laelia are displayed +nearly all the year in small tubes among the ferns and moss; for we do not +exhaust our plants by leaving the flowers on them when fully open. Scarlet +Anthuriums crown the block, and among these, on the bare stone, is a +Laelia purpurata, growing strongly, worth observation. For this plant was +deadly sick last year, beyond hope of recovery; as an experiment Mr. Coles +set it on the tufa, wired down, and forthwith it began to pick up +strength. But in fact the species loves to fix itself on limestone when at +home in Santa Catarina, as does L. elegans.</p> + +<p>It may be desirable to point out that the difference between Cattleyas and +Laelias as genera is purely ‘botanical’—serious enough in that point of +view, but imperceptible to the eye.</p> + +<p>A special glory of Woodlands is the collection of L. elegans. In this +house, where only the large plants are stored, we count five hundred; +seven hundred more are scattered up and down. Nowhere in the world can be +seen so many examples of this exquisite variety—certainly not in its +birthplace, for there it is very nearly exterminated. In such a multitude, +rare developments of form and colour must needs abound,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> for no orchid is +so variable. In fact, elegans is merely a title of convenience, with no +scientific value. It dwells—soon we must say it dwelt—in the closest +association with Laelia purpurata, Cattleya intermedia, and Cattleya +guttata Leopoldii; by the intermingling of these three it was assuredly +created. Mr. Rolfe has satisfied himself that the strain of Laelia +purpurata is always present. By alliance with Catt. Leopoldii the dark +forms were produced; by alliance with Catt. intermedia the white. Since +that misty era, of course, cross-fertilisation has continued without +ceasing, and the combinations are endless.</p> + +<p>Evidently this suggestion is reasonable, but if an unscientific person may +venture to say so, it does not appear to be sufficient. Among six flowers +of L. elegans five will have sepals and petals more or less rosy, perhaps +only a shade, perhaps a tint so deep that it approaches crimson, like +Blenheimensis or Turneri. Could one of the three parents named supply this +colour? Two of them, indeed, are often rosy; in some rare instances the +hue of L. purpurata may be classed as deep rose. But these are such +notable exceptions that they would rather suggest a fourth parent, a red +Cattleya or Laelia, which has affected not elegans alone but purpurata and +intermedia also. Nothing of the sort exists now, I believe, in the island +of Santa Catarina. But we are contemplating aeons of time, and changes +innumerable may have occurred. The mainland is but a few miles away; once +Santa Catarina was attached to it. And there, a short distance to the +north, lives Laelia pumila, which might supply the rosy tinge.</p> + +<p>Several artificial hybrids of Catt. guttata Leopoldii have been raised. By +alliance with Catt. Dowiana it produces Catt. Chamberlainiana; with Catt. +superba, Feuillata; with Catt. Hardyana, Fowlerii; with Catt. Loddigesii, +Gandii; with Catt. Mendelii, Harrisii; with Laelio-Cattleya Marion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> C. H. +Harrington; with Catt. quadricolor, Mitchelii; with Catt. Warcewiczii, +Atalanta. Catt. Victoria Regina also is assumed to be a natural hybrid of +Leopoldii with Catt. labiata. There may be other crosses probably, since +no official record of Hybridisation exists as yet. Curiously enough, +however, no one seems to have mated Cattleya Leopoldii with Lælia +purpurata so far as I can learn. Thus it is not yet proved that L. elegans +sprang from that alliance.</p> + +<p>But the hybridisers have an opening here not less profitable than +interesting. For the natural supply is exhausted—if any stickler for +accuracy object that some still arrive every year, they may overhaul their +Boswell and make a note. Sir, said his hero, if I declare that there is no +fruit in an orchard, I am not to be charged with speaking falsely because +a man, examining every tree, finds two apples and three pears—I have not +the book at hand to quote the very words. When L. elegans was discovered, +in 1847, it must have been plentiful in its native home beyond all other +species on record. The first collectors so described it. But that home was +a very small island, where it clung to the rocks. Every plant within reach +has long since been cleared away; those remaining dwell in perilous places +on the cliffs. To gather them a man must be let down from above, or he +must risk his life in climbing from below. But under these conditions the +process of extermination still proceeds, and in a time to be counted by +months it will be complete.</p> + +<p>In describing a few of the most precious varieties at Woodlands, I may +group them in a manner to display by contrast the striking diversities +which an orchid may assume while retaining the essential points that +distinguish it from others. One form, however, I must mention here, for it +is too common to be classed among peculiarities, yet to my mind its +colouring is the softest and most dainty of all. Petal and sepal are +‘stone-colour,’ warmed, one cannot say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> even tinged, with crimson. Nature +has no hue more delicate or sweeter.</p> + +<p><i>Adonis.</i>—Bright rosy petals—sepals paler—lip and edges of lobes +carmine.</p> + +<p><i>F. Sander.</i>—The latest pseudo-bulb measures 2 feet 3 inches—topping the +best growth of its native forest by six inches; from base to top of the +spike, 4 feet less 1 inch, and as thick as a walking-cane. This grand +plant has been in cultivation for three years. The sepals and petals are +those of L. e. Turneri; the lip resembles a fine L. purpurata.</p> + +<p>The plant next to this, unnamed, has pseudo-bulbs almost as long, but +scarcely thicker than straws.</p> + +<p><i>Empress.</i>—A very dark form of Turneri.</p> + +<p><i>Medusa.</i>—Tall, slender pseudo-bulbs—very dark.</p> + +<p><i>Neptune</i>, on the contrary, has pseudo-bulbs short and fat, whilst the +colouring is pale.</p> + +<p><i>H. E. Moojen.</i>—Doubtless a natural hybrid with L. purpurata, which takes +equally after both parents.</p> + +<p><i>Godseffiana.</i>—Nearly white; the broad lip carmine—lobes of the same +hue, widely expanded.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. F. Sander.</i>—A round flower, very dark rose; sepals and petals +dotted all over, as in Cattleya Leopoldii.</p> + +<p><i>Red King.</i>—Yellowish throat. Lip good colour and round, but narrow, +without the prolongation of some or the lateral extension of others. +Curiously like the shape of L. Perrinii.</p> + +<p><i>Stella.</i>—Dusky rose and similarly spotted, but different in +shape—sepals and petals much thinner.</p> + +<p><i>Boadicea.</i>—Sepals and petals deep rose. Long shovel lip crimson-lake.</p> + +<p><i>H. G. Gifkins.</i>—The sepals are palest green, with a rosy tinge; petals +pale mauve. The lip, maroon-crimson, spreads out broadly from a neck +almost half an inch long, and its deep colour stretches right up the +throat.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span><i>Mrs. R. H. Measures.</i>—Pure white, even the lip, except a touch of +purple-crimson in the centre and slender crimson veins.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Harold Measures.</i>—A fine hybrid of L.e. Blenheimensis and Catt. +superba splendens, which takes mostly after the former in colouring, the +latter in shape. It is a round flower, with a crimson lip immensely broad; +two small yellow spots are half concealed beneath the tube. Sepals +greenish tawny, petals dull pink with crimson lines.</p> + +<p><i>Sade Lloyd.</i>—A very pretty form. Sepals and petals rosy, tinted with +fawn colour. The crimson lip is edged with a delicate white line, as are +the lobes, which fold completely over the tube.</p> + +<p><i>Doctor Ryan</i> is distinguished by a very long protruding lip.</p> + +<p><i>Ophelia.</i>—As big and as round as Catt. Mossiae. Tube very thick and +wide.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei.</i>—We have two so named. In this grand example the +pseudo-bulbs are more than 2 feet high, proportionately thick. Eight or +nine flowers on the spike. Sepals and petals glaucous green. Long lip of +brightest crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Leucotata.</i>—Sepals and petals white with rosy tips—lip white, saving +rosy lines and a rosy stain.</p> + +<p><i>Nyleptha.</i>—Sepals and petals fawn colour, edged with rose. Very wide lip +of deepest crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Haematochila.</i>—Sepals stone-colour flushed with pink, petals dusky pink. +Lip carmine-purple, rather narrow, shaped like a highly ornamental spade.</p> + +<p><i>Paraleuka.</i>—All snowy white save the carmine lip, the form of which is +curiously neat and trim.</p> + +<p><i>Tenebrosa.</i>—In this specially dark variety the tube is long, closely +folded, rose-white, with lines of crimson proceeding from the back. As +they meet at the lower edge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> they form a border as deep in hue as the lip. +But our darkest elegans, eighteen years in the collection, has not bloomed +for six seasons past.</p> + +<p><i>Schilleriana splendens.</i>—Sepals and petals white, with a faintest rosy +tinge and a yellow stain on the midrib. Lip long, straight, forked at the +tip, liveliest crimson-purple.</p> + +<p><i>Stelzneriana.</i>—Rosy-white. The crimson of the lip does not spread all +over but lies in a triangular blotch.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiana.</i>—Sepals greenish-yellow, the leaf-like petals similar, +pink towards the edges, lined with rose. Both spotted at the tip with +crimson. The lip is that of Catt. bicolor, short comparatively, straight, +and darkest crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Ladymead.</i>—The white sepals and petals have a palest tinge of rose. On +the lip are two broad yellow eyes after the fashion of Catt. gigas.</p> + +<p><i>Venus.</i>—Almost white. Petals veined, sepals dotted, with crimson—the +underside of both heavily stained. Lip almost fawn-colour at the edges, +with veins widening and deepening into crimson at the throat.</p> + +<p><i>Luculenta.</i>—A very pretty hybrid of Messrs. Sander’s raising, palest +mauve. Lip rather narrow but grand in colour. Shovel-shaped.</p> + +<p><i>Frederico.</i>—A very odd variety—small. The stone-coloured sepals are +outlined with rose, the petals with purplish pink. Both are speckled with +brown. Lip brightest maroon-crimson, prettily scalloped.</p> + +<p><i>Platychila.</i>—Pale purple. Remarkable for its immense crimson lip.</p> + +<p><i>Luciana.</i>—Green petals, curling strongly towards the tip; petals +widening from the stalk like a leaf, pink with a green midrib. The lobes +white, narrow, square, and deepest crimson, the lip that of Catt. bicolor.</p> + +<p><i>Monica.</i>—Snow-white. Petals broad, sepals strongly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> depressed. In the +middle of the spreading crimson lip is a patch almost white.</p> + +<p><i>Tautziana.</i>—Sepals mauve, petals violet, somewhat darker, lip almost +maroon. It is singular in shape also, forked like a bird’s tail.</p> + +<p><i>Blenheimensis.</i>—Sepals and petals rose with a violet tinge; very broad +labellum with a distinct neck, emerging from a short tawny tube—carmine +in the throat, purplish at the edges.</p> + +<p><i>Macroloba.</i>—The lobes here are white and enormous. Enormous also is the +lip, and singularly beautiful, deepest crimson at the throat, with a broad +purple margin netted over with crimson lines.</p> + +<p><i>Juno.</i>—This also has a very large white tube. Sepals and petals rosy, +rather slender, fine crimson lip.</p> + +<p><i>Matuta.</i>—Large, broad and shapely. Sepals greenish, with a pink tinge, +petals rosy-tawny. Tube very short, lip brightest crimson, standing out +clear as a flag.</p> + +<p><i>Minerva.</i>—One of the most spreading, but thin. Colour rose, the petals +darker. Narrow sepals. Tube white. Lip carmine.</p> + +<p><i>Princess Stephanie.</i>—Sepals bright green, petals slightly green, edged +with pale purple, and crimson lines. Bright lip after the model of Catt. +bicolor.</p> + +<p><i>Amphion.</i>—A dark variety. The long lip has two eyes like Catt. gigas.</p> + +<p><i>Beatrice.</i>—A hybrid of L.e. Schilleriana and L. purpurata, remarkable +for its lip, long and shovel-shaped, nearly the same breadth throughout.</p> + +<p><i>Morreniana.</i>—Sepals dullish red purple—the lower strongly bowed, as are +the wide petals of similar hue. The lip spreads on either side of the +white tube like the wings of a purple-crimson butterfly.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. Mahler.</i>—A hybrid—Catt. Leop. × Catt. bicolor.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> Very small but +very pretty. Sepals palest green, petals almost white, tinged with pink at +the edges. The shovel-shaped lip pinkish crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Euracheilas.</i>—Sepals dusky stone-colour, edged with pink, petals all +dusky pink. Very large but narrow. The maroon-crimson lip extends at right +angles from the tube, without any neck.</p> + +<p><i>Schilleriana.</i>—The variety most clearly allied to L. purpurata. White or +palest rose of sepal and petal, the latter marked with purplish lines at +the base. Lip a grand purple-crimson, fading sharply towards the edges.</p> + +<p><i>Weathersiana.</i>—Sepals palest tawny suffused with rose, petals mauve. The +broad lip of fine colour is so strongly indented that it resembles the +bipennis of the Amazons.</p> + +<p><i>Euspatha.</i>—Reichenbach suggested that this is a hybrid of L. Boothiana +or L. purpurata with some Cattleya—probably intermedia. It is white, with +broad, sepals and petals. The tube is open nearly all its length, and the +wide lip of crimson, fading to purplish edges, shows scarcely an +indentation.</p> + +<p><i>Hallii.</i>—Crimson-purple sepals—petals darker; the lip approaches +maroon.</p> + +<p><i>Oweniae.</i>—In this case the sepals and petals—which are +leaf-shaped—stand out boldly, straight on end—rosy with mauve shading, +more pronounced in the latter; lip round, of a charming carmine.</p> + +<p><i>Incantans.</i>—A very large and stately bloom. Sepals of the tender warm +stone so often mentioned, petals broad and waved, of the same colour down +the middle, flushing to rosy purple on each side. A fine crimson-velvet +lip.</p> + +<p><i>Melanochites</i> is a very symmetrical flower, though not ‘compact,’ as the +phrase goes. All lively rose-lake, the petals a darker tone. The grand +broad lip of purple crimson has a pretty yellow blotch on either side +beneath the tube. It is sharply forked.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span><i>Pyramus.</i>—Sepals of the flushed stone-colour which I, at least, admire +so much; but the flush is more conspicuous than usual. Petals clear rose. +Lip vivid crimson, with the same yellow blotches under the white tube.</p> + +<p><i>Bella.</i>—The purplish crimson sepals and petals are tipped with buff. Lip +shovel-shaped, dark crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Sappho.</i>—Here the pale purple sepals only are tipped with buff, while +the petals, which curl over, are rose. The carmine of the lip is very +pretty.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei II.</i>—Sepals of the same colour, but greenish, strongly +marked with the distinctive spots of Catt. Leopoldii, edged with rose; +petals rose, lined with crimson on either side of the white midrib. The +long tube opening shows a strongly yellow throat. The labellum is short, +but superb in colour.</p> + +<p><i>Myersiana.</i>—A large form. Sepals dusky, tinged with crimson at the +edges. Petals softly crimson. Very long tube. The crimson lip has a pale +margin, and a pale blotch in the front.</p> + +<p><i>Cleopatra.</i>—One of the very best. Like that above in petal and sepal, +but paler. The broad tube, however, is snow-white, saving a touch of +magenta-crimson, bright as a ruby, at the tip of the lobes. And the lip, +finely frilled, is all magenta-crimson, with not a mark upon it from +throat to edge.</p> + +<p><i>Wolstenholmae.</i>—White, the sepals tinted with purple. Petals broad, with +a purple outline. Lip narrow and long, of a colour unique, which may be +described as crimson-purple. In the throat are two curious white bars; +between them run arching purple lines close set, which, on the outer side +of the bars, extend to the edge of the lip. A very remarkable flower.</p> + +<p><i>Eximia.</i>—Also very remarkable—not to say uncanny. The narrow sepals and +petals, almost white, have a mottling of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> rosy mauve along the edges, +which looks unwholesome, as if caused by disease. But the long +paddle-shaped lip, crimson, changing to purple as it expands, is very +fine. It has two pale yellow ‘eyes’ elongated in an extraordinary manner.</p> + +<p><i>Lord Roberts.</i>—Very handsome and peculiar. The colour of the sepals, +strongly folded back, is warm grey, tinged and faintly lined with crimson; +this tinge is much more pronounced in the petals. The large tubular lip, +finely opened, is uniform crimson-magenta, not so dark as usual.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-029tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-029.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">LÆLIO-CATTLEYA × ELEGANS var. CYANTHUS.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> +<h2>A LEGEND OF ROEZL</h2> + +<p>So soon as I began to take interest in orchids I was struck with the +number of odd facts and incidents in that field of botany. One gains but a +glimpse of them, as a rule, in some record of travel or some scientific +treatise; and at an early date it occurred to me that if the stories to +which these fragments belong could be recovered, they would prove to be +not only curious and interesting but amusing—sometimes terrible. I began +to collect, therefore, and in the pages following I offer some of the +results.</p> + +<p>It is right to begin with a legend of Roezl, if only because his name will +often recur; but also he was incomparably the greatest of those able and +energetic men who have roamed the savage world in search of new plants for +our study and enjoyment. Almost any other mortal who had gone through +adventures and experiences such as his in our time would have made a book +and a sensation; but the great collector never published anything, I +believe, beyond a statement of scientific facts from time to time. This is +not the place to deal with his career; I am only telling stories. But it +is not to be dismissed without a word.</p> + +<p>Roezl will be gratefully remembered so long as science and horticulture +survive the triumph of democracy. I have heard it alleged that he +discovered eight hundred new<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> species of plant or tree. It is credible. In +the memoir published by the <i>Gardeners’ Chronicle</i>, which was brief of +necessity, fourscore were enumerated, with the addition, here, of ‘many +others,’ there, of ‘etc.’ Roezl was no specialist. A wise regard for his +own interest confined him almost to orchids in the later years. But in his +catalogue of achievements I find new lilies, new conifers, fuchsias, +agaves, cacti, begonias, saxifrage, dahlias, convolvuli, tropaeolums, +tacsonias—a multitude, in fact, beyond reckoning. In one expedition he +sent eight tons of orchids to Europe; in another ten tons of cacti, +agaves, dion, and orchids! The record of his travels is startling; and it +must be observed that Roezl’s first aim always was to escape from the +beaten track. His journeyings were explorations. Many an Indian tribe +never saw a white man before, and some, perhaps, have never seen one +since. Mexico was his first hunting-ground, and thither he returned more +than once; Cuba the second. Thence he was drawn to the Rocky Mountains, +California, and Sierra Nevada. Then in succession he visited Panama, New +Granada, Sierra Nevada again, California again, Washington Territory, +Panama again, Bonaventura, the Cauca valley, Antioquia, Northern Peru, +crossed the Andes, returned to Bonaventura, and thence to Europe. Starting +again he searched Colorado Territory, New Mexico, California, the Sierra +Madre; worked his way to Caracas, thence through Venezuela, crossed to +Cuba, to Vera Cruz, explored the state of Oajaca in Mexico, sailed to +Lima, crossed the Andes again to Tarma and Changamaga, back into Southern +Peru, wandered as far as the Lake of Titicaca, searched Bolivia, traversed +the Snowy Mountains to Yungas, back to Lima and Arica, crossed the Andes a +third time, visited Ecuador, and made his way back to the valley of the +Cauca. How many thousand miles of journeying this chronicle represents is +a problem for laborious youth. And the botanist<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> uses roads, railways, and +horses only to get him from one scene of operations to another. He works +afoot.</p> + +<p>It is good to know that Roezl had his reward. Eighteen years ago he died, +full of years and honours, in his native Bohemia. And the Kaiser himself +was represented by a high dignitary at the unveiling of his statue in +Prague.</p> + +<p>The experiences I am about to tell were made in the course of that long +march through the woods from La Guayra in Venezuela to Ocaña in New +Granada. Among the special trophies of it was Cattleya Roezlii, a variety +of Cattleya speciosissima; but I am not aware that the secluded tribe +whose habits interested Roezl so much had any immediate connection with +this plant. Perhaps before going further it may be well to note that any +assertion of the great Collector might be admitted not only as an honest +report, but also as a fact which he had verified, so far as was possible. +Dr. Johnson was not more careful to speak the whole truth and nothing but +the truth.</p> + +<p>It was somewhere round the sources of the Amazons that Roezl sojourned for +a while in a village of those strange people whom the Spaniards call +Pintados—‘painted’ Indians. Their colour, in fact, is piebald—light +brown, dark brown, and a livid tint commonly described as red, in +blotches. They are seen occasionally in Guiana, more rarely in Venezuela +and Brazil. The colouring is ascribed to disease, rather because it is so +hideous and abnormal, perhaps, than for a solid reason. Roezl thought it +‘natural.’</p> + +<p>He was making his way through those endless forests by compass, with two +mestizos from Columbia who had served him on a former journey, and a negro +boy. For guides and carriers he depended on the Indians, who passed him +from settlement to settlement. It is fitting to observe here that Roezl +never carried firearms of any sort at any time—so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> he used to say. Of +great stature and prodigious muscle, utterly fearless, never unprepared, +happen what might, he passed forty years in such wandering as I have +outlined, and never had occasion to strike a blow. Several times he found +himself between contending factions, the armed mobs of Spanish America, +and lost everything; many times was he robbed, but never, I believe, +assaulted. Nerve and humour protected him. As for the wild Indians, I +fancy that they were overawed by his imposing appearance; and especially +by an iron hook which occupied the place of his left hand, smashed by an +accident.</p> + +<p>This system of travelling at leisure from settlement to settlement enabled +him to pick up a few necessary words of each language, and to give warning +of his approach to the next tribe. The Pintados welcomed him in a quiet +fashion—that is, the chiefs did not object when he repaired an empty hut +and took possession. It was at the end of a long ‘street,’ parallel to the +river. The rude dwellings were not scattered. Each stood opposite to its +fellow across the way, and Roezl noticed a large flat stone in the middle +between every pair. Towards nightfall the Indians trooped back from their +fields; but all the women and grown girls entered at one end of the +village, the men at the other. This was curious. As they marched up, the +former dispersed in huts to the right hand, the latter to the left, each +sex keeping to its own side of the stones. After depositing their tools +the men came out and gathered silently around the strangers’ +quarters—only very young children ran to and fro. After a time the women +reappeared with steaming calabashes, which they bore half across the road, +and set, each of them, on the stone before her dwelling. Then they +returned. Forthwith the males strolled back, carried the supper to their +respective huts, and in due time replaced the empty calabash upon the +stone, whence the women removed it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>It will be understood that these strange ceremonies interested Roezl. +Evidently the husbands lived on one side of the street, the wives and +young children on the other. The moon was full and he watched for hours. +After supper the males returned to squat and smoke around his hut, +scarcely speaking; but one after another they withdrew presently, each to +his own abode. So long as the moonlight enabled Roezl to observe, not one +crossed the way. And afterwards he discovered that this is an eternal +rule—a husband never enters his wife’s dwelling. The separation of the +sexes is complete.</p> + +<p>Long before satisfying himself on this point Roezl saw enough to convince +him that the usages of this secluded people must be well worth study. He +remained among them as long as he could, and even made memoranda—the +first and only time, I believe, that he kept records other than botanical +or scientific. It may be hoped that they survive and will come to light, +since his papers are now stored in the museum at Prague. I am dependent on +the memory of those whom he amused with curt stories of adventure over +pipe and glass on his visits to England. They are many, and they preserve +the liveliest remembrance of one to whom Johnson’s remarks on the greatest +of modern orators are peculiarly applicable. ‘If a man were to go by +chance at the same time with Burke under a shed to escape a shower, he +would say, “This is an extraordinary man.”’ Unfortunately, it is the most +striking observations alone which they recall, with but a vague impression +of others.</p> + +<p>Every hearer asked, of course, how the race could avoid extinction under +such circumstances? But it appears that the separation is only public—an +exaggerated prudery, one might describe it, though we may be sure that the +sentiment lies infinitely deeper. The sexes work apart, as has been said; +after the men have cleared a piece of ground they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> leave it to the women, +and clear another for themselves. But when a youth has a mind to marry, in +the first place he builds a hut in the forest. Then he awaits the train of +women returning, steps gently among them, and takes the maiden of his +fancy by the hand. She throws him off at once if disinclined, and there is +an end of it; otherwise she suffers him to lead her a step before freeing +herself. Day after day in that case the invitation is repeated, and the +maiden takes two steps, then three, until at length she quits the +procession entirely and surrenders. There is no ceremony of marriage, but, +so far as Roezl could gather, the bond is absolutely sacred; in fact, if +we think of it, those conditions of life forbid intrigue. It should be +added that the other women and girls studiously ignore these proceedings, +and that till the last moment a damsel may change her mind, repulsing the +lover favoured hitherto.</p> + +<p>A bride remains in the woodland hut for several weeks, not a soul visiting +her except the husband. Meantime he builds a ‘town house’ for himself, and +the mother or female relatives build one opposite for his wife. In fixing +the stone between them there is a ceremony, as Roezl gathered, but the +nature of it he was unable to understand. Though the pair never meet again +in public as long as they live, they spend as much time as they please +together in the forest. And really, after due consideration, I cannot but +think that the system shows remarkable sagacity. Truth compels me to add, +however, that Roezl suspected infanticide. We may hope he was mistaken. +Why should a people living as do these restrict the number of their +children? The battle for existence is not desperate with them apparently, +since they till the soil, and their territory, in effect, is boundless. No +Indian race of South America feels the pride of caste; if these do, they +are a notable exception in that as in other respects. Girls receive no +dower; the expense of marriage,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> as has been seen, is <i>nil</i>. Why should +they limit the family? We know that obvious reason does not always guide +the savage in his habits. But when a painful fact is not assured we may +allow ourselves the comfort of doubting it.</p> + +<p>This is all I have been able to collect about a most extraordinary people. +My informants do not recollect, if they heard, whether the separation of +the sexes was peculiar to this clan or general among the Pintado Indians. +In fact, I have nothing more to say about them.</p> + +<p>It was here, however, that Roezl met with an adventure which he often +told. His hut, as has been mentioned, was the last of the row—a ruin +patched up to keep the baggage dry. He always carried a folding tressle +and a light board to fix upon it, which made a sort of desk, with a +camp-stool to match. One evening he set himself as usual to write labels +and memoranda for his herbarium. The description of a curious plant +secured that day proved difficult, and darkness had long set in. So +absorbed was the enthusiast in dissecting its anatomy that he gave no +attention to a loud purr, though conscious of the sound for some moments. +At length he raised his eyes. By the open doorway stood a creature whose +dusky fur glistened like silk in the lamplight, and great yellow eyes +stared into his. It was a black jaguar, rarest and most savage of all +felines.</p> + +<p>So they remained, staring. Roezl felt his hour had come. He could not have +moved a limb; his hair rose and the sweat poured down. The jaguar also +kept still, purring louder and louder. Its velvet lips were slightly +raised, showing a gleam of the huge fangs. Presently it drew nearer, still +purring—came up to the tressle—arched his back like a cat, and pressed +against it. Crash fell desk, lamp, specimen box, camp-stool and +enthusiast—a clattering overthrow! The servants rushed in. No jaguar was +there.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>Roezl used to attribute his escape to the practice of never carrying arms. +When the brute was approaching, he must have fired had a weapon been +handy—no man could resist the impulse. And then, whatever the issue of +the shot, he would certainly have died.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-039tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-039.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">LÆLIO-CATTLEYA, × ELEGANS var. MACFARLANEI.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE CATTLEYA HOUSE</h2> + +<p>With L. elegans are lodged fine examples of Cattleyas gigas and aurea, +with some of their varieties; generated, as we may assume, by natural +hybridisation. These rank among the supreme treasures of the orchidist, +unequalled for size and rarity—perhaps for beauty. To those who have not +seen the offspring it might seem impossible that the stately loveliness of +the parents could be excelled. But by a very simple process Nature +achieves the feat—she combines their charms.</p> + +<p>Of Cattleya gigas we have some two hundred specimens. It is the largest of +the genus, saving its own hybrids, a native of New Granada, discovered by +Warcewicz in 1848. He sent no plants home, and though a few were +despatched afterwards, Roezl practically introduced the species in 1870. +Conscious of supreme merit, it is far from eager to bloom; but at +Woodlands we do not personally feel this drawback.</p> + +<p>Of course there are many varieties of Cattleya gigas, for it is truly said +that two blooms of orchid exactly alike cannot be found. But I shall +mention only two.</p> + +<p><i>Imschootiana</i> is huge even above its fellows, for a flower may be nine +inches across; the colour of sepal and petal mauve, with a crimson-purple +lip of splendour beyond conception. The golden throat under a +crimson-purple tube is lined with bright crimson; the characteristic +‘eyes’ gamboge, fading to white.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span><i>Sanderae.</i>—Some may well think this the loveliest of all its lovely kin. +Probably it is a foreign strain, though remote, which gives such supreme +softness to the magenta of the lip. On that ground the golden ‘eyes’ shine +forth with an abruptness positively startling. The broad sepals and petals +are sweetest rosy-mauve. Even the tube is deep crimson.</p> + +<p>Here also is Cattleya bicolor Measuresiana, an exquisite example of a +species always charming to my taste. In this instance the sepals and +petals are purest and smoothest olive green; the very long shovel-shaped +labellum magenta-crimson, outlined and tipped with white.</p> + +<p>Of Cattleya aurea again the varieties are many. It was brought from +Antioquia, New Granada, by Wallis, in 1868. If crimson and yellow, +tastefully disposed, make the most gorgeous combination possible, as all +human beings agree, this and its sister Dowiana are the most gorgeous of +flowers. The ordinary form of Cattleya aurea is nankin yellow, but in the +variety <i>R. H. Measures</i>, sepal and petal are gamboge. The glorious lip, +opening wide from the very base, has long brownish blurs descending from +the throat, on a golden ground which fades to yellow towards the edge. +There are two clear crimson patches in the front, and the margin is clear +crimson, whilst the whole expanse is covered with fine stripes of crimson +and gold alternately.</p> + +<p>We come to the hybrids of these two which, dwelling side by side, have +been intermarrying for ages; and their offspring again have intermarried, +forming endless combinations. Cattleya Sanderiana was first discovered +under circumstances rather odd. One of Messrs. Sander’s collectors, Mr. +Mau, was hunting for Odontoglossum crispum by Bogota. He came upon a +number of Cattleyas—none of them in bloom—and gathered any that came in +his way, taking no trouble, nor even mentioning the incident in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +letters. In due course he brought them to St. Albans along with his +Odontoglossums. Mr. Mau said nothing even while the cases were being +unpacked. Apparently he had forgotten them.</p> + +<p>‘What are these Cattleyas?’ asked Mr. Sander, in surprise.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I don’t know! I found them in the woods.’</p> + +<p>Old spikes still remained upon the plants, and bunches of withered rags at +the end. Mr. Sander perceived, first, that the flower must be gigantic +beyond belief; next, that it was red.</p> + +<p>‘Go back by next mail!’ he cried. ‘Search the woods—gather every one!’ +And Mr. Mau did actually return by next mail.</p> + +<p>This was Cattleya Sanderiana—sometimes as much as eleven inches across; +in colour, a tender rosy-mauve. The vast lip is almost square, with a +throat of gold, lined and netted over with bright crimson. It has the +charming ‘eyes’ of gigas in perfection, and the enormous disc, superbly +frilled, is of the liveliest magenta crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Chrysotoxa</i>, another of these wondrous hybrids, ‘favours’ its aurea +parent; with buff-yellow petals and sepals, the lower of which hang in a +graceful bunch surrounding the huge lip of dark orange ground, with an +edging of maroon-crimson, narrow above, widening to a stately breadth +below; the whole closely covered with branching lines of crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. Fred Hardy</i> is a third—divinely beautiful. White of sepal and +petal, with the vast magenta-crimson lip of Hardyana. The glorious effect +may be in part imagined.</p> + +<p>We have yet a fourth of this amazing group—Trismegistris—most nearly +allied to Sanderiana. I have not seen this variety in bloom; it was +introduced only three years ago. But the name signifies that it is the +quintessence of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> all. Individual taste may not always allow that claim, +but no one disputes that it is at least equal to the finest.</p> + +<p>But the thoughtful cannot contemplate these wondrous things with +satisfaction unalloyed. Unless some wealthy and intelligent persons in +South America undertake to cultivate them in a regular way, it is too +probable that in a generation or two they will be utterly lost; for we +cannot hope that the specimens in Europe will endure so long, however +vigorous they may be at present. Here is the letter which accompanied the +last consignment—sad reading, as I think:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="right"><span class="smcap">Medellin</span>, <i>January 27, 1896</i>.</p> + +<p>Messrs. F. <span class="smcap">Sander</span> and Co.,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">St. Albans.</span></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Gentlemen</span>—I arrived here yesterday from Alba Gumara and received +your much honoured letter of November 11, 1895. I shall despatch +to-morrow thirty boxes, twelve of which contain the finest of all the +aureas, the Monte Coromee form, and eighteen cases contain the grand +Sanderiana type, all collected from the spot where these grow mixed, +and I shall clear them all out. They are now nearly extinguished in +this spot, and this will surely be the last season. I have finished +all along the Rio Dagua, where there are no plants left; the last +days I remained in that spot the people brought in two or three +plants a day and some came back without a single plant. I left my boy +with the Señor Altados to explore while I despatched the boxes and +get funds, when I shall return for the var. papilio which Altados +promised to secure for me, and go on up to the spot called the Parama +San Sausa. In the boxes containing the aureas you will find about 300 +seedlings which have not flowered; these are from a grove of trees +where no plants have previously been gathered from, and where the +finest Sanderianas and aureas grow intermingled in one family. These +Cattleyas only flower once in a year—that is, from March to the end +of July, and both kinds together. Some of the flowers measure upwards +of 10 inches—and on a spike you can have nine flowers. I cannot wait +in that fearful region longer than the flowering time; the awfully +wild aspect of everything and scarcity of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> wholesome food and help +for the work is simply maddening. If I shall find the other orchids +you want I do not know. My boy is gone with Altados for the Oncidium. +You may believe me that many more of these fine Cattleyas do not +exist, and I can, after all, perhaps not find so good as may be in +those you will now receive.</p> + +<p>In the last years I have seen these plants in bloom, when I was so +ill with fever, and in no other place can you get such a fine type.</p> + +<p>The plants that I planted when I was taken ill no one found; no one +has been here, and the plants had grown well and some of them very +much rooted.</p> + +<p>Trusting that all will arrive in good order, I remain, gentlemen, +your very obedient servant,</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Carl Johannsen</span>.</p></div> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Cattleya Mendelii</span></h3> + +<p>The next division is styled the Mendelii house; more than three hundred +large examples of this species—to be accurate and pedantic, it should be +called a variety—occupy the centre, a hundred and eighty the stand to +right.</p> + +<p>Cattleya Mendelii lives in the neighbourhood of Ocaña, New Granada, at an +altitude of 3500 feet. It was introduced by Messrs. Backhouse in 1870, and +named in honour of Mr. Sam Mendel, a great personage at Manchester in his +day. Distinctions of colour are very frequent. Some pronounce it the +loveliest of Cattleyas.</p> + +<p>Among the noble specimens here, many of them chosen for individual +peculiarities, not half a dozen are named; the rest bear only letters +showing their class, and certain marks understood by the initiated. It +will be a relief when this system, or something like it, becomes general. +And the time is not distant; at least, the privilege of granting new names +at will must be restricted among those who obey the authorities.</p> + +<p>The few plants here which enjoy a special designation are:—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span><i>Monica Measures.</i>—Petals rose, with a broad streak of purple down the +centre from base to point. Sepals also rose, tipped with purple. Lip of +darkest crimson, fringed.</p> + +<p><i>Lily Measures.</i>—A very large flower, white of sepal and petal. On the +lip, somewhat pale, as if to show it off, is a splash of purple-crimson, +sharply defined.</p> + +<p><i>R. H. Measures.</i>—Sepals and petals tinted with rose. Enormous lip, very +dark crimson, fringed.</p> + +<p><i>William Lloyd.</i>—For this I can only repeat the last description, yet the +eye perceives a difference not inconsiderable.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. R. H. Measures.</i>—All white saving the yellow throat and two small +touches of purple in the front.</p> + +<p><i>Duke of Marlborough.</i>—This variety moved the great Reichenbach, as he +said, to ‘religious admiration.’ No doubt it is the grandest of all +Mendeliis—which is much to say; very large, perfectly graceful in form, +exquisitely frilled. The colour of sepal and petal pink, the throat +yellow, the spreading disc magenta-crimson.</p> + +<p>The left side of the house is filled with large plants—some two +hundred—of Cattleya Schroderae, which the learned recognise as a variety +of Cattleya Trianae. It has the great advantage, however, of flowering in +April, and thus, when discovered in 1884 by Arnold, collecting for Messrs. +Sander, it filled a gap in the succession of Cattleyas. Henceforward the +careful amateur might have one variety at least in bloom the year round. +Named of course after Baroness Schröder. All Cattleyas are scented more or +less at certain times of the day, but none so strongly as this, nor so +persistently.</p> + +<p>It does not vary so much as most of its kin, but it shows perhaps a +greater tendency to albinism than any—as seems natural when its colours +are so much paler. Among these grand plants we have three white, notably—</p> + +<p><i>Miss Mary Measures</i>, of which the picture is given.</p> + +<p>Overhead hang smaller plants of Cattleya Mossiae, Trianae,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> Mendelii, and +Laelia Lucasiana; among them no less than five Cattleya speciosissima +alba.</p> + +<p>Speciosissima Dawsonii is here also, finest of the coloured +varieties—purplish rose of sepal and petal, lip large, yellow in the +upper part, rosy crimson below, with margin finely fringed; and</p> + +<p>Laelia pumila marginata.—In its ordinary form L. pumila is one of the +loveliest flowers that blow, and admiration is enhanced by surprise when +we observe how small and slender is the plant that bears such a handsome +bloom. But this rare variety is lovelier still—its broad, rosy-crimson +sepals and petals and its superb crimson lip all outlined with white.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Cattleya Bowringiana</span></h3> + +<p>The third division of the Cattleya house contains, in the centre, some +hundreds of Mendeliis; Cattleya Bowringiana on the right hand, Cattleyas +Mossiae and Wageneri on the left; all ‘specimen’ plants, for health and +vigour as for size.</p> + +<p>Cattleya Bowringiana was imported fifteen years ago from British Honduras, +but it has since been found in other parts of Central America. In +colour—rosy purple, with deep purple lip, white in the throat—it does +not vary much, nor in shape; at least I have not heard of any named +varieties. But Cattleya Bowringiana in good health is always a cheering +spectacle; its young growths push with such a demonstration of +sturdiness—having to rise much beyond the ordinary stature—and its bunch +of eight or ten flowers stands so high above the foliage. Nowhere may that +pleasant spectacle be enjoyed with more satisfaction than at Woodlands.</p> + +<p> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Cattleya Mossiae</span></h3> + +<p>Since Cattleya Mossiae was introduced more than two generations ago, and +remains perhaps the commonest of the species, I need not describe it. Mrs. +Moss of Ottersfoot, by Liverpool, conferred the name in 1856. Love of +orchids is a heritage in that family—so is the love of rowing. The lady’s +grandson, Sir J. Edwardes Moss, now living, was Stroke of the O.U.B.C. and +at Eton, as were his father and his uncle. And the ancestral collection of +orchids is still maintained.</p> + +<p>White Mossiaes are not uncommon, though their exquisite beauty makes them +precious in all meanings of the term.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. R. H. Measures</i> is best of all—a famous variety—white of sepal and +petal. Deep and graceful frilling on the lip is always characteristic of +this species; it reaches absolute perfection here. The yellow of the +throat is much subdued, but purple lines issuing from it spread over all +the white lip, with a very curious effect. Purple also is the frilling.</p> + +<p><i>Grandiflora.</i>—Deep rose. Petals very broad, lip immense, finely mottled +and veined with purple.</p> + +<p><i>Excelsior.</i>—Blush-rose. Lip rosy purple, with a white margin.</p> + +<p><i>Gilbert Measures.</i>—A superb variety. White with a faint flush. Sepals +and petals unusually solid. Lip very widespread, with purple lines and +splashes of magenta-purple.</p> + +<p><i>Gigantea.</i>—Biggest of all. Rosy pink. The orange of the enormous lip and +the frilling specially fine.</p> + +<p>Catt. Wageneri, though granted a specific title, is a variety of Cattleya +Mossiae, from Caracas, discovered by Wagener in 1851; white, excepting a +yellow blotch on the lip.</p> + +<p>From the roof, among a hundred smaller plants of Cattleya, hangs a +specimen of Laelia praestans alba, as rare as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> lovely—all purest white, +except the lip of brilliant purple with yellow throat. Like many other +orchids from the high lands of Brazil, this will grow equally well in the +cool house. It is, in truth, a variety of L. pumila; its normal colour +rosy purple.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Cattleya Gaskelliana</span></h3> + +<p>The fourth compartment is given up to Cattleya Gaskelliana, a species from +Venezuela, not showy, as a rule—though striking exceptions can be found, +as here—but always useful. Like Cattleya Schroderae it filled a gap when +discovered in 1883, for there was no species at the time which flowered in +July. Its normal colour is mauve; the lip has a big yellow blotch and a +mottling of purple in the front.</p> + +<p>About four hundred plants are accommodated in this house, among them four +albinos—one with eight pseudo-bulbs and two flowering growths. But the +finest flower is</p> + +<p><i>Miss Clara Measures.</i>—snowy white, of course, but with a lip like +Cattleya Mossiae. Among others notable are:—</p> + +<p><i>Dellensis.</i>—A noble variety. Mauve-pink—the petals immensely broad. The +great spreading lip has a gamboge throat fading to chrome-yellow, +intersected with lines of bright crimson. The crimson of the front is +defined as sharply as if by the stroke of a paint-brush.</p> + +<p><i>Godseffiana.</i>—Pale rosy mauve. Petals immense. Lip a curious dusky +crimson, with a narrow dusky-yellowish outline.</p> + +<p><i>Duke of Marlborough.</i>—Gigantic. Sepals and petals bright rose; the broad +lip has the same dusky outline.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiana.</i>—Very pale. The crimson of the lip, which is long but +comparatively narrow, runs far up the throat, but leaving two clear yellow +‘eyes’ as distinct as in Cattleya gigas.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span><i>Sanderiana.</i>—Pale. The lip, of excellent colour, spreads so suddenly as +to form a perfect circle.</p> + +<p><i>Herbertiana.</i>—Mauve. A very compact flower. The bright yellow of the +throat extends downwards and to either side of the lip in a very +remarkable manner. The dusky margin surrounds a purple-crimson stain, +scored with lines of deeper hue.</p> + +<p><i>Woodlandsensis.</i>—Here the same oddity—due to natural hybridisation +doubtless—is carried much further. The whole disc of the lip is buff, +with only the merest touch of purple on either side the central line, and +another, scarcely perceptible, at the tip.</p> + +<p>Along the roof hang small plants of Cattleya gigas and others.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3>FIFTH DIVISION</h3> + +<p>The fifth division is a resting-place, where one may sit beneath a grand +specimen of Kentia Forsteri, surrounded by palms as in a nook of the +jungle, to compare notes and talk of orchids. After such refreshment we +enter the last compartment.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Cattleya Trianae</span></h3> + +<p>To left here are more Mendeliis, to right more Bowringianas, labiatas, and +Trianaes mixed; rows of labiata overhead. Specimen Trianaes occupy the +centre—some two hundred.</p> + +<p>This again is a species so old and so familiar that I need not describe +it. But there is none more variable, and we have some of the most striking +diversities here.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei.</i>—An immense flower, white, with the faintest possible +flush. The great lip, vivid orange beneath the tube, changes to white +above the disc. To this succeeds <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>a blaze of purple-crimson, outlined in +two semicircles as clear as brush could draw.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-052tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-052.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">CATTLEYA TRIANÆ, var. MEASURESIÆ.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><i>Robert Measures.</i>—Lively mauve. The broad petals have three purple lines +at the base and a mottling of purple on either side. Lip not large but of +the grandest crimson, darker towards the throat.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiana.</i>—Petals clear mauve, sepals a paler hue, lip very compact. +Its carmine rises far up the throat, surrounding the yellow and white +‘eyes’ with the happiest effect.</p> + +<p><i>Woodlandsensis.</i>—Sepals and petals lilac flushed. The great lip +beautifully striped with rosy magenta.</p> + +<p><i>Tyrianthina</i> takes its name from the Tyrian purple or wine-coloured tips +of the petals—a singular development. The labellum shows the same tint, +even darker.</p> + +<p>Here also I note Catt. Harrisoniae <i>R. H. Measures</i>. It cannot be said that +this differs from the normal type in any respect; but one may venture to +assert that it is the finest example thereof—at least, a finer could not +be. Upon the mauve sepals and petals, much larger than usual and more +lively in colour, the great labellum, primrose and gamboge, with mauve +tip, stands out superbly. There is no more striking Cattleya than +Harrisoniae in this form.</p> + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> +<h2>A STORY OF CATTELEYA BOWRINGIANA</h2> + +<p>No tale hangs upon the discovery of Cattleya Bowringiana, so far as I have +heard. A planter named Turkheim sent it from British Honduras to Mr. +Bowring of Forest Farm, Windsor, in 1884. The species has a wide range. +Mr. Oversluys came upon it in Guatemala very shortly afterwards, and +curious incidents followed.</p> + +<p>This admirable collector was hunting for Oncidium splendidum, a stately +flower not very uncommon once, but long extinct in Europe. No man knew its +home, but Mr. Sander, after close inquiry and profound deliberation, +resolved that it must be a native of Costa Rica. Thither he despatched Mr. +Oversluys, who roamed the wilderness up and down five years, seeking a +prize within his grasp all the time, so conspicuous that it escaped +notice—as sharp boys select the biggest names upon a map instead of the +smallest, to puzzle a comrade. But that is another story.</p> + +<p>Irritated and despairing as time went by, but not permitted to abandon the +search, the collector found diversion now and again in a gallop through +the neighbouring States. And once he pushed as far as Guatemala. All these +forays were profitable, of course; such a shrewd and experienced hunter +finds game in every forest. But Mr. Oversluys was not equipped for the +wholesale business, as one may put it, on these expeditions. They were +reconnaissances. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> Guatemala, at the moment which interests us, he had +only two servants and three mules.</p> + +<p>I do not know exactly where he came across Cattleya Bowringiana; it might +be anywhere almost, apparently, in the Central American Republics. The +species was rare and very precious at the time—to be secured, though in +the smallest quantity. When Oversluys came upon it, he threw away the +miscellaneous rarities he had collected, hired two more mules—all he +could obtain—loaded as many as they could carry of the very finest +plants, specimens such as we dare not dream of now, and started for the +nearest port, meaning to return for more so soon as he was ‘shut of your +confounded Oncidium splendidum.’ In such disrespectful terms he wrote to +St. Albans.</p> + +<p>At the house where Oversluys slept one night was a boisterous young +Guatemalan, one of the tippling, guitar-strumming, all-round-love-making +sort so common in Spanish America. But this youth was an Indian or +almost—betrayed by his lank hair and narrow shining eyes. Such a +character would seem impossible for one of that blood beyond the confines +of Guatemala. But the supremacy of the Indians under Rafael Carrera’s +despotism has worked a change there. It lasted long enough to train a +portentous generation. When a pig-driver of their race conquered and ruled +the descendants of the Conquerors as absolutely as a Turkish bashaw of +old, Indians might well abandon the timid subservience of their +forefathers.</p> + +<p>This young fellow insisted upon playing cards with Oversluys, who +declined. Then he began to quarrel. But a good-looking daughter of the +landlord intervened, and he promptly struck the light guitar. After supper +he felt the warmest friendship for Oversluys, and dropped off to sleep +while babbling a serenade to the landlord’s daughter.</p> + +<p>The friendship had not evaporated next morning. Don<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> Hilario—he allowed +himself the title and a most aristocratic surname—was returning to his +native village, through which Oversluys must pass; there to remain, as he +admitted cheerfully, until his friends at the capital had suppressed +certain proceedings at law. These friends, it appeared, were dames of high +position, and the proceedings related to a serious deficiency in his +accounts as clerk in the Financial Department. But it was all great fun. +Don Hilario could not think of his appearance in the dock without peals of +laughter. No apprehension marred his enjoyment. Those great personages +named, of the female sex, would take very good care he was not +prosecuted—or they had best look out. In short, we recognise the type of +a cynical half-caste Don Juan.</p> + +<p>As they journeyed on together, Don Hilario noticed the orchids, which were +simply slung across the mules. He knew, of course, that such weeds are +valued in Europe; every child in those realms is familiar with collectors +nowadays. ‘Ah!’ said he, ‘those are poor things compared with the great +bushes on the roof of our church.’</p> + +<p>Oversluys was roused at once. Since Roezl made the discovery, fifteen +years before, every one had come to know that rarities may be expected on +an Indian church. The pious aborigines collect any orchid of exceptional +beauty which they notice in the woods and carefully replant it on the +sacred building. It was the custom of their heathen forefathers.</p> + +<p>‘Are there any white ones among them?’ Oversluys asked. An albino form of +Cattleya Bowringiana had never been heard of, but he thought it might +exist. And if so the roof of an Indian church would be the place to look +for such a treasure.</p> + +<p>‘As many white as red! I say, what will you give for a dozen?’</p> + +<p>This was a difficult question under any circumstances,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> since the plants +could hardly be flowering then; and there is no difference in growth +betwixt the white varieties and the red. Besides, Oversluys had not the +very slightest confidence in this youth.</p> + +<p>‘How will you get them?’ he asked.</p> + +<p>‘Never mind that. Pay me half the money down and I’ll bring the plants +to-morrow. You know, our Indians are suspicious of collectors. You mustn’t +be seen in the village.’</p> + +<p>That was reasonable enough in one point of view, but preposterous in the +other. ‘Oh,’ said Oversluys, ‘I must see the orchids at any risk—that’s +flat! and I must hear how you mean to work.’</p> + +<p>‘Why?’</p> + +<p>‘Because if you take them without the Padre’s consent you know as well as +I that the Indians will be after me at daylight, and—h’m! There would be +work for the doctor! What sort of man is your Padre?’</p> + +<p>‘A sort of pig, of course,’ laughed Don Hilario. ‘A fat old boar, ready +for the knife. And my knife is ready, too! Patience, friend, patience!’ +His eyes still laughed, but he made the significant gesture so common in +those lands—a sudden stealthy grip of the machete at his waist.</p> + +<p>This was not an unimportant revelation. ‘You are on bad terms with the +Cura?’ Oversluys asked.</p> + +<p>‘Not now. He thinks I have forgotten. It’s years ago. I was a boy. But the +Castilian never forgets! I will tell you.’</p> + +<p>The story was not edifying. It related to a young woman in whom the Cura +felt interest. He surprised her in company with Don Hilario and beat the +lad.</p> + +<p>‘Well,’ said Oversluys, ‘I’m sorry you and the Padre are not friends, +because I will have nothing to do with removing orchids from the church +unless he bears part in it.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>‘But the pig will want all the money.’</p> + +<p>‘You need not tell him how much I am to give you.’</p> + +<p>Don Hilario argued, however, until, finding Oversluys immovable, he grew +sulky. The fact is that to strip their church against the Indians’ wish +would be not a little perilous even though the Cura were implicated; to +ignore him would be madness. Collectors have risked it, they say, before +and since, but never assuredly unless quite certain that the prize was +worth a deadly hazard. In this instance there was no security at all.</p> + +<p>As they approached the village Don Hilario brightened up. ‘Well,’ he said, +‘what will you give me?’</p> + +<p>Oversluys had no money, but he offered a sum—the amount of which I have +not heard—payable in Guatemala city; to be doubled if the orchids should +prove white. Don Hilario declined this proposal with oaths; he dared not +go to Guatemala city, and he could not trust a friend. The negotiations +came to an end. Grumbling and swearing he rode for a while by himself; +then fell into silence, and presently rejoined Oversluys quite cheerful. +The houses were close by.</p> + +<p>‘It’s a bargain, friend,’ he said. ‘Your hand! It’s a bargain!’</p> + +<p>‘Good! Now I won’t take my mules with the orchids into the village. Can +you lead us round to the other side? There is a hut there, I daresay, +where I can leave my men and return with you.’</p> + +<p>Don Hilario declared that such precautions were unnecessary, but when +Oversluys insisted he led the way through by-paths. They did not meet a +soul. Upon the edge of a broad savannah beyond was a corral, or enclosure, +and a shed, used by the <i>vaqueros</i> for slaughtering, branding, and so +forth in the season, empty now. Hundreds of cattle browsed slowly towards +the corral, for evening approached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> and the woods were full of jaguars +doubtless. Though unwatched at this time of year, they took refuge nightly +in the enclosure. It was just such a spot as Oversluys sought. His men had +food, and he told them to remain with the animals. Then he returned with +Don Hilario.</p> + +<p>It is usual to ask the Cura for lodgings in a strange place; he himself +puts up a traveller who can pay. This was a rotund and masterful priest. +They found him alighting from his mule, with soutane rolled up to the +waist, showing a prodigious breadth of pea-green trousers. He wore a +triple string of blue beads round his neck, and flourished a whip of +cowhide.</p> + +<p>Oversluys looked like a traveller who could pay, and he received a +greeting as warm as foreigner can expect; a foreigner in those lands is +presumed to be no ‘Christian.’ They entered the parsonage. Don Hilario was +to broach the business, but first Oversluys would satisfy himself that the +orchids were worth negotiation. He slipped away.</p> + +<p>A glance settled that. The church was a low building of mud, as usual. On +either side the doorway, looking down the street, stood an ancient idol, +buried to the waist, but still five feet high. The features were battered, +but the round eyes, with pupils cut deep in a half circle, glared in +hideous threat, and the mouth gaped for blood; no need of an interpreter +there—one saw and felt the purpose. But Oversluys was not interested in +these familiar objects. He looked up. His comrade had not exaggerated the +size of the orchids, at least. They were noble specimens. But as for their +colour he could see no trace to guide him.</p> + +<p>Don Hilario had gone to greet his parents; it was comparatively late when +he returned, but then he got to business forthwith. The Cura was startled. +He showed no indignation, but after pondering declined. Before going +further, Oversluys asked whether the orchids were white?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> Impatiently the +Cura replied that he never looked at them—very likely they were. People +decked the church with white flowers, and perhaps they got them from the +roof. He had other things to think about.</p> + +<p>Oversluys guessed that the man was eager to sell but afraid, and fretful +accordingly. He raised his price, whilst Don Hilario taunted the Cura with +fearing his parishioners. That decided him. Loudly he declared that the +church was his own, and consented.</p> + +<p>The deed must be done that night. But who would climb the church roof in +the dark? Don Hilario was prepared for that difficulty. He knew half a +dozen fellows of his own age and stamp who would enjoy the mischief. And +he went to collect them.</p> + +<p>It was long past midnight when the band appeared—a set of lively young +ruffians. So vivacious were they, in fact, though not noisy, and so +disrespectful to their pastor as they drank a glass for luck, standing +round the board, that Oversluys thought it well to prepare for a ‘row.’ He +slipped out, saddled his mule and tied it by the door.</p> + +<p>Then the young Indians filed off in high spirits, chuckling low and +nudging one another. The Cura followed to the door, commended them to +heaven and stopped. Don Hilario would not have that—he must take his +share of the enterprise. The others returned and remonstrated warmly. In +short, there was such hubbub, though all in low tones, that Oversluys grew +more and more alarmed. The Cura gave way savagely, however, and they +started again; but Oversluys kept well behind, leading his mule. It was a +dark night, though not dark as in a northern climate. He could follow the +little group with his eyes, a blurred mass stealing over the plaza. The +church itself was faintly visible a hundred yards away. All remained still +and silent. He advanced.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>A low wall encircled the church. The Indians did not think it prudent to +use the entrance—of which those idols were the gate-posts, as it may be +said. Oversluys, reassured, had drawn close enough now to see them creep +up to the wall. Suddenly there was a roar! A multitude of figures leapt up +the other side of the wall, yelling!</p> + +<p>That was ‘Boot and Saddle’ for Oversluys. Off he set full gallop, for the +risk of a broken neck is not worth counting when vengeful Indians are on +one’s trail. But though all the village must have heard him thudding past, +no one pursued. Very extraordinary, but the whole incident was mysterious. +After fifteen years’ experience the collector—a shrewd man at the +beginning—knew Indians well, but he could never explain this adventure. +Sometimes he thought it might have been a trick from beginning to end, +devised by Don Hilario to get the Cura into a scrape. I have no suggestion +to offer, but the little story seems worth note as an illustration of +manners.</p> + +<p>Oversluys had good reason to remember it. Uncomfortably enough he waited +for dawn in the dank wood, holding his mule by the bridle, not daring to +advance. As soon as the path could be faintly traced he started, and +happily found the corral where his mules and servants had been left. The +cattle were streaming out already, bulls in advance. They blocked the +gateway, and with the utmost promptitude Oversluys withdrew into the bush. +Making his way to the fence he shouted for his mozos—in vain; climbed +over with no small difficulty and entered the shed. His mules were safe +enough but both mozos had vanished, having found or made friends in the +neighbourhood. And all his precious Cattleyas, left defenceless, had been +munched or trampled flat by the cattle! He never ceased to mourn that +loss.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> +<h2>A STORY OF CATTLEYA MOSSIAE</h2> + +<p>Since orchids never die, unless by accident, and never cease to grow, +there is no limit to the bulk they may attain. Mishap alone cuts their +lives short—commonly the fall or the burning of the tree to which they +cling. Mr. Burbidge secured one, a Grammatophyllum, ‘as big as a +Pickford’s van,’ which a corvée of Dyaks could not lift. Some old +collections even in Europe show prodigious monsters; in especial, I am +told, that of the Duke of Northumberland at Alnwick. Mr. Astor has two +Peristeria elata at Cliveden of which the bulbs are as large as an ostrich +egg, and the flower stems rise to a height of nine feet! The most striking +instance of the sort I myself have observed, if not quite the biggest, was +a Cattleya Mossiae sent home by Mr. Arnold. It enclosed two great branches +of a tree, rising from the fork below which it was sawn off—a bristling +mass four feet thick and five feet high; two feet more must be added if we +reckon the leaves. As for the number of flower-scapes it bore last season, +to count them would have been the work of hours; roughly I estimated a +thousand, bearing not less than three blooms, each six inches across. +Fancy cannot rise to the conception of that gorgeous display. I doubt not +that the forest would be scented for a hundred yards round.</p> + +<p>Such giant Cattleyas are very rare in the ‘wild state.’ An orchid, though +immortal, is subject to so many accidents<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> that only species of very quick +growth attain great age; these are less exposed to the perils of youth, +naturally. From time to time, however, an Indian removes some plant which +strikes him for its beauty or its size, and starts it afresh on a tree not +too tall—and therefore young—in view of his hut. Thus it takes a new +lease of life and grows indefinitely. I have not heard that ‘white’ peons +are so aesthetic.</p> + +<p>This Cattleya Mossiae had been rescued by an Indian. Mr. Arnold first saw +it on his memorable search for Masdevallia Tovarensis. I must tell that +episode to begin with.</p> + +<p>More than thirty years ago a German resident at Tovar sent a white +Masdevallia to a friend in England. There were very few species of the +genus, few plants indeed, under cultivation at that time, and all scarlet. +The novelty made a vast sensation. For a good many years the owner kept +dividing his single specimen, and putting fragments on the market, where +they fetched a very long price. Under such circumstances a man is not +inclined to tell where his treasure comes from. At an earlier date this +gentleman had published the secret so far as the name ‘Tovar’ went. But +there are several places so called in Spanish America, and importers +hesitated. At length Mr. Sander made up his mind. He sent Mr. Arnold to +Tovar in New Grenada.</p> + +<p>Masdevallias are reckoned among the most difficult of orchids to import. +From their home in cool uplands they must be transported through some of +the hottest regions on the globe, and they have no pseudo-bulbs to sustain +them; a leaf and a root, one may say, compose each tiny plant.</p> + +<p>Mr. Arnold, therefore, was provided with some sacks of Sphagnum moss in +which to stow his finds. These sacks he registered among his personal +baggage. At Waterloo, however, the station-master demurred. Moss, said he, +must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> travel by goods train. Arnold had not allowed himself time to spare. +The Royal mail steamer would leave within an hour of his arrival at +Southampton; to go without his moss was useless; and a pig-headed official +refused to pass it! Mr. Arnold does not profess to be meek. He +remonstrated with so much energy that the station-master fled the scene. +There was just time enough to load up the article in dispute and jump into +a carriage, helped by a friendly stranger.</p> + +<p>The stranger had showed his friendliness before that. Standing at the open +door, he supported Arnold’s cause with singular warmth and vociferation. +The latter was grateful, of course, and when he learned that his ally was +a fellow-passenger to Caracas he expressed the hope that they might share +a cabin. There was no difficulty about that. In short, they chummed.</p> + +<p>This young man announced himself as Mr. Thompson, a traveller in the +hardware line, but he showed an intelligent curiosity about things in +general—about orchids, for instance, when he learned that such was +Arnold’s business. Would it be possible for an ignoramus to make a few +pounds that way?—how should he set about it?—which is the class of +article most in demand just now, and where is it found? Before the voyage +ended, that traveller in the hardware line knew as much about Masdevallia +Tovarensis as Arnold could tell him. He bade goodbye aboard ship, for +pressing business obliged him to start up country forthwith.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon Arnold, who was to stay some days at Caracas, met +his agent on the Plaza. ‘By the bye,’ said that gentleman, ‘are you aware +that Mr. Blank started this morning in the direction of Tovar?’</p> + +<p>Now Mr. Blank was a man of substance who began orchid-growing as an +amateur, but of late had turned professional.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>‘Bless me!’ cried Arnold, ‘is he here?’</p> + +<p>The agent stared. ‘Why, as I understood, he travelled in the same ship +with you.’</p> + +<p>Arnold seized him by the wrist, while in his mind’s eye he reviewed all +the passengers; they were not many. The only one who could possibly be Mr. +Blank was—Mr. Thompson!</p> + +<p>‘Get me a horse, sir!’ he sputtered. ‘Which way has the villain gone? And +a guide—with another horse! I’ll pay anything! I’ll go with you to hire +them! Come along!’ Ten minutes afterwards he was on the track, full +gallop, stopping only at the hotel to get his pistol.</p> + +<p>At a roadside posada, fifteen miles beyond, Mr. Blank was supping in +peace. The door opened. Arnold stalked in. He was in that mood of +intensest passion when a man’s actions are stiff though he trembles—all +his muscles rigid with the effort of self-restraint.</p> + +<p>Quietly he barred the door and quietly he sat down opposite to Mr. Blank, +putting his revolver on the board.</p> + +<p>‘Get your pistol, sir,’ said he, scarcely above a whisper, ‘we’re going to +settle this business.’ But Mr. Blank, after a frenzied stare, had +withdrawn beneath the table. Arnold hauled him out by the legs, demanding +instant combat.</p> + +<p>But this was not the man to fight. He preferred to sign a confession and a +promise, guaranteed by most impressive oaths, not to revisit those parts +for six months. Then Arnold started him back, supperless, in the dark.</p> + +<p>It may be added that the gentleman whom I have named Mr. Blank lost his +life in 1892, when seeking the habitat of Dendrobium Schröderianum, under +circumstances not wholly dissimilar. As in this case he sought to reap +where he had not sown. But peace be with him!</p> + +<p>Without more adventures Arnold found Masdevallia Tovarensis. Of the first +consignment he despatched, forty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> thousand arrived in good health. This +quest completed in shorter time than had been allowed, he looked for +another ‘job.’ One is only embarrassed by the choice in that region. Upon +the whole it seemed most judicious to collect Cattleya Mossiae. And Arnold +set off for the hunting-grounds.</p> + +<p>On this journey he saw the monster I have described. It grew beside the +dwelling of an Indian—not properly to be termed a ‘hut,’ nor a ‘house.’ +The man was a coffee-planter in a very small way. Nothing that Arnold +could offer tempted him in the least. His grandfather ‘planted’ the +Cattleya, and from that day it had been a privilege of the family to +decorate one portion of the neighbouring church with its flowers when a +certain great feast came round. Arnold tried to interest the daughter—a +very pretty girl: the Indian type there is distinctly handsome. Then he +tried her lover, who seemed willing to exert his influence for the +consideration of a real English gun. Arnold could not spare his own; he +had no other, and the young Indian would not accept promises. So the +matter fell through.</p> + +<p>Three years afterwards Arnold was commissioned to seek Cattleya Mossiae +again. Not forgetting the giant, he thought it worth while to take a ‘real +English gun’ with him, though doubtless the maiden was a wife long since, +and her husband might ask for a more useful present. In due course he +reached the spot—a small Indian village in the mountains, some fifteen +miles from Caracas. The Cattleya was still there, perched aloft, as big as +a hogshead. Arnold’s first glance was given to it; then he looked at the +owner’s hospitable dwelling. It also was still there, but changed. Tidy it +had never been, but now it was ruinous. None of the village huts could be +seen, standing as they did each in its ‘compound’—a bower of palm and +plantains, fruit-trees,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> above all, flowers. Afterwards he perceived that +they had all been lately rebuilt.</p> + +<p>The old Indian survived, but it was not from him that Arnold learned the +story. The Cura told it. There had been a pronunciamiento somewhere in the +country, and the Government sent small bodies of troops—pressgangs, in +fact—to enlist ‘volunteers.’ One of these came to the village. The +officer in command, a good-looking young man, took up his abode in the +Indian’s house and presently made it his headquarters, whence to direct +the man-hunts. Upon that pretext he stayed several weeks, to the delight +of the villagers, who were spared.</p> + +<p>But one evening there was an outbreak. The lover rushed along the street, +dripping with blood—the officer, his sword drawn, pursuing. He ran into +his hut and snatched a gun from the wall. But it was too late; the other +cut him down. The day’s field work was over—all the Indians had returned. +They seized their machetes, yelling vengeance, and attacked the officer. +But his soldiers also were close by. They ran up, firing as they ran. Some +villagers were killed, more wounded; the place was sacked. Next morning +early the detachment moved off. When the fugitives returning counted their +loss, the pretty daughter of old José was missing. The dead lay where they +fell, and she was not among them.</p> + +<p>The Cura, an amiable veteran, did not doubt that she had been carried off +by force; was not this girl the most devout and dutiful in the parish? He +saddled his mule forthwith and rode into Caracas. The officer had +delivered his report, which may be easily imagined. Governments in Spanish +America at this day resent any kind of interference from the clergy. Had a +layman complained, doubtless there would have been an inquiry; in +Venezuela, as elsewhere, maidens are not to be carried off by young +aristocrats<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> and no word said. But the authorities simply called on the +accused for an explanation, accepted his statement that the girl followed +him of her free-will, and recommended him to marry her. This he did, as +Arnold ascertained. As for the rest—<i>quien sabe</i>?</p> + +<p>These sad events account for the old Indian’s behaviour. Arnold found him +at home, and with him a young man not to be recognised at first, who +proved to be the lover. The muscles of his neck had been severed, causing +him to hold his head awry, and a slash had partially disabled his right +arm. Arnold was told abruptly that he could not lodge there, and he +withdrew. But on a sudden the lover whispered eagerly. They called him +back.</p> + +<p>‘Will you buy the Cattleya?’ asked old José.</p> + +<p>‘How much?’</p> + +<p>‘Fifty dollars and a good gun.’</p> + +<p>‘It’s a bargain.’</p> + +<p>He paid there and then, nor quitted the spot, though very hungry, until +his followers had sawn through the branch and lowered its burden to the +ground. Carrying his spoil in triumph, suspended on a pole, Arnold sought +the Cura’s house. There he heard the tale I have unfolded.</p> + +<p>Not until evening did the Padre chance to see the giant Cattleya. He was +vexed, naturally, since his church lost its accustomed due. But when +Arnold told what he had paid for it, the good man was deeply moved. ‘Holy +Virgin and all saints!’ he cried, ‘there will be murder!’ And he set off +running to the Indian’s house. It was empty. José and the lover had been +seen on the road to Caracas hours before—with the gun.</p> + +<p>I am sorry that I cannot finish the story; too often we miss the dénoûment +in romances of actual life. But the Cura felt no doubt. It may be +to-night, or next year, or ten years hence, he said, but the captain is +doomed. Our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> Indians never forget nor forgive, nor fail when at length +they strike.</p> + +<p>The murder was not announced whilst Arnold remained in the country. But +all whom he questioned gave the same forecast. Unless the Indians were +seized or died they would surely have vengeance.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-071tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-071.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">CATTLEYA SCHRODERÆ var. Miss MARY MEASURES.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> +<h2>CYPRIPEDIUM INSIGNE</h2> + +<p>Here is a house full of Cypripedium insigne; nothing else therein save a +row of big Cymbidiums in vases down the middle, Odontoglossum citrosmum +and Cattleya citrina hanging on wires overhead. Every one knows this +commonest of Cypripeds, though many may be unacquainted with the name. +Once I looked into a show of window-gardening in the precincts of +Westminster Abbey, and among the poor plants there, treasures of the +poorest, I found a Cypripedium insigne—very healthy and well-grown too. +But when I called the judges’ attention, they politely refused to believe +me, though none of them could say what the mysterious vegetable was—not +the least curious detail of the incident. The flower cannot be called +beautiful, but undeniably it is quaint, and the honest unsophisticated +public loves it. Moreover the bloom appears in November, lasting till +Christmas, if kept quite cool. The species was introduced from Sylhet so +long ago as 1820, but it flourishes in many districts on the southern +slope of the Himalayas. New habitats are constantly discovered.</p> + +<p>There are 505 plants in this house, and if individual flowers be not +striking commonly—that is, flowers of the normal type—the spectacle is +as pretty as curious when hundreds are open at once, apple-green, speckled +with brown and tipped with white. But to my taste, as a ‘grower,’ the +sight is pleasant at all seasons, for the green and glossy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> leaves +encircle each pot so closely that they form a bank of foliage without a +gap all round. But besides this house we have one much larger elsewhere, +containing no less than 2500 examples of the same species. If no two +flowers of an orchid on the same plant be absolutely similar, as experts +declare—and I have often proved the rule—one may fancy the sum of +variation among three thousand. Individually, however, it is so minute in +the bulk of Cypripedium insigne that a careless observer sees no +difference among a hundred blooms. I note some of the prominent +exceptions.</p> + +<p><i>Clarissimum.</i>—Large, all white, except a greenish tinge at base of the +dorsal, and the broad yellow shield of the column.</p> + +<p><i>Laura Kimball</i>, on the other hand, is all ochreous yellow, save the +handsome white crown of the dorsal and a narrow white margin descending +from it.</p> + +<p><i>Statterianum</i> is much like this, but spotted in the usual way.</p> + +<p><i>Bohnhoffianum</i> has a dorsal of curious shape. The crest rises sharply +between square shoulders which fold over, displaying the reverse. It has +no spots, but at the base is a chestnut blotch, changing to vivid green, +which again vanishes abruptly, leaving a broad white margin. Vivid green +also are the petals, with brown lines; the slipper paler. This example is +unique.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei</i> is all yellowish green, with a white crest.</p> + +<p><i>Amesiae.</i>—The dorsal has a broad white outline and a drooping crest. To +white succeeds a brilliant green, and to that, in the middle, bright +chestnut. Chestnut lines also, and dots, mount upward. The green petals +are similarly lined, and the slipper is greenish, tinged with chestnut.</p> + +<p><i>Longisepalum</i> is flesh-colour, with a greenish tinge and pink spots on +the very long dorsal. The pink spots change to lines upon the petals. +Slipper ruddy green.</p> + +<p><i>Dimmockianum.</i>—The broad and handsome dorsal is green, with white +margin. A red stain at the base is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> continued in lines of spots upwards. +The petals are scored with the same colour.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiae.</i>—Big, with a grand dorsal, pale grass-green below, broadly +whitening as it swells. Petals the same green, with a dark midrib and +fainter lines. Slipper yellow.</p> + +<p><i>Rona</i> is an example of the common type in its utmost perfection—large, +symmetrical, its green tinge the liveliest possible, its white both snowy +and broad, and its spots so vigorously imprinted that they rise above the +surface like splashes of solid chocolate.</p> + +<p><i>Majesticum</i> is another of the same class, but distinguished by the +enormous size of its dorsal.</p> + +<p><i>Dorothy.</i>—Dorsal greenish yellow, with faint spots of chestnut and a +broad white margin. Petals and slipper the same greenish-yellow tone.</p> + +<p><i>R. H. Measures.</i>—For size as for colour this variety is astonishing. Its +gigantic dorsal is white, prettily stained at base with pale green, in +which are enormous red spots, irregularly set. Petals tawny greenish, with +lines and dots of red. The slipper matches.</p> + +<p><i>Harefield Hall</i> variety resembles this, but smaller. The great spots of +the dorsal are more crimson, the petals and slipper a darker hue.</p> + +<p><i>Frederico.</i>—Within a broad white outline the dorsal is all yellow, +heavily spotted and splashed with chestnut. The reddish tawny petals are +lined and spotted with chestnut, and the tawny slipper shows a chestnut +network.</p> + +<p><i>Corrugatum.</i>—The name refers to a peculiarity unique and inexplicable. +The slipper, so smooth in every other case, has a strong breastbone, so to +say, and five projecting ribs on either side, arching round diagonally +from the back—pale brown on a darker ground. The dorsal is all yellow, +spotted with brown, but the crest overhangs, showing its white underside.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span><i>Drewett’s variety.</i>—Dorsal white, with a green base and huge blotches of +red-brown; greenish petals lined with the same; ruddy greenish slipper.</p> + +<p><i>Eximium.</i>—A natural hybrid doubtless, though we cannot guess what its +other parent may be; it came among a lot of the ordinary form. Very small. +The funny little dorsal is yellow, spotted throughout with red. The small +petals have a crimson tinge, much darker in the upper length. Slipper dull +crimson; the yellow shield of the column is very conspicuous on that +ground.</p> + +<p><i>Hector.</i>—The dorsal is pale grass-green, with a white crest and margin +and large chestnut spots; petals and slipper reddish ochre.</p> + +<p><i>Punctatum</i> is a title very commonly bestowed when the usual spots run +together, making small blotches, arranged in lines; often the petals have +a white margin, more or less broad, which shows them off.</p> + +<p>Here also I should mention the famous Cyp. ins. Sanderae, though, as a +matter of fact, it is lodged elsewhere. The story of this wonderful orchid +has often been told, but not every one has heard it. I may be allowed to +quote my own version, published in <i>About Orchids—a Chat</i> (Chapman and +Hall, 1893). ‘Among a great number of Cypripedium insigne received at St. +Albans, and “established” there, Mr. Sander noted one presently of which +the flower-stalk was yellow instead of brown, as is usual. Sharp eyes are +a valuable item of the orchid-growers’ stock-in-trade, for the smallest +peculiarity among such “sportive” objects should not be neglected. +Carefully he put the yellow-stalk aside. In due course the flower opened +and proved to be all golden. Mr. Sander cut his plant in two, sold half +for seventy-five guineas at Protheroe’s auction rooms, and the other half +to Mr. R. H. Measures. One of the purchasers divided his plant and sold two +bits at a hundred guineas each. Another <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>piece was bought back by Mr. +Sander, who wanted it for hybridising, at two hundred and fifty guineas.’ +Not less than forty exist perhaps at the present time, for as soon as a +morsel proves big enough to be divided, divided it is. Here we have two +fine plants and a healthy young fragment.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-078tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-078.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">CYPRIPEDIUM INSIGNE, var. SANDERÆ.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>To describe the flower is an ungrateful task. Tints so exquisitely soft +are not to be defined in words; it is pleasanter to sum them up in the +phrase ‘all golden,’ as I did formerly, when there was no need for +precision. But here I must be specific, and in truth Cypripedium insigne +Sanderae is not to be so described. The dorsal, beautifully waved, has a +broad white margin and a cloud of the tenderest grass-green in the midst, +covered with a soft green network. There are a few tiniest specks of brown +on either side the midrib. The petals might be termed palest primrose, but +when compared with the pure yellow slipper a pretty tinge of green +declares itself. A marvel of daintiness and purity.</p> + +<p>In this house hang Catt. citrina, Odont. citrosmum, and Laelia +Jongheana—five rows. Of the first, so charming but so common, it is +enough to say that the owner of this collection has contrived to secure +the very biggest examples, in their native growth, that a sane imagination +could conceive—so big that I should not have credited a report of their +dimensions. The ordinary form of citrosmum also demands no comment, and I +deal with the interesting Laelia Jongheana elsewhere. But we have a number +of citrosmum roseum, which has white sepals and petals and a pink lip; of +citrosmum album, all purest white, save the yellow crest; and of the +cream-coloured variety, which to my mind is loveliest of all. Sir Trevor +Lawrence collects these at every opportunity, and I remember the charming +display he made once at the Temple Show, when their long pendulous +garlands formed the backing to his stand.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF CATTLEYA SKINNERI ALBA</h2> + +<p>The annals of botany are full of incident and adventure, especially that +branch which deals with orchids. All manner of odd references and +associations one finds there. I myself, having studied the subject, was +not much surprised to meet with a tale of orchids and cock-fighting +lately; but others may like to hear how such an odd connection arose.</p> + +<p>The name of the orchid was Cattleya Skinneri alba, one of the rarest and +most beautiful we have; the name of the hero, Benedict Roezl, greatest of +all collectors. This experience gives some notion of his ready wit, cool +daring, and resource. But I could tell some even more characteristic.</p> + +<p>It is necessary to say that Cattleya Skinneri <i>tout court</i>—a charming +rosy flower—was discovered by Mr. Skinner long before this date—in 1836; +but no white Cattleya had yet been heard of.</p> + +<p>It was in 1870. Roezl had made a very successful foray in the +neighbourhood of Tetonicapan, Guatemala, and with a long train of mules he +was descending towards the coast. His head mozo could be trusted; the +perils of the road—streams, mud, precipices, and brigands—had been left +behind; Roezl, rejoicing in the consciousness of good work well done, +pushed on by himself towards the village where they were to spend the +night.</p> + +<p>He had not been there before, but the road—rather, the trail—was plain +enough. Unfortunately it led him, after a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> while, into a jicara-grove. +This tree, which supplies the calabash used throughout Central America, +has some very odd peculiarities. Its leaves grow by fours, making a cross, +and on that account, doubtless, the Indians esteem it sacred; their pagan +forefathers reverenced the cross. The trunks spring at equal distances, as +if planted by rule, but such is their natural habit; I have the strongest +impression that Mr. Belt found a cause for this eccentricity, but the +passage I cannot discover. Thirdly, jicara-trees always stand in a +low-lying savannah, across which they are marshalled in lines and ‘spaced’ +like soldiers on parade in open order—at least, I never saw them in +another situation. Such spots are damp, and the herbage grows strong; thus +the half-wild cattle are drawn thither, and before the wet season comes to +an end they have trampled the whole surface, obliterating all signs of a +path, if one there be, and confounding the confusion by making tracks +innumerable through the jungle round.</p> + +<p>Upon such a waste Roezl entered, and he paused forthwith to deliberate. +The compass would not help him much, for if it told the direction of the +village, the Indian trail which led thither might open to right or left +anywhere on the far side of the grove. Travellers in those wilds must +follow the beaten course.</p> + +<p>At length he took bearings, so as to go straight at least, and rode on. +Presently an Indian lad came out from the forest behind him, but stopped +at sight of the tall stranger. Roezl shouted—he spoke every patois of +Spanish America with equal fluency. The boy advanced at length. He could +only talk his native Quiché, but Roezl made out that he was going to the +village—sent him ahead, and followed rejoicing. So he crossed the +jicara-ground.</p> + +<p>But in the forest beyond, it was not easy to keep up with an Indian boy +trotting his fastest. In a few minutes the guide had vanished and Roezl +hurried along after him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> Suddenly a ragged rascal sprang out from the +bushes ahead with levelled gun. Roezl glanced back. Two others barred his +retreat.</p> + +<p>Not unfamiliar with such incidents, he laughed and offered his +purse—never well filled. Good humour and wit had carried him through +several adventures of the kind without grave annoyance; once in Mexico, +when he had not one silver coin to ransom himself, a party of bandits kept +him twenty-four hours simply to enjoy his drolleries, and dismissed him +with ten dollars—which was a godsend, said Roezl. But these fellows only +spoke Quiché, and they were sullen dogs.</p> + +<p>The purse did not satisfy them by any means. They made their prisoner +dismount and enter the forest, marching behind him. The camp was close by, +and here Roezl found his guide, hitched to a tree by the neck. The brigand +officer and some of the men talked Spanish, and they appreciated Roezl’s +‘chaff,’ treating him with boisterous familiarity; but they would not hear +of letting him go until the Captain’s arrival. He sat upon the ground, +exchanging jokes with the ruffians, drinking their aguardiente and smoking +their best cigars, like a jovial comrade.</p> + +<p>Meantime the Indian members of the band were out of the fun, and they +attended to business. What they wanted of the lad Roezl did not +understand, but when he persisted in refusing they beat him savagely. At +length it went so far that Roezl could not bear to hear the poor fellow’s +cries. Putting the matter humorously, he begged the lieutenant to +interfere, and that worthy commanded the Indians to desist.</p> + +<p>After an hour or so the Captain appeared, and Roezl’s case was put before +him; at the same moment, however, the scouts brought in a priest. He had +resisted probably, for they had bound and beaten him. Such treatment was +novel, doubtless. It had taken all spirit out of the holy man, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> walked +as humbly as could be till he set eyes on the Captain. Then his courage +returned. They were old acquaintances, evidently, and the Padre claimed +satisfaction. He did not get it; but the Captain set him free, with +apologies. The boy proved to be his servant, and he also was released. +Roezl asserted a claim to equal consideration as defender of that youth, +and at length it was ungraciously allowed. Remembering, however, that his +precious orchids would soon arrive and fall into the brigands’ hands, to +be smashed in spite probably, he ransomed them by a bill drawn on himself +at the capital. Then he rode on to overtake the priest, who was Cura of +the village which he sought.</p> + +<p>Not prepossessing at all was that ecclesiastic. None of the bandits had a +more stupid expression or one less amiable. But Roezl found presently that +he had some reason for ill-humour. Six cocks had he taken to a grand match +at Tetonicapan the day before—three his own, three belonging to +parishioners; and every one was killed! The boy had been sent in advance +to break the news.</p> + +<p>Cock-fighting is the single amusement of that population, besides drink, +of course, and the single interest of its ministers—most of them, at +least. This padre could talk of nothing else. It was not a subject that +amused Roezl, but he knew something of that as of all else that pertains +to life in those countries. The dullest of mortals could not help +gathering information about cocks and their ways in a lifetime of travel +up and down Spanish America; the most observant, such as this, must needs +collect a vast deal of experience. But Roezl was not interested in his +companion.</p> + +<p>Not, that is, until he reached the village. The Cura had invited him to +his house—so to call an adobe building of two rooms, without upper floor. +It stood beside the church, hardly less primitive. Roezl glanced at the +roof of this structure in passing. It has been mentioned that the Indians<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +have a pleasant custom of removing any orchid they find, notable for size +or beauty, to set on the church roof or on trees around it. In the course +of his long wanderings Roezl had bought or begged several fine plants from +a padre, but only when the man was specially reckless or specially +influential with his parishioners. The practice dates from heathen times, +and the Indians object to any desecration of their offerings.</p> + +<p>It was with curiosity rather than hope, therefore, that Roezl scrutinised +the airy garden. There were handsome specimens of Cattleya—Skinneri most +frequent, of course—Lycaste, Oncidium, and Masdevallia. They had done +blooming mostly, but a belated flower showed here and there. In one big +clump he saw something white—looked more closely—paused. The plant was +Cattleya Skinneri certainly. How should a white flower be there?</p> + +<p>All other collectors, perhaps, at that time, would have passed on, taking +it for granted that some weed had rooted itself amid the clump. But for +many years Roezl had been preaching that all Cattleyas of red or violent +tint, so to class them roughly, must make albino ‘sports.’ I believe he +had not one instance to cite in proof of his theory, which is a +commonplace now. A wondrous instinct guided him—the same which predicted +that an Odontoglossum of extraordinary character would be found in a +province he had never entered, where, years afterwards, the striking +Odont. Harryanum was discovered. Men talked of Roezl’s odd fancy with +respect, but very few heeded it.</p> + +<p>He tried various points of view, but nowhere could the flower be seen +distinctly. After grumbling and fuming a while the Cura left him, and +presently he followed. That reverend person was an object of interest now. +At the first opportunity Roezl mentioned that he was seeking a white Flor +de San Sebastian, as they name Cattleya Skinneri, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> which he would pay +a good sum, and asked if there were any in the neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>The Cura replied at once, ‘You won’t get one here. Many years ago my +people found one in the forest, but they never saw another before or +since.’</p> + +<p>‘What did they do with it?’ Roezl asked breathlessly.</p> + +<p>‘Fixed it on the church, of course.’</p> + +<p>The man was stupid, but in those parts an idiot can see any opening for +trade. To suppose that a cock-fighting Guatemalan priest could have +scruples about stripping his church would be grotesque. If he did not +snatch at the chance to make money, when told that the stranger would pay +for his whim, it must be because the removal of that plant would be so +hazardous that he did not even think of it. Roezl dropped the subject.</p> + +<p>They ate—more especially, they drank. The leading men of the village came +in to hear the sad story of the cock-fight. Not one word on any other +topic was spoken until they withdrew to bed. But Roezl was not bored after +a while. So soon as he grasped the situation, his quick wits began +speculating and contriving means to tempt the Padre. And as he listened to +the artless if not innocent discourse of these rustics, gradually a notion +formed itself.</p> + +<p>The issue of the great match had been a disaster all round. In the first +place, there was an antique feud with the victors. Secondly, their cocks +had been defeated so often that for two years past they had lain low, +saving their money to buy champion birds at the capital. And this was the +result! In the assurance of triumph they had staked all they could raise +upon the issue. That money was lost, and the cocks besides. Utter rout and +bankruptcy! No wonder the priest sent his boy ahead to break the awful +news.</p> + +<p>Despairingly they speculated on the causes of their bad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> luck from year to +year, and it was in listening to this discussion that Roezl perceived a +gleam of hope. The mules arrived with his orchids, and started again in +the morning; but he stayed behind. The Cura was more than willing to +explain the local system of feeding, keeping, training, and in general of +managing cocks. Roezl went into it thoroughly without comment; but when +the leading parishioners assembled at night, as usual, he lifted up his +voice.</p> + +<p>‘My friends,’ said he, ‘you are always beaten because you do not +understand the tricks of these wily townsmen. What you should import from +Guatemala is not champion cocks, but a good cock-master, up to date. I’m +afraid he would sell you indeed, but there is no other way.’</p> + +<p>They looked at one another astounded, but the Cura broke out, ‘Rubbish! +What do we do wrong?’</p> + +<p>‘Only a fool gives away valuable secrets. If you want my information you +must pay for it. But I will tell you one thing. You keep your cocks tied +up in a cupboard’—I am giving the sense of his observations—‘by +themselves, where they get spiritless and bored. You have been to +Tetonicapan. Is that how they do there? In every house you see the cocks +tied in a corner of the living room, where people come and go, often +bringing their own birds with them. Hens enter too sometimes. So they are +always lively and eager. This you have seen! Is it not so?’</p> + +<p>‘It is,’ they muttered with thoughtful brows.</p> + +<p>‘Well, I make you a present of that hint. If you want any more valuable, +you must pay.’ And he withdrew.</p> + +<p>Weighty was the consultation doubtless. Presently they went in search of +him, the whole body, and asked his terms.</p> + +<p>‘You shall not buy on speculation,’ said Roezl. ‘Is there a village in the +neighbourhood where they treat their cocks as you do, and could you make a +match for next Sunday? Yes? Well, then, you shall tie up your birds in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> a +public room, follow my directions in feeding, and so forth. If you +conquer, you shall pay me; if not, not.’</p> + +<p>‘What shall we pay?’ asked the Cura.</p> + +<p>‘Your reverence and all these caballeros shall swear on the altar to give +me the white Flor de San Sebastian which grows on the church roof.’</p> + +<p>The end is foreseen. Roezl carried off his White Cattleya and sold it to +Mr. George Hardy of Manchester for 280 guineas.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE PHALAENOPSIS HOUSE</h2> + +<p>Phalaenopsis are noted for whimsicality. They flourish in holes and +corners where no experienced gardener would put them, and they flatly +refuse to live under all the conditions most approved by science. Most +persons who grow them have such adventures to tell, their own or reported. +Sir Trevor Lawrence mentioned at the Orchid Conference that he once built +a Phalaenopsis house at the cost of £600; after a few months’ trial he +restored his plants to their old unsatisfactory quarters and turned this +beautiful building to another purpose. The authorities at Kew tell the +same story with rueful merriment. In both cases, the situation, the plan, +every detail, had been carefully and maturely weighed, with intimate +knowledge of the eccentricities to be dealt with and profound respect for +them. Upon the other hand, I could name a ‘grower’ of the highest standing +who used to keep his Phalaenopsis in a ramshackle old greenhouse belonging +to a rough market-gardener of the neighbourhood—perhaps does still. How +he came to learn that they would thrive there as if under a blessed spell +I have forgotten. But once I paid the market-gardener a visit and there, +with my own eyes, beheld them flourishing under conditions such that I do +not expect a plain statement of the facts to be believed. In the midst of +the rusty old ruin was a stand with walls of brick; above this wires had +been fixed along the roof. The big plants hung lowest. Upon the edges<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> of +their baskets smaller plants were poised, and so they stood, one above +another, like a child’s house of cards—I am afraid to say how high. A +labouring man stood first at one end, then at the other, and cheerfully +plied the syringe. They were not taken down nor touched from month to +month.</p> + +<p>Seeing and hearing all this, I cried—but the reader can imagine what I +cried.</p> + +<p>‘Well,’ replied the market-gardener, ‘I don’t understand your orchids. But +I shouldn’t ha’ thought they was looking poorly.’</p> + +<p>Poorly! Under these remarkable circumstances some scores of Phalaenopsis +were thriving as I never saw them elsewhere.</p> + +<p>In this house they do very well, growing and flowering freely, giving no +trouble by mysterious ailments. We have most of the large +species—amabilis, Stuartiana, Schilleriana, Sanderiana, etc. No +description of these is required. Hybrids of Phalaenopsis are few as yet. +Here is Hebe, the product of rosea × Sanderiana, rosy white of sepal and +petal, bright pink of lip, yellow at the base.</p> + +<p>On the left is a ‘rockery’ of tufa, planted with the hybrid Anthuriums +which Messrs. Sander have been producing so industriously of late years. +To my mind, an infant could make flowers as good as Anthuriums, if +equipped with a sufficient quantity of sealing-wax, red and pink and +white. Their form is clumsy, and grace they have none. But when they +recognise a fashion, the wise cease to protest. Anthuriums are the +fashion.</p> + +<p>Since that is so, and many worthy persons will be interested, I name the +hybrids here.</p> + +<p>Of the Andreeanum type, raised by crossing its various +forms:—<i>Lawrenciae</i>, pure white; <i>Goliath</i>, blood-red; <i>Salmoniae</i>, +flesh-colour; <i>Lady Godiva</i>, white faintly tinged with flesh-colour; +<i>Albanense</i>, deep red, spadix vermilion—this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> was one of the twelve ‘new +plants’ which won the First Prize at the International Exhibition 1892.</p> + +<p>Of the Rothschildianum type:—<i>Saumon</i>, salmon-colour; <i>niveum</i>, very +large, whitish, with orange-red markings; <i>aurantiacum</i>, coloured like the +yolk of egg; <i>The Queen</i>, evenly marked in red, orange, and white.</p> + +<p>Overhead hang small plants of Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium; on a shelf +above the Anthuriums, against the glass, two large specimens of the noble +Cyp. bellatulum album—which with a despairing effort I have tried to +sketch elsewhere—and no less than 380 plants of Cyp. Godefroyae, and its +variety, Cyp. leucochilum, both white, heavily spotted with brownish +purple.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">The Vanda House</span></h3> + +<p>lies beyond. Only the tall species are here, for such gems as V. +Kimballiana and Amesiana would be lost among these giants. But there is +little to say about our Vandas beyond a general commendation of their fine +stature and glossy leaves. It is not a genus which we study, and the +plants belong to ordinary species—the best of their class, however. For +the benefit of experts I may mention, among specimens of Vanda suavis, the +Dalkeith variety, Rollison’s, Veitch’s, Wingate, and Manchester; among +Vanda tricolor, planilabris—grandest of all—Dalkeith, aurea, Pattison’s, +insignis, Rohaniana.</p> + +<p>But <i>Miss Joaquim</i> must be mentioned (V. teres × V. Hookeriana), sepals +and petals of a pretty rose colour, lip orange; a flower charming in +itself, but still more notable as the product of a young lady’s +enthusiasm. Miss Agnes Joaquim is the daughter of a Consul at Singapore, +residing at Mount Narcis in the vicinity.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF VANDA SANDERIANA</h2> + +<p>There are those who pronounce Vanda Sanderiana the stateliest of all +orchids. To compare such numberless and varied forms of beauty is rather +childish. But it will be allowed that a first view of those enormous +flowers, ten or more upon a stalk—lilac above, pale cinnamon below, +covered with a network of crimson lines—is a memorable sensation for the +elect.</p> + +<p>We may fancy the emotions of Mr. Roebelin on seeing it—the earliest of +articulate mortals so favoured. His amazement and delight were not alloyed +by anticipation, for no rumour of the marvel had gone forth. Roebelin was +travelling ‘on spec’ for once. In 1879 Mr. Sander learned that the +Philippine Government was about to establish a mail service from Manila to +Mindanao. Often had he surveyed that great island longingly, from his +arm-chair at St. Albans, assured that treasures must await the botanist +there. But although the Spaniards had long held settlements upon the +coast, and, of course, claimed sovereignty over the whole, there had +hitherto been no regular means of communication with a port whence +steamers sailed for Europe. A collector would be at the mercy of chance +for transmitting his spoil, after spending assuredly a thousand pounds. It +was out of the question. But the establishment of a line of steamers to +Manila transformed the situation. Forthwith Roebelin was despatched, to +find what he could.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>He landed, of course, at the capital, Mindanao; and the Spaniards—civil, +military, even ecclesiastic—received him cordially. Any visitor was no +less than a phenomenon to them. It is a gay and pleasant little town, for +these people, having neither means nor opportunity, as a rule, to revisit +Europe, make their home in the East. And Roebelin found plenty of good +things round the glorious bay of Illana. But he learned with surprise that +the Spaniards did not even profess to have authority beyond a narrow strip +here and there upon the coast. The interior is occupied by savages, +numerous and warlike, Papuan by race, or crossed with the Philippine +Malay. Though they are not systematically hostile to white men, Roebelin +saw no chance of exploring the country.</p> + +<p>Then he heard of a ‘red Phalaenopsis,’ on the north coast, a legendary +wonder, which must have its own chronicle by and by. Seduced especially by +this report, Roebelin sailed in a native craft to Surigao, a small but +very thriving settlement, which ranks next to the capital. People there +were well acquainted with Phalaenopsis, but they knew nothing of a red +one; some of them, however, talked in vague ecstasy of an orchid with +flowers as big as a dinner-plate to be found on the banks of Lake +Magindanao, a vast sheet of water in the middle of the island. They did +not agree about the shape, or colour, or anything else relating to it; but +such a plant must be well worth collecting anyhow. It was not dangerous to +ascend the river, under due precautions, nor to land at certain points of +the lake. Such points are inhabited by the Subano tribe, who live in +hourly peril from their neighbours the Bagabos, against whom they beg +Spanish protection. Accordingly white men are received with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>The expedition, therefore, would be comparatively safe, if a guide and +interpreter could be found. And here Roebelin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> was lucky. A small trader +who had debts to collect among the Subanos offered his sampan, with its +crew, on reasonable terms, and proposed to go himself. He was the son of a +Chinaman from Singapore, by a native wife, and spoke intelligible English. +The crew also had mostly some Chinese blood, and Roebelin gathered that +they were partners of Sam Choon, his dragoman, in a very small way. The +number of Celestials and half-breeds of that stock in Mindanao had already +struck him, in comparison with Manila. Presently he learned the reason. +The energetic and tenacious Chinaman is hated by all classes of +Spaniards—by the clergy because he will not be converted, by the +merchants because he intercepts their trade, by the military because he +will not endure unlimited oppression, and by the public at large because +he is hard-working, thrifty, and successful. He is dangerous, too, when +roused by ill-treatment beyond the common, and his secret societies +provide machinery for insurrection at a day’s notice. But in Mindanao the +Chinaman is indispensable. White traders could not live without his +assistance. They do not love him the better, but they protect him so far +as they may from the priests and the military.</p> + +<p>I have no adventures to tell on the journey upwards. It lasted a good many +days. Roebelin secured few plants, for this part is inhabited by Bagabos, +or some race of their kidney, and Sam Choon would not land in the forest.</p> + +<p>At length they reached Lake Magindanao; the day was fine, and they pushed +across. But presently small round clouds began to mount over the blue +hills. Thicker and thicker they rose. A pleasant wind swelled the surface +of the lake, but those clouds far above moved continually faster. Roebelin +called attention to them. But the Chinaman is the least weatherwise of +mortals. Always intent on his own business or pleasure—the constitution +of mind which gives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> him such immense advantage above all other men in the +struggle for existence—he does not notice his surroundings much. Briefly, +a tremendous squall caught them in sight of port—one of those sudden +outbursts which make fresh-water sailing so perilous in the Tropics. The +wind swooped down like a hurricane from every quarter at once, as it +seemed. For a moment the lake lay still, hissing, beaten down by the blow; +then it rose in solid bulk like waves of the ocean. In a very few minutes +the squall passed on; but it had swamped the sampan. They were so near the +land, however, that the Subanos, hastening to the rescue, met them half +way in the surf, escorted them to shore, laughing and hallooing, and +returned to dive for the cargo. It was mostly recovered in time.</p> + +<p>These people do not build houses in the water, like so many of their kin. +They prefer the safety of high trees; it is not by any means so effectual, +but such, they would say, was the custom of their ancestors. At this +village the houses were perched not less than fifty feet in air, standing +on a solid platform. But if the inhabitants are thus secured against +attack, on the other hand—each family living by itself up aloft—an enemy +on the ground would be free to conduct his operations at leisure. So the +unmarried men and a proportion of the warriors occupy a stout building +raised only so far above the soil as to keep out reptiles. Here also the +chief sits by day, and public business is done. The visitors were taken +thither.</p> + +<p>When Roebelin had dried his clothes the afternoon was too far advanced for +exploration. The crew of the prau chattered and disputed at the top of +their shrill voices as case after case was brought in, dripping, and +examined. But Sam Choon found time in the midst of his anxieties to warn +Roebelin against quitting the cleared area. ‘Bagabos come just now, they +say,’ he shouted. But the noise and the fuss<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> and the smell were past +bearing. Roebelin took his arms and strolled out till supper was ready.</p> + +<p>I do not know what he discovered. On returning he found a serious palaver, +the savages arguing coolly, the Chinamen raving. Sam Choon rushed up, +begging him to act as umpire; and whilst eating his supper Roebelin +learned the question in dispute. Sam Choon, as we know, had debts to +collect in this village, for cloth and European goods, to be paid in +jungle produce—honey, wax, gums, and so forth. The Subanos did not deny +their liability—the natural man is absolutely truthful and honest. Nor +did they assert that they could not pay. Their contention was simply that +the merchandise had been charged at a figure beyond the market rate. +Another Chinaman had paid them a visit, and sold the same wares at a lower +price. They proposed to return Sam Choon’s goods unused, and to pay for +anything they could not restore on this reduced scale. It was perfectly +just in the abstract, and the natural man does not conceive any other sort +of justice. Sam Choon could not dispute that his rival’s cloth was equally +good; it bore the same trademark, and those keen eyes were as well able to +judge of quality as his own. But the trader everywhere has his own code of +morals. Those articles for which the Subanos were indebted had been +examined, and the price had been discussed, at leisure; an honest man +cannot break his word. Such diverse views were not to be reconciled. +Roebelin took a practical course. He asked whether it could possibly be +worth while to quarrel with these customers for the sake of a very few +dollars? At the lower rate there would be a profit of many hundreds per +cent. But the Chinaman, threatened with a loss in business, is not to be +moved, for a while at least, by demonstrations of prudence.</p> + +<p>Meantime the dispute still raged at the Council fire, for the crew also +were interested. Suddenly there was a roar.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> Several of them rushed across +to Sam Choon and shouted great news. Roebelin understood afterwards. The +caitiff who had undersold them was in the village at that moment! Whilst +they jabbered in high excitement another roar burst out. One of the men, +handling the rival’s cloth, found a private mark—the mark of his ‘Hoey.’ +And it was that to which they all belonged.</p> + +<p>The Hoey may be described as a trade guild; but it is much more. Each of +these countless associations is attached to one of the great secret +societies, generally the T’ien T’i Hung, compared with which, for numbers +and power, Freemasonry is but a small concern. By an oath which expressly +names father, son, and brother, the initiated swear to kill any of their +fellows who shall wrong a member of the Hoey. This unspeakable villain who +sold cheap had wronged them all! He must die!</p> + +<p>They pressed upon the chief in a body, demanding the traitor. All had arms +and brandished them. Probably the savages would not have surrendered a +guest on any terms; but this demonstration provoked them. In howling +tumult they dispersed, seized their ready weapons, and formed line. The +war-cry was not yet raised, but spears were levelled by furious hands. The +issue depended on any chance movement. Suddenly from a distance came the +blast of a cow-horn—a muffled bellow, but full of threat. The savages +paused, turned, and rushed out, shouting. Roebelin caught a word, familiar +by this time—‘Bagabos.’ He followed; but Sam Choon seized his arm. ‘They +put <i>ranjows</i>,’ he said breathlessly. ‘You cut foot, you die!’ And in the +moonlight Roebelin saw boys running hither and thither with an armful of +bamboo spikes sharp as knives at each end, which they drove into the +earth.</p> + +<p>Men unacquainted with the plan of this defence can only stand aside when +ranjows are laid down. Roebelin waited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> with the Chinamen, tame and quiet +enough now. The Subanos had all vanished in the forest, which rose, misty +and still, across the clearing. Hours they watched, expecting each moment +to hear the yell of savage fight. But no sound reached them. At length a +long line of dusky figures emerged, with arms and ornaments sparkling in +the moonlight. It was half the warriors returning.</p> + +<p>They still showed sullenness towards the Chinamen; but the chief took +Roebelin by the hand, led him to the foot of a tree upon which stood the +largest house, and smilingly showed him the way up. It was not a pleasant +climb. The ladder, a notched trunk, dripped with dew; it was old and +rotten besides. Roebelin went up gingerly; the chief returned with a torch +to light his steps before he had got half way. But the interior was +comfortable enough—far above the mosquito realm anyhow. Roebelin felt +that an indefinite number of eyes were watching from the darkness as he +made his simple preparations for turning in; but he saw none of them, and +heard only a rustling. ‘What a day I’ve had!’ he thought, and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>It was a roar and a rush like the crack of doom which woke him; shrieking +and shouting, clang of things that fell, boom of great waves, and thunder +such as mortal never heard dominating all. A multitude of naked bodies +stumbled over him and fell, a struggling, screaming heap. In an instant +they were gone. He started up, but pitched headlong. The floor rolled +elastic as a spring-board. It was black night. Dimly he saw clearer +patches where a flying wretch, tossed against the wall of sticks, had +broken it down. But the dust veiled them like a curtain. Gasping, on hands +and knees, Roebelin sought the doorway. Again and again, even thus, he +fell upon his side. And all the while that thundering din resounded. He +understood now. It was a great earthquake! At length the doorway was +found;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> holding on cautiously, Roebelin felt for the ladder. It was +gone—broken in the rush.</p> + +<p>Of the time that followed I do not speak. There were no more shocks. +Slowly the sky whitened. He turned over the wreck—not a creature was +there, dead or living. Great gaps showed in the floor and in the roof. +Through one of these, against the rosy clouds, he saw a wreath of giant +flowers, lilac and cinnamon, clinging to the tree above. It was Vanda +Sanderiana!</p> + +<hr style='width: 25%;' /> + +<p>But that plant and the others collected at the same time never reached +Europe. Upon returning to Surigao with his treasures, Roebelin found +little beyond heaps of rubbish on the site. Earthquakes have a home in +Mindanao. But that of 1880 was the most awful on record as yet. Two years +later he returned and brought home the prize.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF PHALAENOPSIS SANDERIANA</h2> + +<p>The discovery of Phalaenopsis Sanderiana was an interesting event; nor for +botanists alone. Some thoughtful persons always incline to credit a legend +or an assertion current among savages, so long as it deals with facts +within the limits of their knowledge. Human beings are truthful by +instinct; and if we can assure ourselves that no motive tempts them to +falsehood, it is more likely than not that even an improbable story will +prove correct. The rule applies in all matters of natural history. +Numberless are the reports concerning beasts and birds and reptiles +accepted now which were a mock for generations; numberless, also, one must +add, are the reports too grotesque for discussion. For imagination asserts +itself in the case of animals, and gives a motive, though unconscious, for +the wildest inventions. But it is rarely excited by plants. When a savage +describes some flower he has seen, the statement may be trusted, ‘barring +errors’; and they will probably be slight, for his power of observation, +and his memory in matters of this sort, are alike wonderful. A collector +of plants who knows his business encourages the natives to talk; often +enough they give him valuable information. The first hint of Calla +Pentlandii, the yellow Egyptian lily or ‘arum,’ was furnished by a Zulu +who came from a great distance to visit a relative in the service of +Captain Allison. I may venture to tell secrets which will be common +property soon. A blue<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> Calla and a scarlet have been found—both of them +on report of Kaffirs.</p> + +<p>The story of Phalaenopsis Sanderiana is a striking instance. Its allied +species, grandiflora and amabilis, reached Europe in 1836 and 1847 +respectively. Their snowy whiteness and graceful habit prepared the world +for a burst of enthusiasm when Phalaenopsis Schilleriana, the earliest of +the coloured species, was brought from the Philippines in 1860. The Duke +of Devonshire paid Messrs. Rollison a hundred guineas for the first plant +that flowered. Such a price was startling then. Reported at Manila, it set +the Spaniards talking and inquiring. Messrs. Rollison had sent an agent to +collect Phalaenopsis there, who presently reported a scarlet species! No +one he could find had seen it, but the natives spoke confidently, and he +hoped to forward a consignment without delay. But years and years passed. +The great firm of Rollison flourished, decayed, and vanished, but that +blessed consignment was never shipped.</p> + +<p>Other collectors visited the Philippines. They also reported the wonder, +on hearsay, and every mail brought them reiterated instructions to find +and send it at any cost. Now here, now there, the pursuers hunted it to a +corner; but when they closed, it was elsewhere. Meantime the settled +islands had been explored gradually. Many fine things escaped attention, +as we know at this day; but a flower so conspicuous, so eagerly demanded +and described, could not have been missed. As years went by, the red +Phalaenopsis became a joke. Interest degenerated into mockery.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, it is very improbable that the plant had ever been in +Manila, or that a white man had beheld it. For it is found only in an +islet to the west of Mindanao, the most southerly of the Philippine group. +Mindanao itself is not yet explored, much less occupied, though the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +Spaniards pushed farther and farther inland year by year. Seafaring +Tagalas may have visited that islet, and seen the red Phalaenopsis. When +they heard, at Manila, how an English duke had paid some fabulous amount +for a flower of the same genus, they would naturally mention it. And so +the legend grew.</p> + +<p>In 1881, a score of years afterwards, the conquest of Mindanao was so far +advanced that the Spanish mail steamers called there. When Mr. Sander of +St. Albans heard this intelligence he thrilled with hope, as has been +told. Mr. Roebelin had instructions, of course, to inquire for the red +Phalaenopsis; Mr. Sander’s experience teaches him that local rumours +should never be disregarded. But the search had been very close and very +long. Perhaps there was not another man in Europe who thought it possible +that the marvel could exist.</p> + +<p>Mr. Roebelin is still living, I believe, and he could tell of some lively +adventures on that first visit to Mindanao. Constantly he heard of the red +Phalaenopsis; it was <i>en l’air</i>, he wrote, using the expression in two +senses. At the northern settlements they directed him south, at the +eastern, west, and so round the compass. But he had other matters in hand, +and contented himself with inquiries.</p> + +<p>I do not learn whether it was accident or information which led him to the +little island Davao on his second visit, in 1883. He may have sailed +thither on chance, for a traveller is absolutely certain of finding new +plants on an untrodden shore in those seas. Anyhow Roebelin knew the quest +was over, the riddle solved triumphantly, before landing.</p> + +<p>The half-breed Chinaman, Sam Choon, was personally conducting him on this +occasion also; he found the vessel (a native prau, of course), boatmen, +provisions, and the rest. Everything was at the collector’s disposal; but +Sam Choon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> took a cargo of ‘notions’ on his own account, to trade when +opportunity arose.</p> + +<p>Davao lies, I understand, some sixty miles from Mindanao. Its inhabitants +are Papuan thorough-bred, of the brown variety. Roebelin was deeply struck +with the appearance of the warriors who swarmed to the beach when his +intention of landing was understood. A body of men so tall and stalwart +can scarcely be found elsewhere, and for graceful carriage or activity +they could not be surpassed. A red clout was their only wear, besides +ornaments and weapons. They had the kinkled hair of the race (not wool), +bleached with lime, and dyed yellow. Very strange and pleasing is the +effect of these golden mops, lustrous if not clean, decked with plumes and +fresh flowers. But admiration came afterwards. When Roebelin saw the big +fellows mustering in haste, armed with spears and bows, stoneheaded maces +which the European soldier could scarcely wield, great swords set with +sharks’ teeth, and outlandish tools of every sort for smashing and +tearing, he regarded the spectacle from another point of view. They ran +and leapt, brandishing their weapons, halloed and roared and sang, with +Papuan vivacity. The vessel approaching was too small to alarm them. +Laughter predominated in the uproar. But this was no comfort. Men are +cheerful with a feast in view.</p> + +<p>Sam Choon, however, kept up his spirits. ‘Them chaps make rumpus all +time,’ he said. ‘We see.’ He held up a green bough shipped for the +purpose. It was all laughter now and gesticulation. Every Papuan tore a +branch from the shrubs around and waved it boisterously. ‘Them no hurt,’ +said Sam Choon. ‘Good trade.’ The Chinaman was as careful of his person as +one need be, and experienced in the ways of such people. Roebelin took +courage. As they neared the surf, the whole body of islanders rushed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +towards them, splashed through the shallows whooping, dived beneath the +wave, and came up at the vessel’s side. Ropes were tossed to them, and +they swam back again. But the first yellow head popped up just where +Roebelin was seated. Among the feathers twisted in it, draggled now, he +saw a spray—surely an Aerides! but bluish-red, unlike any species known. +The savage grinned and shouted, whirling the hair like an aureole around +his glistening face, threw one brawny arm into the air, and at a stroke +reached the bows. Another shot up; another. The sea was peopled in an +instant, all grinning and shouting breathlessly, all whirling their golden +locks. Among the flowers with which every head was decked, Roebelin saw +many Phalaenopsis. And most of them were ruddy!</p> + +<p>Sam Choon lay to whilst the islanders swam ashore and formed a chain; +then, at a word, they ran up the beach full speed—making a noise, says +Roebelin, which reminded him of the earthquake he had lately felt. +Simultaneously the crew paddled their hardest, also yelling in the shrill +Chinese way. The prau sped like a flash, but half full of water. Beyond +the surf a mob seized and carried it ashore.</p> + +<p>Papuans have no acquaintance with ceremony. Paying little attention to +their chiefs, they are not apt to discriminate among strangers. All alike +seized one of these new friends—who brought trade!—-slapped him about +the body, and hugged him. Roebelin had been subjected to merciless +shampooing occasionally in Indian hammams; but he never felt the like of +that welcome. It was <i>massage</i> by machinery.</p> + +<p>The women had come on the scene now. Though they took no part, they +mingled with the warriors, and showed quite as much assurance as is +becoming. But they are not by any means such fine creatures as the men, +and they do not allow themselves—or they are not allowed—the curious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +attraction of yellow hair. Roebelin noticed a few, however, worthy to be +helpmates of those superb animals; one girl in especial, nearly six feet +high, whose figure was a model, face pleasing and expressive, full of +character.</p> + +<p>These people live in trees like the Subanos of Mindanao. As soon as his +baggage had been taken to the public hall, Roebelin got out beads, wire, +and Brummagem jewellery. The glimpse of that Aerides and the assurance of +a red Phalaenopsis made him impatient. But even Sam Choon found difficulty +in identifying the chiefs, to whom of course presents must be made before +business can open. However, the point interesting to Roebelin was settled +in an instant. The Phalaenopsis, they said, abounded within a few hundred +yards, and the Aerides was common enough. The white man wanted them for +medicine? He might have as many as he liked—on due payment. To-morrow the +chief would show him, and then a price must be fixed.</p> + +<p>He slept in the hall, and at dawn he was more than ready. But early rising +is not a virtue of savages. To explore without permission would be +dangerous. Gradually the village woke to life. Men descended from their +quarters high in air, bathed, made their toilettes, and lounged about, +waiting for breakfast. Girls came down for water and returned, whilst +their mothers tidied the house. Smoke arose. In due time the men mounted, +ate, climbed down, and gathered in the public hall, where Sam Choon was +setting out a sample of his wares. Hours passed. But the chief’s door +remained shut. No one passed out or in.</p> + +<p>Roebelin saw people glance upwards with a grave air; but they showed no +surprise. He consulted Sam Choon, who had been too busy to notice.</p> + +<p>All he said was, ‘’Spect chief get bad bird! Dam! All up this day!’ And he +stopped his preparations.</p> + +<p>So it proved to be—a fowl of black plumage had flown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> across just as the +door was opening. None of the chief’s household came down that day. But +after negotiation some of the men led Roebelin to see the Phalaenopsis. +They grew in thousands over a brook close by, clinging to small trees. He +counted twenty-two plants, bearing more than a hundred flowers open, upon +a single trunk. Very curious is one point noticed. The Phalaenopsis always +grows on the northern side of its support, and always turns its flower +spike towards the southern side. It is a very bad species to travel. Of +the multitude which Roebelin gathered, not more than a hundred reached +Europe alive, and every collector since, I believe, has failed utterly. +Very few possessed his knowledge and experience.</p> + +<p>That was Phalaenopsis Sanderiana; rather purple than red, but certainly +the flower so long sought. With the superb Aerides—now called A. +Roebelini—he was even less successful; it is only to be seen in a very +few collections of the highest class.</p> + +<p>So the legend ends. But there is a funny little sequel. Sam Choon did well +with his ‘notions.’ After Mr. Roebelin’s departure, he returned to Davao +and opened a promising branch of trade. To secure a permanent footing, he +thought it would be judicious to marry a daughter of the chief, and he +proposed for the giant beauty whom Roebelin had noticed on landing. The +father was astonished and amused, but finally indignant. A Chinaman, +however, though thrifty by habit and taste, does not count expense when +pleasure or business urge him, and both combined here. The chief wavered, +and took counsel of his elders. They also were astonished and indignant; +but Sam Choon found means to persuade them. So the young woman received +notice that she was to marry the Chinaman next day. Her remarks are not +chronicled. But there was much excitement among the bachelors and maidens +that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> evening, and presently a band of stalwart youths entered the hall +where Sam Choon sat with the chief—his father-in-law on the morrow. They +told the latter gravely that they disapproved of the match. Sam Choon +interposed with a statement of the advantages to follow, with equal +gravity. Then they threatened to smash every bone in his carcass. So the +marriage was broken off, but without ill-feeling on either side.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-109tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-109.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">LÆLIA, GRANDIS, TENEBROSA.<br /><i>WALTON GRANGE VARIETY.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> +<h2>HYBRID CATTLEYAS AND LAELIAS</h2> + +<p>To right, in the Vanda House, are many hybrids of Cattleya and Laelia; but +we have many more, and it will be convenient to notice them all together +in this place. Some have not flowered yet, and therefore have received no +name; but even of these it is worth while to give the parentage, seeing +that there is no official record of hybridisation as yet. Mr. Rolfe at Kew +tries hard to keep pace with the enterprise of enthusiastic amateurs and +energetic professionals throughout the world. But comparatively few report +to him, and not every one files the <i>Orchid Review</i>. Thus it happens that +experiments carried to an issue long ago are continually repeated, in the +expectation of producing a novelty. The experimenter indeed loses nothing +save the credit he hoped to win. But in the scientific point of view time +is wasted and the confusion of names is increased. To contribute in my +small way towards an improvement in this state of things I give a list of +the Cattleya and Laelia hybrids at Woodlands, long though it be, and +uninteresting to the public at large; assured that it will be welcome to +those who study this most fascinating subject.</p> + +<p>I may take the hybrids as they stand, with no methodical arrangement. +L.-C. means the product of a Laelia and a Cattleya, or, somewhat loosely, +of a Cattleya and a Laelia. C. × means the product of two Cattleyas; L. × +of two Laelias.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span><i>L.-C. Ancona</i> (Catt. Harrisoniae × L. purpurata) represents each parent +almost equally, taking after Catt. Harrisoniae in colour and size of sepal +and petal; in general shape and in the hues of the labellum after L. +purpurata.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Nysa</i> (L. crispa × Catt. Warcewiczii).—Pale mauve—the petals have +a sharp touch of crimson at the tips. Labellum all evenly crimson with a +narrow outline of white, gracefully frilled.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Measuresiana.</i>—A natural hybrid, very rare, assumed to be the +product of L. elegans × L. purpurata. Rosy mauve. From the tube, very +long, the labellum opens squarely, purple, with a clouded throat and dusky +yellow ‘eyes.’</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Arnoldiana</i> (L. purpurata × Catt. labiata). Large, clear mauve. +Petals much attenuated at the ends, which gives them a sort of ‘fly-away’ +appearance. The fine expanded lip, of carmine crimson, is clouded with a +deeper tint round the orange throat.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Claptonensis</i> (L. elegans × L. Dormaniana).—Small, white with a +rosy flush. The long shovel lip is brilliantly crimson, fading to a white +edge.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. amanda.</i>—A natural hybrid of which Catt. intermedia is one parent, +L. Boothiana perhaps the other. Pale pink. The yellow throat and the +bright rosy lip show lines of deep crimson, strongly ‘feathered’ on either +side.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Gravesiae</i> (L. crispa superba × L. praestans).—Small, rosy white. +The spade-like lip is magenta-crimson, wonderfully smooth and brilliant, +with two little yellow ‘eyes’ in the throat.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Tiresias</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × L. elegans).—The petals are exactly +oval, saving pretty twirls and twists at the edges—soft bright mauve, the +narrow sepals paler. The funnel lip does not open wide, but in colour it +is like the richest and silkiest crimson velvet, almost maroon at the +throat; charmingly frilled and gauffered.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span><i>C. × Portia.</i>—Parents doubtful, but evidently Catt. Bowringiana is one +of them, Catt. labiata perhaps the other. Sepals and petals lively mauve, +the latter darker. The funnel of the lip brightest rose, disc of the +softest tenderest crimson imaginable, deepening against the pale yellowish +throat.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Tresederiana</i> (Catt. Loddigesii × L. crispa superba).—Rather +curious than beautiful. The narrow petals and narrower sepals are pallid +violet; the labellum has a faintly yellow throat, and the dull purple disc +of Catt. crispa; not evenly coloured but in strong lines.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Mantinii nobilior</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × Catt. aurea).—Raised by M. +Mantin. Delicious is a proper word for it—neat and graceful in shape, +rosy-crimson in colour. The lip opens widely, exquisitely veined with gold +within. It has a golden tinge on either side the throat, and a margin of +deeper crimson. The whole colouring is indescribably soft and tender.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Mantinii inversa</i> represents the same parentage transposed (Catt. +aurea × Catt. Bowringiana).—Small like its mother, of brightest deepest +rose. The lip, loosely open above, swells to a fine expanse below, of +darker tint. Throat golden, charmingly scored with crimson-brown, like +aurea. The disc shows an arch of dark crimson on a rosy ground. It will be +seen that the influence of Bowringiana strongly predominates.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Chloris</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × Catt. maxima) much resembles the +above. It is less brilliant, however; the lip does not open so freely, and +the arch mentioned, though even darker, is not so effective on a less +lively ground.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Fire Queen.</i>—Parentage not recorded. I have not seen this flower, +nor even an account of it, but it received an Award of Merit, June 6, +1897.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Lady Wigan</i> (L. purpurata Russelliana × Catt.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> Mossiae +aurea).—Dainty pink of sepal and petal. From the pale yellow throat issue +a number of crimson rays which darken to violet purple in the disc.</p> + +<p><i>C.-L. Parysatis</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × L. pumila).—Rosy pink. The +funnel-shaped lip opens handsomely, showing a disc of soft crimson with a +white speck at the tip.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Robin Measures</i> is assumed to be a natural hybrid of Laelia +xanthina × Catt. Regnieri, a variety of Catt. Schilleriana. Sepals and +petals smooth dainty green, the latter just touched with a suspicion of +purple at the tips. It has the shovel lip of Schilleriana, a yellow tube +and golden throat, from which descends a line of darkest crimson. The +ground-colour of the disc is white, but clouded with crimson-lake and +closely barred with dark crimson up to the white edge.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Bellairensis</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × L. Goldiana).—So curiously like +L. autumnalis that a close observer even would take it for that species. +In shape, however, it is more graceful than the pink form, and in colour +much more pale than atro-rubens.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Tiresias superba</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × L. elegans Turneri).—I +heard some one exclaim ‘What a study in colour!’ It is indeed, and in form +too—not large, but smoothly regular as pencil could draw. The sepals make +an exact triangle, delicate rosy purple, netted over with soft lines. +Petals broad and short, darker. Lip rather long, white in the throat with +a faintest stain of yellow, the disc and edges of the lobes glorious +crimson-purple, with a dark cloud above which stretches all up the throat. +A gem of beauty indescribable.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Browniae.</i>—Bought as a hybrid of Catt. Bowringiana × Catt. +Loddigesii, but it shows no trace of either parent. Very pretty and odd, +however. The tiny little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> sepals are hardly seen, lost behind the huge +pink petals. The lip also has pink lobes above a gamboge throat, and a +bright crimson-purple disc.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Albanensis.</i>—A natural hybrid, doubtless the product of L. grandis +× Catt. Warneri. Pale rosy-mauve, lip crimson, deepening as it expands, +but fading again towards the margin. A large and grand flower.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Aphrodite</i> (Catt. Mendelii × L. purpurata).—Sepals and petals pure +white. Labellum deepest crimson with rosy tip.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Sanderae</i> (L. xanthina × L. Dormaniana).—Sepals and petals crimson, +lip purplish rose.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Mariottiana</i> (Catt. Eldorado × Catt. gigas).—Very pretty, dark +rose, lip bright crimson with yellow throat.</p> + +<p><i>L. × splendens</i> (L. crispa × L. purpurata).—Pink. Lip crimson-purple, +edged with white, heavily fringed.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Atalanta</i> (Catt. Leopoldii × Catt. Warcewiczii).—Large and waxy. +Sepals and petals rose veined with crimson, lip bright magenta.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. excellens</i> (Catt. gigas ocullata × L. purpurata Brysiana).—A +superb flower, very large, rosy mauve, lip crimson.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Amazon</i> (Catt. maxima × L. purpurata).—Sepals and petals softly +flushed, lip much darker in tone, veined with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Prince of Wales</i> (Catt. fimbriata × Catt. Wageneri).—White. The lip +amethyst, veined with rose and frilled; throat golden.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Kienastiana</i> (Catt. Luddemanniana × Catt. aurea).—Sepals flushed +white, petals warm lilac, the veins paler; magenta lip with shadings of +orange and lilac towards the edge and a white margin.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Hon. Mrs. Astor</i> (Catt. Gaskelliana × L. xanthina).—Sepals clear +yellow, petals white with a sulphur tinge;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> throat golden yellow veined +with purple, disc rose, veined with crimson and edged with lilac.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Broomfieldensis</i> (Catt. aurea-chrysotoxa × L. pumila +Dayana).—Mauve. The lip deep crimson, gracefully frilled; the throat has +crimson and gold markings on a purple ground.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Fowleri</i> (Catt. Leopoldii × Catt. Hardyana).—Rosy lilac, lip +crimson. The side lobes are white tipped with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Miss Measures</i> (Catt. speciosissima × Catt. velutina).—Pretty +mauve-pink with darker lines. Golden throat, lip crimson veined with +purple.</p> + +<p><i>C. × William Murray</i> (Catt. Mendelii × Catt. Lawrenceana).—Rosy with a +purple tinge. Throat veined with orange and purple, lip purple-crimson.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. C.-G. Roebling</i> (L. purpurata alba × Catt. Gaskelliana).—Sepals +and petals flushed, lip deepest violet, suffused with crimson and edged +with white.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. D. S. Brown</i> (Catt. Trianae × L. elegans).—Soft pink, throat yellow +with a brownish tinge, lip carmine-crimson.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Mardellii fascinator</i> (L. elegans Turneri × Catt. +speciosissima).—Mauve. Throat yellow, darkening to orange in front, lip +purple-crimson.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. callistoglossa</i> (L. purpurata × Catt. gigas).—Sepals pale rosy +mauve, petals darker. Throat yellow streaked with purple; lip purple.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. callistoglossa ignescens</i> (Catt. gigas × L. purpurata).—Sepals +rosy lilac, petals a deeper shade, lip glowing purple.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Latona</i> (L. purpurata × L. cinnabarina).—Pale orange. Lip whitish +at the base, the disc crimson bordered with orange.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Decia</i> (L. Perrinii × Catt. aurea).—Pale violet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> deepening +towards the tips. Lip crimson, streaked with white on the side lobes, with +white and rosy purple on the disc.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Eudora</i> (Catt. Mendelii × L. purpurata).—Rosy purple. Lip deepest +crimson shaded with maroon.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Eudora alba</i> (L. purpurata alba × Catt. Mendelii).—Ivory white. +Lip crimson with purple shadings.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Hippolyta</i> (Catt. Mossiae × L. cinnabarina).—Bright orange with a +rosy purplish tinge. The lip red-purple, much frilled.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Zephyra</i> (Catt. Mendelii × L. xanthina).—All Nankin yellow except +the crimson disc, which has a pale margin.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Amesiana</i> (L. crispa × Catt. maxima).—White washed with amethyst. +Lip purple-crimson fading towards the margin.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Exoniensis</i> (Catt. Mossiae × L. crispa).—White flushed with rosy +mauve. Lip purple-crimson.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Yula</i> (L. cinnabarina × L. purpurata).—Scarcely larger than +cinnabarina, bright orange, the petals veined and flushed with crimson. +The lip of size proportionate—that is, small—shows more of the purpurata +influence in its bright crimson disc.</p> + +<p><i>L. × Yula inversa</i> (L. purpurata × L. cinnabarina).—The same parentage +but transposed. More than twice as large as the other and spreading, but +thin. Sepals of the liveliest orange, petals agreeably tinged with purple. +On the long narrow lip this pink shade deepens almost to red. Upon the +whole, neither of them is to be commended for its own sake, but the +brilliant orange of cinnabarina is retained so perfectly that both will +prove valuable for hybridising.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Our Queen</i> (Catt. Mendelii × unknown).—Sepals and petals white, +faintly flushed. In the throat, of brightest yellow, are several brown +lines. The upper part of the lip is crimson, the disc purple.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span><i>L.-C. Empress of India</i> (L. purpurata Brysiana × Catt. Dowiana).—Sepals +and petals rose, tinged with violet at the ends, lip large, spreading, of +the richest crimson-purple.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Leucoglossa</i> (Catt. Loddigesii × L.-C. fausta).—Rose-pink. Lip +white, touched with yellow in the throat.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Henry Greenwood</i> (L.-C. Schilleriana × Catt. Hardyana).—Sepals and +petals cream-coloured, tinged with pink, the latter veined with rosy +purple. Lip purple with yellow throat.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Canhamiana</i> (Catt. Mossiae × L. purpurata).—White tinged with +mauve. Lip crimson-purple, with a narrow white margin, crisped.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Pallas superba</i> (L. crispa × Catt. aurea).—Dark rose. Lip purple +in the throat, golden in the disc, finely striped with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Wendlandiana</i> (Catt. Bowringiana × Catt. gigas).—Bright soft rose, +lip purple-crimson with two yellow ‘eyes’ beneath the tube.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Cecilia</i> (Catt. Lawrenceana × Catt. Trianae).—Sepals and petals +deep violet, throat buff changing to violet, disc purple.</p> + +<p><i>C. × Louis Chaton</i> (Catt. Trianae × Catt. Lawrenceana—the same parentage +as Cecilia but reversed).—A most successful combination. Fine in shape, +petals soft rosy mauve, sepals paler, and superb crimson lip, with the +yellow of Trianae strongly expressed in the throat.</p> + +<p><i>C. O’Brieniana.</i>—A natural hybrid of Catt. Loddigesii and Catt. +Walkeriana apparently; pale mauve; lip yellow.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. Miss Lily Measures</i> (L.-C. Arnoldiana × Gottoiana).—Very large. +Sepals and petals dark rose; lip rosy purple.</p> + +<p><i>L.-C. velutino-elegans</i> (Catt. velutina × L. elegans).—Sepals and petals +white with a yellow tinge, veined with rose.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> At the throat an orange +blotch. Lip darkest crimson with white veins.</p> + +<p>I append a list of hybrid seedlings which have not yet flowered and +therefore have received no name as yet. It will be useful only to those +who practise the fascinating art of Hybridisation. But such are a +multitude already, and each year their numbers swell.</p> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" summary="cattleya"> +<tr><td>Cattleya labiata × Catt. Bowringiana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Mendelii × L. xanthina.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Warnerii × L. Euterpe.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Bowringiana × Catt. Hardyana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>× Sophronitis grandiflora.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>labiata × Catt. Brymeriana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Gaskelliana × Catt. Harrisoniae violacea.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>labiata × L. Perrinii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Bowringiana × L. Perrinii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>granulosa × Catt. gigas Sanderae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>amethystoglossa × Catt. Trianae Osmanii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>labiata × L. Gravesiae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Bowringiana × Catt. Leopoldii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Schofieldiana × Catt. Schroderae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Schroderae × L. elegans.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Harrisoniae × Catt. Hardyana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Bowringiana × L.-C. Clive.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>labiata × Catt. Brymeriana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Gaskelliana × Catt. Hardyana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Schroderae × L. grandis.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>granulosa × Catt. gigas.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Gaskelliana × L. crispa.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Mossiae × L. purpurata Schroderae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Leopoldii × L. crispa superba.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Leopoldii × Catt. Harrisoniae violacea.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Laelia tenebrosa × Catt. gigas Sanderae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>harpophylla × L. elegans Blenheimensis.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>cinnabarina × Catt. Skinnerii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>tenebrosa × L.-C. Phoebe.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Catt. Mossiae aurea.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>praestans × Catt. Lord Rothschild.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Dayanum × Catt. labiata.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>cinnabarina × Catt. Trianae var. Mary Ames.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>purpurata × L. grandis.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>× Catt. Schroderae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>amanda × Catt. aurea.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>purpurata Schroderae × Catt. Mossiae aurea.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Lucasiana × L. elegans Schilleriana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>elegans × Catt. Mossiae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>crispa × Catt. aurea.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>purpurata × Catt. Hardyana.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>× Catt. Mossiae.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>tenebrosa × Catt. Warnerii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>× Catt. Mendelii.</td></tr> +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>elegans × Catt. gigas.</td></tr></table> + +<p>Beyond the hybrids are twenty plants of white Cattleya intermedia. The +owner of our collection was first among mortals, in Europe at least, to +behold that marvel of chaste loveliness. Mr. Sander received a plant of +intermedia from Brazil, which the collector labelled ‘white.’ Albino +Cattleyas were few then, and Roezl alone perhaps ventured to imagine that +every red species had a white sister. So they took little notice of the +label at St. Albans. When Mr. Measures paid a visit, it was even shown to +him as an example of the reckless statements forwarded by collectors. He, +however, in a sporting mood, offered ten guineas, and Mr. Sander gladly +accepted, but under a written proviso that he guaranteed nothing at all. +And in due time Cattleya intermedia Parthenia appeared, to astonish and +delight the universe. Several other albino forms have turned up since, all +of which are represented here, but Parthenia remains the finest—snowy +white, with a very long lip, which scarcely expands beyond the tube. That +is to say, ‘the books’ describe it as snowy white. A careful observer will +remark the faintest possible tinge of purple in the throat.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>We have also a natural hybrid, Catt. Louryana, which the learned dubiously +assign to intermedia alba × bicolor; all white saving the lip, which is +mauve-pink with darker lines.</p> + +<p>Among other albino rarities here is the charming L. praestans alba, pure +as snow but for a plum-coloured edging round the upper portion of the lip.</p> + +<p><i>L. Perrinii alba</i>—stainless throughout. This exquisite variety also +appeared for the first time in our collection.</p> + +<p><i>L. Perrinii nivea</i>—not less beautiful assuredly, though it has the +imperfection, as an albino, of a pale pink labellum and a yellow throat.</p> + +<p>Beyond these rise twenty-five stately plants of Angraecum sesquipedale, +which we are learning to call Aeranthus sesquipedalis. There are those who +do not value the marvel, though none but the blind surely can fail to +admire it. In truth, like other giants, it does not readily lend itself to +any useful purpose. I think I could design a wreath of Angraecum +sesquipedale which would put jewelled coronets to shame; but for a bouquet +or for the dress or for table decoration, it is equally unsuited. +Wherefore the ladies give a glance of wonder at its ten-inch ‘tail’ and +pass by, calling it, as I have heard with my own ears, a vegetable +starfish. At Woodlands happily there are other flowers enough for a +‘regiment of women,’ as John Knox rudely put it, and they do not grudge +the room which these noble plants occupy.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> +<h2>A LEGEND OF MADAGASCAR</h2> + +<p>I must not name the leading personage in this sad story. Though +twenty-five years have gone by since he met his fate, there are still +those who mourn for him. Could it be supposed that my report would come to +the knowledge of two among them, old people dwelling modestly in a small +French town, I should not publish it. For they have never heard the truth. +Those kindly and thoughtful comrades of Alcide Lebœuf—so to name +him—who transmitted the news of his death, described it as an accident. +But the French Consul at Tamatave sent a brief statement privately to the +late Mr. Cutter, of Great Russell Street, in whose employ Lebœuf was +travelling, that he might warn any future collectors.</p> + +<p>M. Leon Humblot has told how he and his brother once entertained six +guests at Tamatave; within twelve months he alone survived. So deadly is +that climate. Alcide Lebœuf was one of the six, but he perished by the +hand of man. The poor fellow was half English by blood, and wholly English +by education. His father, I believe, stuffed birds and sold ‘curiosities’ +at a small shop in the East End. At an early age the boy took to +‘collecting’ as a business. He travelled for Mr. Cutter in various lands, +seeking rare birds and insects, and he did his work well, though subject +to fits of hard drinking from time to time.</p> + +<p>At the shop in Great Russell Street, after a while, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> made acquaintance +with that admirable collector Crossley, whose stories of Madagascar fired +his imagination. Mr. Cutter was loath to send out a man of such unsteady +character. The perils of that awful climate were not so well understood, +perhaps, twenty-five years ago, but enough was known to make an employer +hesitate. Crossley had been shipwrecked on the coast, had lived years with +the natives, learned their language, and learned also to adopt their +habits while journeying among them. But Lebœuf would not be daunted. A +giant in stature—over seven feet, they say—of strength proportionate, +not inexperienced in wild travel but never conscious of ache or pain, he +mocked at danger. When Crossley refused to take an untried man into the +swamps of Madagascar, he vowed he would go alone. That is, indeed, the +most fascinating of all lands to an enthusiast even now, when we are +assured that the Epyornis, the mammoth of birds, is extinct. At that time +there was no good reason to doubt the unanimous assertion of the natives +that it still lived. Crossley was so confident that he neglected to buy +eggs badly shattered, waiting for perfect specimens. His scruples were +‘bad business’ for Mr. Cutter, as that gentleman lived to see, but they +appeared judicious at the time. Fragments of Epyornis egg, slung on cords, +were the vessels generally used in some parts for carrying water—are +still perhaps. Besides this, endless marvels were reported, some of which +have been secured in these days. Briefly, the young man was determined to +go, and Mr. Cutter gave him a commission.</p> + +<p>Thus Lebœuf made one of M. Humblot’s guests at Tamatave. Another was +Mr. Wilson, the only orchid collector there; for M. Humblot did not feel +much interest in those plants, I believe, at the time. I have not been +able to learn anything about Wilson’s antecedents. His diary, upon which +this narrative is framed, was lying about at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> Tamatave for years; we may +conclude, perhaps, that the French Consul did not know to whom it should +be forwarded—there was no English Consul. Probably Wilson travelled on +his own account; certainly none of the great orchid merchants employed +him. He was young and inexperienced; glad to attach himself, no doubt, to +a big and self-confident old hand like Lebœuf.</p> + +<p>Some weeks or months afterwards we find the pair at a large village called +Malela, which lies at the foot of Ambohimiangavo, apparently a well-known +mountain. Ellis mentions it, I observe, but only by name, as the richest +iron district of the Central Provinces. They had had some trouble on the +way. Among the hints and instructions which Crossley furnished, one in +especial counselled Lebœuf to abstain from shooting in the +neighbourhood of houses. Each tribe, he wrote, holds some living creature +sacred—it may be a beast or a bird, a reptile, or even an insect. ‘These +must not be hurt within the territory of such tribe; the natives will +readily inform you which they are. But, in addition, each village commonly +has its sacred creature, and it will be highly dangerous to shoot until +you have identified the object. As you do not speak the language you had +very much better make it a rule not to shoot anything on cultivated +ground.’</p> + +<p>This was not a man to heed fantastic warnings, but he learned prudence +before they had gone too far into the wilds. At a short distance from +Tamatave, in a field of sugar-cane, Lebœuf saw a beautiful bird, new to +him, which had a tuft of feathers on each side the beak—so Wilson +described it. He followed and secured the prize. The semi-civilised +natives with them paid no attention. But when, an hour later, surrounded +by the people of the village, he took out his bird to skin, there was a +sudden tumult. The women and children ran away screaming, the men rushed +for their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> weapons. But collectors were not unfamiliar beings, if +incomprehensible, so near the port. After some anxious moments, the +headmen or priests consented to take a heavy fine, and drove them from the +spot.</p> + +<p>Their arrival at Malela had been announced, of course, and they found an +uproarious welcome. All the people of the neighbourhood were assembling +for a great feast. While their men built a hut of branches outside the +fortifications—for no house was unoccupied—they sat beneath the trees in +the central space. Such was the excitement that even white visitors +scarcely commanded notice. Chief after chief arrived, sitting crosswise in +an ornamented hammock—not lying—his folded arms resting on the bamboo by +which it was suspended. A train of spearmen pressed behind him. They +marched round the square, displaying their magnificence to the admiration +of the crowd, and dismounted at the Prince’s door—if that was his +title—leaving their retainers outside. The mob of spearmen there numbered +hundreds, the common folk thousands, arrayed in their glossiest and +showiest lambas of silk or cotton. No small proportion of them were +beating tom-toms; others played on the native flutes and fiddles; all +shouted. The row was deafening. But doubtless it was a brilliant +spectacle.</p> + +<p>One part of the vast square, however, remained empty. Beneath a fine tree +stood three posts firmly planted. They were nine or ten feet high, squared +and polished, each branching at the top into four limbs; tree trunks, in +fact, chosen for the regularity of their growth. In front was a very large +stone, unworked, standing several feet above the ground. The travellers +were familiar with these objects now. They recognised the curious idols of +the country and their altar. On each side of the overshadowing tree +barrels were ranged, one on tap, and another waiting its turn. This also +they recognised. However savage the inland population,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> however ignorant +of the white man’s arts, all contrived even then to transport puncheons of +rum through swamp and jungle for occasions like this. Now and again +persons distinguished from the throng by costlier dress and ornaments were +escorted to the spot and they drank with ceremonies. Wilson did not like +the prospect. His companion had broken loose once before under a similar +temptation. But there was no help.</p> + +<p>Presently the Chamberlain, so to call him, approached with a number of +officers, and invited them to attend the Prince. They found that potentate +sitting at the end of a long file of chiefs. The floor of the hall was +covered with snowy mats, which set off the beauty of their many-coloured +robes. Beside the Prince squatted a pleasant-looking man in pink vest and +white lamba. He wore a broad-brimmed hat of silky felt, black, with a band +of gold lace, contrasting at every point with the showily-dressed chiefs +around. This, they knew, must be the high priest, the Sikidy. The Prince +received them courteously, but since their interpreter knew but little +French, and less, as it seems, of the language of this tribe, +communication was limited to the forms of politeness. Then slaves brought +in the feast, setting great iron dishes on the mats all along the row. +Simultaneously the band struck up, and women began singing at the top of +their voices.</p> + +<p>The heat, the smell, the noise, the excitement of the scene were +intoxicating without alcohol. But rum flowed literally in buckets, and +palm wine several days old, which is even stronger. Wilson ventured to +urge caution after a while, and at length Lebœuf tore himself away. Men +came and went all the time, so their departure was unnoticed.</p> + +<p>They reached the hut of boughs, now finished. Lebœuf threw himself down +and slept; relieved of anxiety, Wilson set off to gather orchids. Malela +appears to be a fine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> hunting-ground for collectors, but he only mentions +the fact to explain his imprudence in leaving Lebœuf for some hours. +The latter woke, found himself quite alone—for all the servants were +merry-making, of course—and he also started off collecting. Unfortunately +he traversed the village. And some of the chiefs took him in a friendly +spirit to the barrel under the tree.</p> + +<p>Wilson was returning—happy with a load of new orchids maybe—when he +heard a shot, followed by a clamour of young voices. Next instant a swarm +of children burst from the forest, and ran screaming across the open +ground. Wilson had heard that cry before. His blood chilled. If the men of +the other village were furious, how would it be with these drunken +savages! He hurried to the spot whence the children had emerged.</p> + +<p>As their voices died away he became conscious of shouting—an exultant +tone. It was Lebœuf. They met in the outskirts of the wood. At sight of +Wilson he bawled—</p> + +<p>‘Hi, young un! got any weeds to sell? Give you tuppence for the lot. +Pretty flowers—all a-blowing and a-growing! Take ’em to the missus! The +ladies loves you chaps. I say, what’ll old Cutter look like when he sees +<i>that</i>?’ Lebœuf threw down an animal which he carried on his shoulder, +and danced round it, shouting and laughing.</p> + +<p>It was a small creature, brownish grey, with enormous ears very human in +shape, long skeleton hands, and a bushy tail thicker than a lady’s boa. By +that and the ears Wilson recognised the Madagascar sloth, rarest of all +animals then in museums, and very rare still. He had no particular reason +to suspect that the natives reverenced it, but a beast so eerie in +appearance and habits might well be thought sacred.</p> + +<p>He implored Lebœuf to leave it and come away; Lebœuf did not even +listen. After dancing and roaring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> till he was tired he picked up the +aye-aye and marched on, talking loud.</p> + +<p>Thus they did not hear the noise of a multitude approaching. But from the +edge of the forest they saw it. Chiefs led the van, stumbling and +staggering; among the foremost was that personage in snowy lamba and broad +black hat—not pleasant-looking now. A mob of spearmen pressed behind. The +clearing was a compact mass of natives, running, wailing, +gesticulating—and they still streamed in thousands through the narrow +gate. It was like the rush of ants when their nest is disturbed.</p> + +<p>The sight paralysed even Lebœuf; Wilson, after an awful glance, ran +back and hid. He could hear his comrade’s shouts above the uproar for a +moment—then there was a pause, and the interpreter’s voice reached him +faintly. Wilson still crept away. He heard only a confused clamour for +some minutes, but then a burst of vengeful triumph made the forest ring. +It needed no explanation. Lebœuf was overpowered. The noise grew +fainter—they were dragging him away—and ceased.</p> + +<p>For hours Wilson lay in an agony of fear. That Lebœuf was killed he did +not doubt; but how could he himself escape, alone in the forest, ignorant +of the roads, many weeks journey from the coast? A more cruel fate would +probably be his. It might be hoped that Lebœuf’s tortures had been +short.</p> + +<p>He did not dare push deeper into the wood; his single chance lay in +creeping round the village after dark, and possibly rejoining his +servants, if they still lived. If not, he might recover the road at least. +But man could not be in more desperate straits.</p> + +<p>Remaining thus in the vicinity, towards dusk he heard a whistle far off. +The frenzy of his relief is not to be described—it was the rallying +signal of the party. But suppose the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> enemy used this device to ensnare +him? It might be! And yet—there was the hope. At worst they would give +him a speedy death. He answered. Gradually the searchers drew near. They +were his own men, led by the interpreter.</p> + +<p>Wilson could not speak French, but he grasped that the natives would not +harm him. Lebœuf?—It was almost a comfort that he could not understand +precisely. The interpreter’s pantomime suggested an awful fate. Lebœuf +stood at bay with his gun, and the chiefs held him in parley while men +crept through the brushwood. They threw a lasso from behind, and dragged +him down. He was borne to the square, and after dread ceremonies which +Wilson shuddered to comprehend, laid upon the altar.</p> + +<p>In a maze of horror and anxiety he entered the village. It was not yet +dark. But of all the multitude swarming there some hours before not a soul +was visible. They had not left; every house resounded with the hum of many +voices—low, and, as it seemed to Wilson, praying. The square also was +deserted; upon the high stone altar he saw a shapeless mass from which +small wreaths of smoke still curled.</p> + +<p>That was the fate of poor Lebœuf. The same night Wilson was seized by +fever. He struggled on, but died within a few hours’ march of Tamatave.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> +<h2>LAELIA PURPURATA</h2> + +<p>The next house is given up to L. purpurata with some L. grandis tenebrosa +intermixed. Not much can be said of the latter species. Its extraordinary +colour is best described as madder-brown, but here we have a variety of +which the ends of the sepal and petal are yellowish. The broad lip, dull +purple, has a madder-brown cloud at its throat, whence lines of the same +hue proceed to the edges all round. The value of L. tenebrosa for +hybridising needs no demonstration—it introduces a colour unique, of +which not a trace can be found elsewhere. But as for the flower itself, I +protest that it is downright ugly. This is <i>à propos</i> of nothing at all. +<i>Liberavi animam meam.</i></p> + +<p>It is always difficult to realise that an orchid of the grand class is a +weed. All our conventional notions of a flower revolt against the +proposition. I have remarked that it seems specially absurd to an +ingenuous friend, if one recall the fact while he contemplates Laelia +purpurata. That majestic thing, so perfect in colour and shape, so +delicately finished—a weed! So it is, nevertheless, as lightly regarded +by Nature or by man in its native home as groundsel is by us. The Indians +of Central America love their forest flowers passionately. So do those in +the north of the Southern Continent. But I never heard that the Indians of +Brazil showed a sign of such intelligence. The most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> glorious Cattleyas to +them are what a primrose was to Peter Bell.</p> + +<p>The obvious, unquestionable truth that Laelia purpurata is nothing but a +weed has suggested some unorthodox thoughts, as I considered it, +‘pottering about’ my houses. This is not the place to set them down at +length. But we have reached a less important part of the collection; I may +chatter for a moment.</p> + +<p>All things are grandest in the hot zone, from mountains to plagues. +Excepting the Mississippi and the Yang-tse-Kiang, all the mightiest rivers +even are there. We have no elephants, nor lions, nor anacondas; no tapong +trees three hundred feet high, nor ceibas almost as tall; no butterflies +ten inches across, no storms that lay a province waste and kill fifty +thousand mortals. Further, all things that are most beautiful dwell within +the Tropics—tigers, giraffes, palm-trees, fish, snakes, insects, flowers. +Further still, the most intelligent of beasts are there—apes and monkeys.</p> + +<p>It may well be doubted whether man, the animal, is an exception. In this +very country of Brazil, Wallace found among the Indians ‘a development of +the chest such as never exists, I believe, in the best-formed European.’ +No race of the Temperate Zone approaches the Kroomen in muscular force, +and negroes generally are superior. The strength of the Borneo Dyaks I +myself have noted with amazement. Black Papuans are giants, and the brown +variety excel any white race in vigour. The exception is that most +interesting Negrito strain, represented by a few thousands here and there +from Ceylon to the Philippines. But even they, so small and wretched, have +marvellous strength.</p> + +<p>Thus all natural things rise to their highest level in the hot zones—I +have to put the case very roughly, for this is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> monstrous digression. +Does it not seem to follow that man should rise to his highest level +there? The aborigines are savages mostly and ever have been; no people of +whom we have record has become civilised unless by an impulse from +without, and none could reach the bulk of these. But India shows that the +brain, as the form, of man may develop to perfection under the hottest +sky. Therefore, to end this brief excursus, I conclude that as the +tropical weed Laelia purpurata is more majestic and more beautiful than +our weeds, so will tropic man some day rise to a height of majesty +unattainable in our zone.</p> + +<p>But the reader has had enough of it—and so have I; for to crowd a volume +of facts and arguments into a paragraph is irritating labour. Let us get +back to business. Here are some of our finest varieties of L. purpurata.</p> + +<p><i>Marginata.</i>—White of sepal and petal. It takes its name from the white +margin surrounding the crimson purple lip. Very striking also is a large +white triangle upon the disc, charmingly netted over with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Archduchess</i> is faintly rosy. The lobes, closely folded, are deepest +purple-crimson, over an orange throat. On either side the dark central +line of the labellum is a pale blur.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei.</i>—Sepals and petals very narrow, of a clear rose tint, with +darker lines. A patch almost white in the front of the dark crimson lip.</p> + +<p><i>Lowiana.</i>—Petals rose, sepals paler. The tube is not large, but it, and +also the labellum, could not be darker if still to be classed as crimson. +Even the yellow of the throat is obscured, but there is a lighter blotch +at the tip.</p> + +<p><i>Tenebrosa.</i>—The name is due apparently to branching lines of deep maroon +which intersect the crimson lip. Petals and sepals are white, and there is +a white patch on the labellum.</p> + +<p> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span></p> +<h3><span class="smcap">The Dendrobium House</span></h3> + +<p>is the last in this series, where we see the usual varieties in +perfection; there are pseudo-bulbs of Wardianum more than 4 feet long. At +the present day, however, orchidists will not look at ‘usual varieties’ of +Dendrobium with patience—nobile, cupreum, fimbriatum, thyrsiflorum, etc. +etc. etc. They are exquisitely lovely, of course. Examine them as often as +you will, new marvels of beauty appear. The fact is that most experts +never do examine these common things; they look about for varieties. Such +blasé souls can be accommodated, if needful. Here are specimens of <i>nobile +album</i>, all white save the deep crimson blotch and a faint yellowish tinge +upon the lip; <i>nobile virginale</i>, which has lost even this trace of +colour; <i>nobile murrhinianum</i>, very rare, understood to be a hybrid with +Wardianum, snow white, the tips of sepal, petal and lip purple, and a +great purple blotch in the throat; <i>nobile Cooksoni</i>, no hybrid, but a +sport, in which the ordinary colouring of the lip is repeated in the +petals; <i>nobile Ruckerianum</i>, very large, the deep blotch on the lip +bordered with white; <i>nobile splendens grandiflorum</i>, an enlarged and +intensified form of the type.</p> + +<p>Of hybrids I may name <i>Leechianum</i> (nobile × aureum), white, sepals, +petals, and lip tipped with rosy purple, the great blotch on the disc +crimson with a golden tinge. <i>Ainsworthii</i>, of the same parentage and very +similar, but the blotch is wine-colour. <i>Schneiderianum</i> (Findleyanum × +aureum), bearing white sepals, petals and lip tipped with rosy purple, +throat orange, similarly striped.</p> + +<p>Here are several ‘specimens’ of Epidendrum radicans, a tangle of fresh +green roots and young shoots of green still more fresh and tender, +pleasant to look upon even though not flowering; but verdant pillars set +with tongues of flame<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> at the right season. And an interesting hybrid of +it, <i>Epidendrum × radico-vitellinum</i> (radicans × vitellinum),—brightest +orange, the lip almost scarlet, with three yellow keels upon the disc; +very pretty and effective.</p> + +<p>Besides, we have here a Spathoglottis hybrid, <i>aureo-Veillardii</i>, <i>Wigan’s +var.</i> (Kimballiana × Veillardii),—most charming of all the charming +family. Golden—the sepals tinged, and the petals thickly dotted with +crimson; lip crimson and yellow.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF DENDROBIUM SCHRÖDERIANUM</h2> + +<p>Many who care nothing for our pleasant science recall the chatter and +bustle which greeted the reappearance of Dendrobium Schröderianum in 1891. +For they spread far beyond the ‘horticultural circles.’ Every newspaper in +the realm gave some sort of a report, and a multitude of my confrères were +summoned to spin out a column, from such stores of ingenuity as they could +find, upon a plant which grew on human skulls and travelled under charge +of tutelary idols. The scene at ‘Protheroe’s’ was a renewal of the good +old time when every season brought its noble plant, and every plant +brought out its noble price—in short, a sensation.</p> + +<p>The variety of Dendrobium phalaenopsis hereafter to bear Baron Schröder’s +name was sent to Kew by Forbes about 1857. This single plant remained a +special trophy of the Royal Gardens for many years. It throve and +multiplied. In course of time Sir Joseph Hooker was able to give a small +piece, in exchange for other varieties, to Mr. Day, of Tottenham, to Baron +Schröder, and to Messrs. Veitch. The latter sold their specimen to Baron +Schröder; Mr. Day’s collection was dispersed, and the same greatest of +amateurs bought his fragment. Thus all three plants known to exist in +private hands came into Baron Schröder’s possession, and the variety took +his name.</p> + +<p>This state of things lasted ten years. Mr. Sander then resolved to wait no +longer upon chance. He studied the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> route of Forbes’s travels, consulted +the authorities at Kew, and, with their aid, came to a conclusion. In 1890 +my friend Mr. Micholitz went out to seek Dendrobium Schröderianum in its +native wilds.</p> + +<p>The man of sense who finds a treasure does not proclaim the spot till he +has filled his pockets, nor even, if it may be, till he has cleared out +the hoard. It is universally understood that Micholitz discovered the +object of his quest in New Guinea. If that error encouraged the +exploration of a most interesting island, as I hear, it has done a public +service. And the explorers have not wasted their time. They did not fall +in with Dendrobium Schröderianum, because it was not there; but they +secured other valuable things. Very shortly now the true habitat will be +declared. Meantime I must only say that it is one of the wildest of those +many ‘Summer Isles of Eden’ which stud the Australasian Sea.</p> + +<p>Micholitz arrived in a trading-vessel, the captain of which was trusted by +the natives. Under that protection the chiefs allowed him to explore, +agreeing to furnish men and canoes—for a consideration, naturally. Their +power did not stretch beyond a few miles of coast; the neighbours on each +side were unfriendly, or at least distrusted; and bitterly hostile tribes +lay beyond—hostile, that is, to the people among whom Micholitz landed. +All alike are head-hunters, and all charge one another with +cannibalism—but falsely in every case, I understand.</p> + +<p>The field was narrow, therefore, and uncommonly perilous, for the +best-intentioned of these islanders cannot always resist the impulse to +crown their trophies with a white man’s head—as the Captain assured +Micholitz day by day with an earnestness which became oppressive after a +while. But he was very lucky—or rather the probabilities had been studied +so thoughtfully before any step was taken that he sailed to the very +island. I do not mean that it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> wonderful to find an orchid on the first +day’s search when once its habitat is known. Dendrobiums cover a great +tract of land. It is the nicety of calculation ten thousand miles away +which should be admired.</p> + +<p>There were no plants, however, just around the little port. After some +days spent in making arrangements, Micholitz received an intimation that +the chiefs were going to a feast and he might accompany them; there is no +lack of interpreters on that coast, whence so many poor wretches are +enticed to English or French colonies—some of whom return nowadays. The +Captain could not go. In refusing he looked at Micholitz with a quizzical, +hesitating air, as though inclined to make a revelation.</p> + +<p>‘Is there any danger?’ Micholitz asked.</p> + +<p>‘Oh no! not a bit!—not a bit of danger! I answer for that. You’ll be +amused, I daresay. They’re rum chaps.’</p> + +<p>The chance of making a trip beyond the narrow friendly area in safety was +welcome, and at daylight he started with the chiefs. It was but a few +hours’ paddling—to the next bay. The feast was given, as is usual, to +celebrate the launch of a war-prau. In martial panoply the guests +embarked, paint and feathers, spears and clubs. They were met by their +hosts in the same guise upon the beach. After ceremonies probably—but I +have no description—all squatted down in a circle, and a personage, +assumed to be the priest, howled for a while. Then the warriors began to +dance, two by two. It was very wearisome, and besides, very hot. Micholitz +asked at length whether he might leave. The interpreter said there was no +objection. He walked towards the forest, which stood some distance back, +even as a wall, skirting the snowy beach. The grey huts of the village +glimmered among palms and fruit-trees on one hand.</p> + +<p>A sunken way had been dug from the edge of the surf to a long low building +a hundred yards back; within it lay the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> prau doubtless, ready to be +launched. Micholitz skirted this channel. He noticed a curious group of +persons sitting apart—an old man, two women, a boy, and a girl. The +elders were squatting motionless upon the sand, so bowed that the long +wool drooping hid their faces; the children lay with their heads in the +women’s laps. None looked up; in passing he observed that these latter +were bound.</p> + +<p>The boat-house—so to call it—spanning the channel, was a hundred feet +long, built of palm thatch, with substantial posts at due distance. As he +walked along it, Micholitz became aware of an unpleasant smell. It was not +strong. But in turning the further corner he marked a great purple stain +upon the sand. Flies clustered thick there. It was blood. And then, upon +the wall of thatch above, and the corner post, he traced the stain +streaming broadly down. He looked to the other angle. The horrid mark was +there also. They could not see him from the beach. Easily he parted the +crackling palm leaves, and thrust in his head. At a few feet distance rose +the lofty stern-post, carved and painted, with two broad shells glistening +like eyes in the twilight. No more could he see, dazzled by the glare +outside. That passed. He turned to the right hand-and drew back with a +cry. A naked corpse, with head hanging on its chest, was bound to the +corner post—the same to left.</p> + +<p>Poor Micholitz felt sick. He ran from the cursed spot. So glowing was the +sunlight round, so sweet and soft the shadow of the near forest—and those +awful things in the midst! The old hymn rang in his ears—</p> + +<p class="poem">Where every prospect pleases<br /> +And only man is vile.</p> + +<p>He hurried towards the trees.</p> + +<p>An outburst of yells and laughter made him turn. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> circle had broken +up. A swarm of warriors danced towards the boat-house—tore down the +walls; in an instant the posts stood naked—with their burdens. Chiefs +climbed aboard the prau and mustered, with tossing feathers, brandishing +their arms, shouting and singing, on its deck. Ropes were manned. Scores +of brawny savages started at a run, whilst the boys howled with delight +and tumbled over one another. The great vessel moved, quickened. Then a +party rushed upon that little group, trampling it under foot, snatched up +the boy and girl, and sped with them towards the sea. The old man and +women lay where they were tossed: there was no help for them in earth or +heaven. The prau glided quicker and quicker amidst a roaring tumult. As it +neared the sea, those small victims, tossed aloft from either side, fell +across its course. Micholitz looked no more.</p> + +<p>‘Let me attend to my business, for God’s sake!’ he kept repeating.</p> + +<p>But when he reached the trees his business was done. Those horrors had so +disconcerted him that for an instant he saw long green stems of orchid +perched upon the boughs without regarding them. But here was one from the +top of which depended a cluster of rosy garlands, four or five, bearing a +dozen, or twenty, or thirty great flowers, all open; and there a cluster +snow-white—a crimson one beyond, darkening almost to purple. Dendrobium +Schröderianum was rediscovered!</p> + +<p>Of Mitcholitz’s emotion it is enough to tell that it drove all else from +his mind, or almost. When the interpreter summoned him he sat down and +hobnobbed with those murderers and ate their dubious viands. The triumph +was startling, so speedy and complete; but so much the heavier were his +responsibilities. When, with a chilling shock, he recalled distinctly the +dread spectacle, he said again:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>‘Let me attend to my business! <i>I</i> can’t help it!’</p> + +<p>All went well. So soon as the chiefs understood that this eccentric white +man fancied their weeds, they joyously offered them—at a price. The time +of year was excellent—early in the dry season. Next day Micholitz +returned aboard and the Captain brought his ship round to the bay. But he +would not listen to the story. ‘I told you they was rum chaps, didn’t I? +Well, you see I told you true.’ In three days, so plentiful was the +supply, Micholitz had gathered as many as he thought judicious, and heaped +them on deck. They could be dried while the vessel was waiting for cargo +elsewhere, and he longed to get away from that ill-omened spot.</p> + +<p>Still luck attended him. The Captain ‘filled up’ quickly, and sailed, as +by agreement, for a Dutch port, where the orchids would be shipped for +England. He arrived in the evening, the ship lay alongside the wharf; next +day his precious cases would be transferred to the steamer. In great +content Micholitz went to sleep; so did everybody else, the watch +included. Towards morning the harbour police raised a cry of ‘Fire!’ It +must have been smouldering for hours. Not a plant could poor Micholitz +save!</p> + +<p>On arrival, he had telegraphed his success, and joy reigned at St. Albans +all day. Foresight and enterprise were justly rewarded for once. What a +coup—what a sensation! Let us not speculate upon the language used when a +second dispatch came in the morning.</p> + +<p>‘Ship burnt! What do?—Micholitz.’</p> + +<p>The reply was emphatic: ‘Go back—Sander.’</p> + +<p>‘Too late—rainy season.’</p> + +<p>‘Go back!’</p> + +<p>And Micholitz went. His protest, had he insisted upon it, was +unanswerable. Hard enough it would be to return among those anti-human +wretches when the delights of home<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> had been so near. But there was no +chance of regaining the bay—a vessel might not sail thither for months or +years. The work must be begun again—the search renewed. And in the rainy +season, too!</p> + +<p>But the good fellow did not even hesitate. Forthwith he inquired for a +ship trading with the island. There was none, and he had no time to wait, +for the rain grew heavier daily. A mail steamer was leaving for the +nearest settlement. Trusting to the ‘courtesy of nations,’ Micholitz +claimed a passage as a shipwrecked man. It was flatly refused, but at +length the Dutch officials yielded to his indignant appeal so far as to +make a deduction of 30 per cent. ‘Well,’ he wrote to St. Albans, ‘there is +no doubt these are the meanest people on earth.’ The Captain of the <i>Costa +Rica</i> whaling ship agrees with him.</p> + +<p>I have no space for the adventures of this second journey now. The +Dendrobe was found once more, which is not at all surprising when its + +habitat had been discovered. At this spot, however, it was growing, not on +trees, but on rocks of limestone—most epiphytal orchids love to cling on +that rough and porous surface. Especially was it abundant in the graveyard +of the clan, a stony waste where for generations they had left their +dead—not unmourned, perhaps—beneath the sky. The plants grew and +flowered among bones innumerable. To suggest the removal of them under +such circumstances was a nervous duty. But in the graveyard they were not +only most plentiful, but by far most vigorous. It had to be done, and with +all precautions, after displaying a sample of his ‘trade,’ looking-glasses +and knives and beads, and so forth, Micholitz did it.</p> + +<p>A clamour of indignation broke out. It was swelling into passion when he +produced a roll of brass wire; at that spectacle it suddenly calmed down. +After debate among themselves the warriors stipulated that two of their +most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> sacred idols should travel with the plants, and be treated with all +honour on the way. They would not assist in collecting, but after the +distribution of brass wire they helped to pack the cases.</p> + +<p>Thus it happened that one of the Dendrobes sold at ‘Protheroe’s’ on +October 16, 1891, was attached to a human skull. As for the idols, they +were bought by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, and we are free to hope that +they are treated with reverence, as per agreement.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF DENDROBIUM LOWII</h2> + +<p>The authorities assert that Dendrobium Lowii was introduced to Europe by +Sir Hugh Low in 1861. My friend has so many titles to honour, in this and +other forms of public service, that he will not feel the loss of one. The +statement is not absolutely correct. An unnamed species, which must have +been Dendrobium Lowii, flowered in the collection of Mr. H. Vicars, at +Heath House, near Chelmsford, in 1845. I do not propose to describe the +plant whereby hangs my tale; suffice it that this is a pale yellow +Dendrobe, peculiarly charming, very delicate, and still rare. We do not +hear of Mr. Vicars’ specimen again. He obtained it, with others, from +Fraser, Cumming, and Co., of Singapore, probably in 1842. It was brought +to them from Borneo by Captain Baker, commanding the ship <i>Orient +Pioneer</i>.</p> + +<p>When lying at Singapore Captain Baker heard of the coal seams just +discovered at Kiangi, on the Brunei river, which made such a stir in the +City a few months afterwards. It seemed to him that his owners would like +a report upon them. And he sailed thither.</p> + +<p>I picture the man as big and rough—fat he was certainly; one of those +sailors, careful enough aboard ship, who think it necessary to take a +‘drop’ at every halt when making holiday.</p> + +<p>Pirates were no tradition in that era. They swarmed among the islands, and +the younger chiefs were not proof<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> against temptation when they fell in +with an European ship that seemed to be in difficulties. Doubtless Captain +Baker kept all his wits about him on a perilous voyage beyond the track of +commerce then. But he reached the Bay of Brunei safely, ascended the river +in a well-armed boat, and visited the coalfields at Kiangi. A few Chinamen +were working there. Baker had shrewdness enough to see that immense +capital would be required, that the Sultan would give endless trouble, and +that the coal, when won, might prove to be dubious in quality. We may +hope, therefore, that his owners kept out of the ‘rush’ which followed, +and were duly grateful.</p> + +<p>His business was finished. Messrs. Fraser and Cumming, indeed, had asked +him to collect a few of the ‘air-plants’ which began to make such a stir +in England, but that would not detain him. They grew so thick on every +tree that a boatload could be gathered in dropping down the river. He had +instructions to choose those upon the highest branches, where, as was +thought, the best species are found; but it made no difference, for a +sailor could walk up those trees hung with creepers as easily as up the +shrouds! So Captain Baker looked out for a place to land among the +mangroves, expecting to fulfil his commission in an hour at most. A place +was found presently, the boat turned to shore, and he directed a couple of +sailors to climb. They were more than willing, under a promise of grog. I +may venture to drop the abstract form of narrative here, and put the +breath of life into it.</p> + +<p>Baker had engaged a Malay as interpreter for the voyage; by good luck he +was a native of Brunei. This man stared and laughed a little to himself on +hearing the order. As the sailors began to mount, he said:</p> + +<p>‘Tuan Cap’n! Say ’m fellows looky sharp on snakes.’</p> + +<p>The men paused suddenly, looking down, but Baker<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> swore very loud and very +often to the effect that he’d eat every snake within miles, and that +Tuzzadeen was the son of a sea-cook. So the climbers went up, but +gingerly. Tuzzadeen sat grinning. They had not mounted high, luckily, for +on a sudden one gave a screech, and both crashed down, the second dropping +in sheer fright. But he who uttered that yell had good cause for it, +evidently. He danced and twisted, threw himself down and bounded to his +feet, roaring with pain. His eyes showed the white in a circle all round, +and his brows, strained upward, almost touched the hair. All leapt out, +splashing through the shallow water, pale with alarm—seized their +writhing comrade, and stripped him. Tuzzadeen examined his body; presently +the convulsions grew fainter, and he struggled in a more intelligent sort +of way, though still roaring.</p> + +<p>‘Him bit by fire-ant, I say, Tuan Cap’n,’ observed Tuzzadeen.</p> + +<p>‘Well! Here’s a blasphemous fuss about an unmentionable little ant! D’you +call yourself a gore-stained British seaman, Forster? Just let’s hear you +do it, you unfit-for-repetition lubber, so as we may have a right-down +blank laugh.’</p> + +<p>Forster collected his wits and answered earnestly, ‘It was an ant maybe. +But I tell you, Cap’n Baker, there ain’t no difference betwixt that ant +and a red-hot iron devil. Oh law! I’ll be good from this day. I know how +the bad uns fare now.’</p> + +<p>‘That’s a blessed resolution anyhow,’ said Baker. ‘But it didn’t last +above a minute, you see. Come, show yourself a man, and shin up them +shrouds again.’</p> + +<p>‘No, Cap’n Baker,’ he answered slowly and impressively, ‘not if you was to +put the Queen’s crown on top of the tree and fix a keg of rum half-way +up.’</p> + +<p>Then they found that the other man had hurt himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> badly in falling. +Baker was stubborn. But promises and taunts failed to move one of them, +and he was too fat to climb himself.</p> + +<p>‘Confound it, Tuz,’ said he discontentedly, as they pulled into the +stream. ‘Other men have got these things. How did they do it?’</p> + +<p>‘Them get Dyaks—naked chaps what see ants and snakes.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh! And can I get Dyaks?’</p> + +<p>‘You pay, Tuan Cap’n, I find plenty naked chaps.’</p> + +<p>In the evening all was settled. Tuzzadeen knew the chief of a Sibuyou Dyak +village on a hill just above the bay; they would scarcely lose sight of +the ship. No preparations were necessary. He himself would go ahead when +they approached a village, and the Dyaks would be pleased to see them.</p> + +<p>At dawn next day Baker started, with Tuzzadeen and four armed sailors. +They crossed the broad white beach, studded with big rocks, moss-grown, +weather-stained, clothed with creepers and plumed with fern; through a +grove of cocoanut palms, scaring a band of children—Malay, but clad only +in a heart-shaped badge of silver dangling at their waists—and entered +the forest. There was a well-worn path. In a hilly district like this +Dyaks are content to walk upon the ground; elsewhere they lay tree-trunks, +end to end, on crossed posts, and trot along, raised above the level of +the bush.</p> + +<p>It is likely that this was the first time Captain Baker had entered a +tropic forest. A very few steps from the busy go-downs of Singapore would +have taken him into one peculiarly charming; but tigers lay in wait all +round the town—so at least it was believed, not without probability. A +few daring souls already dwelt at Tanglin; but they left business early, +looked to their arms before setting out, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> never dreamed of quitting +the bungalow when safe home once more.</p> + +<p>Anyhow, the good man was struck with the beauty of that jungle. Scarcely a +flower did he see, or a butterfly, or any living thing save ants and +wasps. Vast trees arching above the path shut out every sun-ray in that +early hour. But all beneath them was a garden such as he had never +conceived. The dews had not yet dried up. They outlined every thread in +the great webs stretching from bush to bush, edged the feathers of bamboo +with white, hung on the tip of every leaf. And the leaves were endless in +variety. Like a green wall they stood on either hand—so closely were they +pressed together along the track, which gave them some faint breath of air +and glimmer of sunshine at noonday. Living things were heard, too, though +unseen. The wah-wahs called ‘jug-jug’ in a long gurgling cadence, like +water pouring from a bottle. Boughs clashed in sudden tumult, and dimly +one caught a glimpse of monkeys flying through the air in alarm. A crow +upon the top of some dead tree uttered its clanging call, slow and +sonorous like strokes upon a bell. In short, Baker was much pleased and +interested. Often he came to a halt, and at every halt he served out rum.</p> + +<p>It was a walk of some miles, very steep at the last. Near the village they +crossed a ravine, dry at this season; so deep it was that the bridge which +spanned it hung far above the tops of lofty trees growing on an island in +the midst.</p> + +<p>The bridge was actually the greatest wonder seen as yet on this delightful +excursion. Huge bamboos, lashed end to end, were suspended over the abyss +by rattans beyond counting, fixed in the trees at either side. Not only +wonderful but most elegant it was, for the rattans had been disposed +symmetrically. But Baker, though a seaman from his youth up, surveyed it +with dismay. Boards a foot wide at the utmost had been laid across the +bamboo. There was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> hand-rail on each side, but so slight that he +perceived it could not be meant for a support. Moreover, Tuzzadeen warned +him earnestly, before leading the way, that he must not grasp the +hand-rail—it must be touched only, to assist the balance.</p> + +<p>Then the Malay went across. At a yard out the bridge began to shiver, and +when he reached the middle, which dipped many feet, it was swinging to and +fro like a pendulum. If Baker had not drunk just enough to make him +reckless he would have turned back. A couple of the men refused. That was +another prick of the spur. He followed Tuzzadeen, with his heart in his +mouth, and arrived safely. Guess how deep was the refresher after that.</p> + +<p>Tuzzadeen pushed on, and returned presently with an invitation from the +chief—the Orang kaya, as his title goes. I can fancy Baker’s astonishment +when he came in sight of the village. It was one house, perhaps three +hundred feet long, raised thirty feet in the air on posts. They climbed a +notched log to the entrance, where the chief was waiting with his +councillors. He had sent for young men, readily spared at this season, and +meantime he asked the Tuan to rest.</p> + +<p>Baker perceived that the house was open from end to end in front and on +his left hand as he entered; on the right, however, stretched a wooden +party wall, with many doors. He rightly concluded that the open space was +common and each family occupied one chamber. Hundreds of people crowded +round, especially children.</p> + +<p>Then he lunched, the chief looking on, and in due time a score of stalwart +young Dyaks arrived. After resting he started again with them.</p> + +<p>What with drink and interest Baker was now jovially excited. In passing +through the house he noticed a door<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> festooned with greenery. A noise of +howling came through it. He asked Tuzzadeen what this meant. Tuzzadeen, +Malay and Moslem, was much amused.</p> + +<p>‘Baby born!’ he laughed. ‘Father go to bed; mother feed him with rice and +salt.’</p> + +<p>‘Feed the father?’ Baker cried.</p> + +<p>‘Yes. Them naked chaps say father’s child, not mother’s. Women cry over +him. You hear?’</p> + +<p>‘Lord ’a mercy, I must see this!’ And before Tuzzadeen could interfere he +opened the door.</p> + +<p>Wild uproar broke out on the instant, men shouted, women screamed and +wailed—in a solid mass they rushed from the spot. Tuzzadeen caught Baker +and ran him back up the passage, the sailors following. They fled for +their lives, slid down the notched log and along the path, pursued by +terrific clamour—but not by human beings apparently. Perceiving this, +Tuzzadeen stopped.</p> + +<p>‘I go back,’ he said breathlessly. ‘Them kill us in jungle when them like. +I make trade. You pay?’</p> + +<p>‘Anything—anything!’ cried Baker. ‘We haven’t even our guns!’</p> + +<p>So the Malay went back to negotiate, but they ran on—came to the awful +bridge, Baker foremost. He reached the middle. One of the sailors behind +would wait no longer—advanced and both fell headlong down. The sailor was +killed instantly; Baker, in the middle of the bridge, dropped among the +branches of a tree.</p> + +<p>There he lay, bruised, half conscious, until Tuzzadeen’s shouts roused +him, and he answered faintly.</p> + +<p>‘Hold on!’ cried the Malay. ‘We come good time, Tuan Cap’n! Before dark!’ +Six hours to wait at least!</p> + +<p>Baker began to stir—found he had no limbs broken, and thought of +descending. His movements were quickened by the onslaught of innumerable +ants, not a venomous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> species happily. But in climbing down he remarked +that the tree-top was loaded with orchids, which he tore off and dropped; +long before nightfall he met the search-party, toiling up the ravine from +its opening on the shore.</p> + +<p>Next day Tuzzadeen returned to bury the dead man and bring away the +orchids; among them was Mr. Vicars’ Dendrobium Lowii.</p> + +<p>The Dyak practice referred to—of putting the father to bed when a child +is born—prevails, or has prevailed, from China to Peru. It lingers even +in Corsica and the Basque Provinces of Europe. Those who would know more +may consult an Encyclopaedia, under the heading ‘Couvade.’ The house is +‘taboo’—called ‘pamali’ in Borneo—for eight days. Hence the commotion.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> +<h2>CALANTHE HOUSE</h2> + +<p>For my own part I rank Calanthes among the most charming of flowers, and +in the abstract most people agree with me perhaps. Yet they are +contemned—the natural species—by all professed orchidists; and even +hybrids mostly will be found in holes and corners, where no one is invited +to pause and look at them. There are grand exceptions certainly. In Baron +Schröder’s wondrous collection, the hybrid Calanthes hold a most +honourable place. I have seen them in bloom there filling a big house, +more like flowering shrubs than orchids—a blaze and a mass of colour +almost startling. But these are unique, raised with the utmost care from +the largest and rarest and most brilliant varieties which money unlimited +could discover. The species used for hybridising were, as I understand, +Cal. vestita oculata gigantea with Cal. Regnieri, Sanderiana, and +igneo-oculata—but picked examples, as has been said.</p> + +<p>Here we have, among others, <i>Sandhurstiana</i>, offspring of Limatodes rosea +× Cal. vest. rubro-oculata. The individual flowers are large, and a spike +may bear as many as forty; brightest crimson, with a large yellow ‘eye’ +upon the lip. No mortal contemns this.</p> + +<p><i>Bella</i> (Veitchii × Turneri).—Sepals white, petals daintily flushed; lip +somewhat more deeply flushed, with a white patch upon the disc, and in +this a broad spot of the deepest but liveliest crimson.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span><i>Veitchii</i> of course; but also the pure white form of Veitchii, which is +by no means a matter of course.</p> + +<p><i>William Murray</i> (vest. rubro-oculata × Williamsii).—A hybrid notably +robust, which is always a recommendation. White sepals and petals, a +crimson patch on the lip, darkest at the throat.</p> + +<p><i>Florence</i> (bella × Veitchii).—Flowers large, of a deep rose, with +purplish rose markings.</p> + +<p><i>Clive.</i>—The parentage of this hybrid is lost. Petals lively carmine, +sepals paler. Throat yellow, lip white at base with carmine disc.</p> + +<p><i>Victoria Regina</i> (Veitchii × rosea).—The large flowers are all tender +rose, saving a touch of sulphurous yellow at base of the lip.</p> + +<p>Phaio-calanthe <i>Arnoldiae</i> is a bi-generic hybrid (C. Regnieri × Phajus +grandifolius).—Sepals and petals yellow; lip rose-pink.</p> + +<p>Here also I may mention some interesting Phajus hybrids:—</p> + +<p><i>Phoebe</i> (Sanderianus × Humblotii).—Sepals and petals light fawn-colour +with a pinkish tone; lip crimson, veined with yellow.</p> + +<p><i>Owenianus</i> (bicolor Oweniae × Humblotti).—Sepals and petals milk-white, +tinged with purplish brown. Lip like crimson velvet, orange at the base.</p> + +<p><i>Ashworthianus</i> (Mannii × maculatus).—Sepals and petals deep yellow, +touched with ochre, lip similarly coloured, marked with heavy radiating +lines of chocolate.</p> + +<p><i>Cooksoni</i> (Wallichii × tuberculosus).—The sepals and petals are those of +Wallichii—buff tinged with reddish purple, china-white at back; the lip +is that of tuberculosus—side-lobes yellow, spotted with crimson; disc +white, with purple spots.</p> + +<p><i>Marthae</i> (Blumei × tuberculosus).—Sepals and petals pale<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> buff. The +large lip white, touched with pale rose, and thickly covered with +golden-brown spots.</p> + +<p>Very notable is the Zygo-colax hybrid, <i>Leopardinus</i> (Zygopetalum +maxillare × Colax jugosus), of which we give an illustration.</p> + +<p>Here is also the Zygopetalum hybrid, <i>Perrenoudii</i> (intermedium × +Guatieri).—Sepals and petals green, heavily blurred with brown. Lip +violet, deepening to purple.</p> + +<p>Against the back wall of this house stands a little grove of Thunias +Bensoniae and Marshalliana; the former magenta and purple, and the latter +white with yellow throat, profusely striped with orange red. The wondrous +intricacy of design so notable in the colouring of orchids is nowhere more +conspicuous than in Thunia Marshalliana.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">The Cymbidium House</span></h3> + +<p>Our ‘specimen’ Cymbidiums, that is, the large plants, are scattered up and +down in other houses; for singly they are ornaments, and together their +great bulk and long leaves would occupy too much space. Here are only +small examples, or small species, planted out upon a bed of tufa amidst +ferns and moss and begonias, Cyrtodeira Chontalensis, and the pretty +‘African violet,’ St. Paulii ionantha.</p> + +<p>Cymbidiums are not showy, as the term applies to Cattleyas and Dendrobes. +Their colour, if not white, is brown or yellow, with red-brown markings. +We hear indeed of wonders to be introduced some day—of a gigantic +species, all golden, which dwells in secluded valleys of the Himalayas, +and another, bright scarlet, in Madagascar. In fact, this was collected +again and again by M. Humblot and shipped to Europe; but every piece died +before arrival. At length M. Humblot carried some home<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> himself, and a few +survived. Sir Trevor Lawrence bought two, I believe, but they died before +flowering. So did all the rest.</p> + +<p>But if the Cymbidiums of our experience make no display of brilliant +colour, assuredly they have other virtues. When eburneum thrusts up its +rigid spikes, in winter or earliest spring, crowned with great ivory +blooms, the air is loaded with their perfume. I have seen a plant of +Lowianum with more than twenty garlands arching out from its thicket of +leaves, each bearing fifteen to twenty-five three-inch flowers, yellow or +greenish, with a heavy bar of copper-red across the lip. And they grow +fast. It is said that at Alnwick the Duke of Northumberland has specimens +of unknown age filling boxes four feet square; each must be a garden in +itself when the flowers open. And they last three months when +circumstances are favourable. Sometimes also—but too rarely—the greenish +yellow of Lowianum is changed to bright soft green. Nobody then could say +that the colouring is not attractive.</p> + +<p>We have here most of the recognised species—Cymbidiums are not much given +to ‘sporting’: Devonianum, buff, freckled with dull crimson—lip purplish, +with a dark spot on either side; Sinensis, small, brown and yellow, +scented; Hookeri, greenish, dotted and blotched with purple; Traceyanum, +greenish, striped with red-brown, lip white, similarly dotted, and the +famous Baron Schröder variety thereof, which arrived in the very first +consignment, but never since; pendulum, dusky olive, lip whitish, reddish +at the sides and tip; and so on.</p> + +<p>The only hybrids of Cymbidium known to me are eburneo-Lowianum and its +converse, Lowiano-eburneum. The former is creamy yellow, with the V-shaped +blotch of its father on the lip; the latter pure white, with the same +blotch more sharply defined—which is to say, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> Lowiano-eburneum is +much the better of the two. Both are represented here.</p> + +<p>Against the glass, right and left all round, are Coelogynes of sorts.</p> + +<p>We have another house devoted mainly to Cymbidium, in which they have been +planted out for some years, with results worth noting. I am convinced that +in a future day amateurs who put the well-being of their orchids above all +else—above money in especial!—will discard pots entirely. Every species +perhaps—every one that I have observed, at least—grows more strongly +when placed in a niche, of size appropriate, on a block of tufa. There are +objections, of course—quite fatal for those who have not abundance of +labour at command; for the compost very quickly turns sour under such +conditions if not watered with great care and judgment. Moreover, what +suits the plant suits also the insects which feed upon it. And if there be +rats in the neighbourhood they soon discover that there is snug lying +against the pipes, behind the wall of stone. Anxious mothers find it the +ideal spot for a nursery. I cannot learn, however, that they do any wanton +damage, beyond nipping off a few old leaves to make their beds, which is +no serious injury. I have rats in my own cool house. Many years ago, on +their first arrival probably, an Odontoglossum bulb was eaten up. +Doubtless that was an experiment which did not prove satisfactory, for it +has never been repeated. However, rats and insects can be kept down, if +not exterminated.</p> + +<p>The Cymbidiums here were rough pieces, odds and ends, consigned to this +house to live or die. Now they are grand plants, in the way to become +‘specimens,’ set among ferns and creepers on a lofty wall of tufa, the +base of which is clothed with Tradescantia and Ficus repens. In front and +on one side are banks of tufa planted with Masdevallias, Lycastes, Laelia +harpophylla, and so forth.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF COELOGYNE SPECIOSA</h2> + +<p>Orchid stories lack one essential quality of romance. They have little of +the ‘female interest,’ and nothing of love. The defect is beyond remedy, I +fear—collectors are men of business. It is rumoured, indeed, that +personages of vast weight in the City could tell romantic adventures of +their own, if they would. So, perhaps, could my heroes. But neither do +tell willingly. I have asked in vain. However, among my miscellaneous +notes on Orchidology, it is recorded that ‘W. C. Williams found Coelogyne +speciosa up the Baram River. Books confine its habitat to Java and +Sumatra.’ The Baram is in Borneo. When travelling in that island thirty +years ago I heard a story of Williams’ doings, and I think I can recall +the outline. But imagination furnishes the details, of course, aided by +local knowledge.</p> + +<p>It may be worth while to tell briefly how this gentleman came to be +wandering in Borneo—in the Sultan’s territory also—at a date when Rajah +Brooke had but just begun to establish order in his own little province. +Williams’ position or business I never heard. Some Dutch firm sold or +entrusted to him a stock of earthenware jars made in Holland, facsimiles +of those precious objects cherished by the Dyaks. The speculation was much +favoured in that day—it seemed such in easy cut to fortune. But they say<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +that not a solitary Dyak was ever taken in. The failure was attributed, of +course, to some minute divergence from the pattern. Manufacturers tried +again, still more carefully. They sent jars to be copied in China, whence +the originals came, evidently, at an unknown period. But it was no use; +the Dyaks only looked somewhat more respectfully at these forgeries before +rejecting them. For many years the attempt was made occasionally. Rich +Chinamen tried their skill. But at length everybody got to understand, +though no one is able to explain, that those savages possess some means of +distinguishing a jar of their own from a copy absolutely identical in our +eyes.</p> + +<p>Mr. Williams had tried elsewhere without success, I fancy, before visiting +Brunei, the capital. But he had good reason to feel confidence there. The +Malay nobles would buy his jars without question, and compel their Dyak +subjects to accept them at their own price; such was the established means +of collecting subsidies. In fact, the nobles were overjoyed. But the +Sultan heard what was afoot. He possesses several of these mystic objects, +and he makes no inconsiderable portion of his revenue by selling water +drawn from them to sprinkle over the crops, to take as medicine, and so +forth. For his are the finest and holiest of all—beyond price. One speaks +upon occasion, giving him warning when grave troubles impend. Sir Spencer +St. John says he asked the Sultan a few years afterwards ‘whether he would +take £2000 for it; he answered he did not think any offer in the world +would tempt him.’</p> + +<p>The Brunei monarch was shrewd enough to see that passing off false jars +could not be to his interest. The Pangarans argued in vain. There’s no +telling where it would end, he said, if the idolaters once began to feel +suspicious. ‘Let your Englishman take his wares among the Kayan dogs. He +may swindle them to his heart’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> content.’ The Kayans were not only +independent but ruthless and conquering foes of Brunei.</p> + +<p>There was no other hope of selling the confounded jars. After assuring +himself that the enterprise was not too hazardous, Williams sought a +merchant familiar with the Kayan trade. He chose Nakodah Rahim, a +sanctimonious and unprepossessing individual, but one whose riches made a +guarantee of good faith. This man contracted to transport him and his +goods to Langusan, the nearest town of the Kayans on the Baram, and to +bring him back.</p> + +<p>Williams was the first European perhaps to reach that secluded but +charming settlement. The Nakodah prudently anchored in mid-stream and +landed by himself to call on the head chief. When the news spread that a +white man was aboard the craft, swarms of delighted Kayans tumbled +pell-mell into their canoes and raced towards it, yelling, laughing, +splashing one another in joyous excitement. But the great chief Tamawan +put a stop to this unseemly demonstration. Rushing from the Council Hall, +where he and his peers were giving audience to the Nakodah, he commanded +the people to return, each to his own dwelling. Stentor had not a grander +voice. It overpowered even that prodigious din. The mob obeyed. They +swarmed back, and, landing, shinned up the forty-foot poles which are +their stairs, like ants; reappearing a moment afterwards on the verandah, +among the tree-tops. These vast ‘houses,’ containing perhaps a thousand +inmates, lined each bank of the river, and every soul pressed to the +front, mostly shouting—a wild but pleasant tumult.</p> + +<p>The chiefs sent an assurance of hearty welcome. Williams paid his +respects; they returned his call on board, and Tamawan invited him to a +feast. Next day another potentate entertained him and then another. Drink +of all sorts, including ‘best French brandy,’ flowed without +intermission.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> Williams began to be ill. But there was no talk of +business. His goods had been landed at the Council Hall, as is usual, but +not unpacked. The Nakodah assured him all was right. He himself had a +quantity of merchandise waiting under the same conditions.</p> + +<p>So a week passed; etiquette was satisfied, and Tamawan invited him to open +his bales. The chiefs squatted in a semi-circle, all the population +behind, in delicious expectancy. The jars were brought forth—first a +Gusi, the costliest species, worth £300 to £1000 in ‘produce,’ among the +Dyaks, had it only been genuine. This Williams presented, with an air, to +Tamawan. The chief glanced at it, observed with Kayan frankness that for +his own part he liked brighter colours, and, so to speak, called for the +next article. Williams grasped the fatal truth when he saw how carelessly +his precious Gusi was regarded, not by Tamawan alone but by all. Hoping +against hope, however, he brought forth a Naga—a Rusa. The chiefs became +impatient. ‘Show your good trade, Tuan,’ they said. Perhaps it was lucky +that he had some miscellaneous ‘notions’; but there was only enough to +make the needful presents.</p> + +<p>Utter collapse! The foolish fellow had not thought of asking whether +Kayans valued these unlovely jars. Perhaps the Brunei nobles could not +have told him, but Nakodah Rahim must have been perfectly well aware. By +keeping silence he had transported a cargo of his own goods to Langusan at +Williams’ expense—without freight or charges! The victim could not quite +restrain his anger, but it would have been madness to quarrel. He had +indeed several Malays, perhaps trusty. But the crew outnumbered them, and +the Kayans doubtless would back the Nakodah. There was nothing to be done +but wait, with as much good temper as he could summon, until that worthy +had sold out. During this time Williams hunted, explored the woods, and +collected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> a variety of plants, some of which we do not recognise from the +description. But among those he brought to Singapore was Coelogyne +speciosa.</p> + +<p>Meantime sickness attacked the crew, whilst Williams’ servants escaped it. +The Nakodah hurried his sales, but when he was ready to start, it became +necessary to engage some of the latter, with their master’s consent, for +navigating the vessel; but for this mischance there would have been no +need to ask the white man’s co-operation in a little stroke of business.</p> + +<p>At each of the festivities Williams had remarked a very pretty girl always +in attendance on the chief Kum Palan. Charming faces are common among +those people, and graceful figures a matter of course. Kayan maidens do +not pull out their eyebrows, nor blacken their teeth, nor shave the top of +the head, nor, in fact, practise any of the disfigurements which spoil +Dyak beauty; for their tattooing, though elaborate, is all below the +waist. Most of them even do not chew betel before marriage, and you hardly +find one of these whose teeth are not a faultless row of pearls. Cool +scrutiny reveals that their noses are too flat and their mouths +unsymmetrical. But the girl would have a mane of lustrous hair decked with +flowers, restrained by a snowy fillet over the brow, streaming loose down +her back. Her skin would be pale golden bronze and her eyes worthy of the +tenderest epithets. Even a chief’s daughter wears little clothing beyond +armlets and waist-belt of gold, white shell, and antique beads, as +mysterious and as costly in proportion as the Dyak jars. Only a silken +kerchief, clasping one thigh in studied folds, gathered and tucked in over +the other, would represent what we call dress; but the tattooing from +waist to knee is so close that feminine limbs seem to be enveloped in +black tights.</p> + +<p>Williams learned that this beauty was daughter to Kum Palan. Parent and +child must be warmly attached, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> thought, for she was always near him. +Other chiefs had pretty daughters, but they received no such attention. +The girl looked sad, but that is frequent with Kayan and Dyak maidens, +when, in truth, their souls are dancing with fun and devilment—a mere +expression of the features.</p> + +<p>Nakodah Rahim’s secret concerned this damsel—Kilian by name. She was in +love with a youth, Nikput, popular and distinguished—he had taken heads +already—but not yet in the position which Kum Palan’s son-in-law ought to +occupy. Other suitors did not come forward, however, for the eldest son of +Tamawan, the Great Chief, entertained for the youth one of those romantic +friendships common among warriors in Borneo. Tamawan could not interfere, +but there was a general impression that he would not feel kindly towards +the man who robbed Nikput of his bride. Kum Palan resented this state of +things. He feared an elopement, and with good reason, for that was the +little stroke of business which the Nakodah proposed. Nikput offered fair +terms. All was arranged. On the morrow early the prau was to start, +dropping down stream. It would anchor for the night, as usual, at a +certain spot, and there the lovers would come on board, having taken such +steps as should lead the pursuing parent in another direction. Nikput had +a friend among the Milanaus lower down. When the disaster was beyond +remedy, Tamawan would compel his subordinate to be reconciled. Would the +Tuan object to this little speculation?</p> + +<p>That the villain intended from the first to murder Nikput and kidnap his +bride is certain. He declared at his trial that Williams had been his +accomplice, and on this account Sir Spencer St. John held an inquiry. +There was no shadow of evidence; the charge is grotesque. But it may +possibly be that Williams exacted a share of the gold which Nikput agreed +to pay.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>All went well. At the time and place appointed, in pitch darkness, a canoe +grated softly against the vessel’s side—a few whispers passed—and Kilian +climbed aboard. But, as it turned out, she was not wearing only a few +ornaments and a kerchief. All the family jewels, so to speak, hung about +her pretty figure. She was swathed in silk, garment over garment. And +Nikput handed up several baskets that must have been a very heavy load +even for his stalwart frame. They had looted the paternal treasure at the +Nakodah’s suggestion.</p> + +<p>Next day passed without alarm; there are only farmhouses and villages, +where a trader need not stop, between Langusan and the Brunei frontier. +The fugitives remained below in the tiny cabin, amidst such heat and such +surroundings that those who know may shudder to think of their situation. +After dark, however, they came up, and, until he fell asleep, doubtless, +Williams heard their murmuring and low happy laughter. On the morrow they +would be safe.</p> + +<p>A terrible cry awoke him—screams and trampling on the palm-leaf deck; +then a great splash. Dawn was breaking, but the mists are so dense at that +hour that the Malays call it white darkness. The sounds of struggle and +the girl’s wild shrieks directed him; but at the first movement he was +borne backwards and overthrown by a press of men stumbling through the +fog, with Kilian writhing and screaming in their midst. They tossed her +down into the hold and threw themselves upon him, his own servants +foremost. Perhaps these saved him from the fate of poor Nikput. What could +he do?—he had no arms. They swore him to silence. But in that bloody +realm of Brunei to whom should a wise man complain?</p> + +<p>All that day and the next Kilian’s shrieks never ceased. ‘She will go +mad,’ Williams cried passionately; the Nakodah<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> smiled. When her raving +clamour was interrupted—died down to silence—they brought her on deck, a +piteous spectacle. I have not to pain myself and my readers by imagining +the contrast with the bright and lovely girl we saw a week ago.</p> + +<p>They reached the capital, and Williams fled; of his after life I know only +that he sold some orchids in Singapore. Happily the tale does not end +here.</p> + +<p>The crime would have passed unknown or unnoticed, like others innumerable +of its sort in Brunei, had not Kilian avenged her own wrongs. She was +raving mad for a while, but such a prize was worth nursing. Gradually she +recovered her beauty and so much of her wits that the Nakodah sold her for +a great sum to one of the richest nobles. A few days after, perhaps the +same day, she stabbed this man and threw him from a window into the +river—possibly with some distracted recollection of her lover’s fate. The +Nakodah was seized and others. All the horrid story came out. They were +executed, and the Sultan restored their victim—quite mad now—to her +father. But on the way she leapt overboard.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-167tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-167.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">CATTLEYA LABIATA. var. MEASURESIANA.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> +<h2>CATTLEYA LABIATA HOUSE</h2> + +<p>This is the oldest of Cattleyas, for the plant now recognised as Catt. +Loddigesii, which was introduced to Europe a few years earlier, passed +under the name of Epidendrum. One might call labiata the ‘eponymous hero’ +of its tribe, for Lindley christened it in honour of his friend Mr. +Cattley, an enthusiastic amateur of Barnet. This was in 1818; from that +year until 1889 Cattleya labiata was lost. It seemed easy enough to follow +the journeyings of Swainson, who discovered it, and so reach the country +where it dwelt; collectors innumerable made the attempt, but never +succeeded. Mr. Sander, for instance, sent three at different times, +expressly to trace Swainson’s footsteps so far as they are +recorded—Oversluys, Smith, and Bestwood; beside four others who +skirmished along the track. He assured himself that they had explored +every district which Swainson could possibly have visited; but of Cattleya +labiata they found no sign. Meanwhile the plants of the first importation +died off gradually, and the richest of mortals competed for the few +surviving. Ten years ago, when the long search came to an end, very few +were the persons in England who owned a specimen. I think I can name most +of them—Baron Schröder, Sir Trevor Lawrence, Lord Rothschild, Duke of +Marlborough, Lord Home, Lord Howe, Messrs. J. Chamberlain, Statter, R. H. +Measures, R. I. Measures, Blandy, Hardy, Coleman, and Smith of the Isle of +Wight. One of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> the examples possessed by Mr. R. H. Measures belonged to the +variety Pescatorei, named after General Pescatore, the same leading +amateur of early days whose memory is kept green by the sweetest of +Odontoglossums, saving crispum. Cattleya labiata Pescatorei was a precious +treasure then; ‘none so poor as do it reverence’ in this generation. The +plant is still here, pretty enough so far as it goes, slightly +distinguished by a silver edging to the petals.</p> + +<p>The puzzle of that first consignment has not been explained—we have only +eluded it, like Alexander at Gordium. Certainly Swainson did not find his +plants in the neighbourhood where they exist at this time. It is +conjectured that there were woods close to Rio, now cultivated ground, +where it flourished at the beginning of the century. However, in 1889, +Cattleya labiata reappeared; oddly enough a collector of insects found it +originally, and a collector of insects rediscovered it. The +‘professionals’ were beaten to the last.</p> + +<p>And now it has become almost the commonest of orchids; but for the same +reason we may be sure that it will grow scarce again in no long time. Not +to England only but to France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, such +vast quantities have been consigned that to one who knows something of the +facts it seems amazing that the limited area could furnish so many. And +for one that reaches the market three, perhaps six, die.</p> + +<p>I have alluded to the extermination of orchids already. It is a sadly +fascinating subject for those who think, and ‘out of the fulness of the +heart the mouth speaketh.’ The time is very close when Odontoglossum +crispum, most heavenly of created things, will arrive by tens and units +instead of myriads—and then will arrive not at all. Already a gentleman +who boasts that he has leased the whole district where the ‘Pacho’ form +still survives, reckons the number of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> plants remaining at 60,000 only. +Some months ago he issued quaint proposals for a Company (limited) to +secure the utmost profit on the collection of these. Business men ‘smiled +and put the question by,’ however enthusiastic they might be as +orchidists; but I believe that the statement of facts was not altogether +inaccurate. It is no longer worth while to send out collectors of +Odontoglossum crispum; natives of the country gather such as they find and +store them until the opportunity occurs to sell a dozen or so.</p> + +<p>I could give other instances; some have been already mentioned. But what +is the use? Unless governments interfere, there is no remedy. Some indeed +have taken steps. Several years ago the Rajah of Sarawak decreed that no +one should collect orchids in his territory, for sale, without a license. +The exportation of Dendrobium Macarthiae from Ceylon is forbidden, and the +authorities of Capetown have made stringent rules about gathering Disa +grandiflora. But I have heard of no other restrictions, and these, +commendable as they are, scarcely touch the mischief. But that is enough +upon a melancholy subject, with which I have no need to meddle here.</p> + +<p>In this house and elsewhere we have some eleven hundred labiatas. No +Cattleya is more variable. From white to deep crimson every shade of +colour may be found, with endless diversities of combination. Here are a +few of the most important.</p> + +<p><i>Imperatrix.</i>—Rosy mauve. Distinguished by a broad fringe of the same +colour round the lip, which, inside, shows a fine crimson. Next to it is +one, unnamed, which makes a good contrast. Very big and broad; pale. The +tube, opening wide, is superbly striped with crimson over a gold ground. +The great lip all crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Nobilis.</i>—Big and evenly rosy. The gold in the throat is faint, and the +lip, grandly frilled, has no lines.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span><i>Measuresiana.</i>—Somewhat pale; at base of the petals the midrib is white. +The gamboge stain does not spread beyond the throat, and it fades to white +as the crimson lip spreads. Another has a deep golden throat, but the +crimson of the lip is only a triangle, dispersing in broad lines upon the +margin of mauve.</p> + +<p>But here is one, on the contrary, in which the lip is all deepest crimson +except a very narrow edging of white. Scarcely a trace of gold is seen; +the crimson stretches back all up the throat in heavy lines.</p> + +<p>And here again is one of palest rose, in which the lip carries only a +single slender touch of crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Sanderae.</i>—A supreme beauty. Sepals almost white, petals somewhat more +deeply tinged with mauve. Lip snow-white, saving the ochreous-orange +throat and a lovely stain of crimson lake in the midst; with a purple +blotch above and mottled lines of the same hue descending from it.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. R. H. Measures.</i>—Purest white. The broad lower sepals curl +downwards, almost encircling the lip, which has a faintly-yellow throat +and a tender cloud of purplish crimson on the front, scored with three +strong lines of purple.</p> + +<p><i>Macfarlanei.</i>—Crimson purple sepals and petals of the brightest tint; +lip crimson-maroon and orange throat striped with brilliant crimson—a +superb flower.</p> + +<p><i>Baroness Schröder.</i>—A famous variety. The petals are remarkably wide and +graceful in shape, pale mauve of colour. The lip, somewhat paler, tinged +with rose, shows in front a bundle of purple lines, as it were, the ends +of which diverge from a purplish cloud over the rosy margin.</p> + +<p><i>Princesse de Croix.</i>—All pink except the white edges of the lip +unrolling from the tube, and a small purple blur, scored with short heavy +lines, which runs far up the throat, leaving a broad pink disc below.</p> + +<p><i>Alba.</i>—Perfectly beautiful. All ivory white, as it seems<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> at a glance, +save a faint stain of yellow in the throat; but close scrutiny detects a +purple tinge also on the lip.</p> + +<p><i>Archduchess.</i>—The shape is even more graceful than usual. Sepals and +very broad leaf-like petals rosy mauve, the yellow of the throat subdued, +a fine patch of crimson lake on the labellum, with darker lines, leaving a +wide margin of rosy mauve.</p> + +<p><i>Robin Measures.</i>—Rosy. The lip spreads so broad that its disc forms a +perfect circle. The yellow of the throat is only a slight stain, and the +fine crimson patch on the lip leaves a handsome margin of rose.</p> + +<p><i>Bella.</i>—Distinguished especially by the fine purple frilling of the lip +which, like the sepals and petals, is nearly white of ground. A triangle +of brightest crimson, sharply defined, issues from the handsome orange +throat.</p> + +<p><i>Adelina</i> resembles this, but the crimson of the triangle has a deeper +tone and the margin is distinctly mauve.</p> + +<p><i>Princess of Wales.</i>—An enormous flower, of remarkable colouring. Sepals +and petals purplish. The usual crimson of the lip deepens almost to +plum-colour. The margin, paler, is finely frilled.</p> + +<p><i>Juno.</i>—Somewhat pale. Notable for the breadth of crimson in the lip, +which mounts far up the throat, running across it from side to side in a +line perfectly straight.</p> + +<p><i>Princess May.</i>—A grand variety; the petals spread like birds’ wings, and +the lip opens very wide. On its folds are broad whitish discolorations, +against which the deep crimson of the disc seems even richer than usual.</p> + +<p><i>Her Majesty.</i>—A pink giant, as notable for shape as for size. On the +broad lip a crimson cloud stands out against a pale margin, finely +frilled.</p> + +<p>The edging of the central stand in this house should be noticed. It is +formed by a single plant of Pothos aurea, which, starting from the end +wall, has already encircled the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> structure twice. Now it is hurrying to +make a third turn. Pothos is the neatest of climbers, pushing no +side-shoots, growing very fast, and thrusting forth its large leaves at +equal intervals. The variety aurea is touched with gold here and there, +and to my mind it makes the ideal edging of a stand.</p> + +<p>To right in this house is Cattleya Lawrenceana, of which we have probably +150 plants. This again is a species threatened with extinction—indeed the +threat is very near fulfilment. It was never common in its native woods. I +may quote a few lines from the report of Mr. Seyler who went to collect +this, and two other orchids which dwell on the Roraima Mountain, for Mr. +Sander; the date is January 19, 1893:—</p> + +<p>‘... I collected everything at Roraima except Catt. Lawrenceana, which was +utterly rooted out already by other collectors.... We hunted all about for +Catt. Lawrenceana and got only 1500 or so, it growing only here and +there.... What I want to point out to you is that Catt. Lawrenceana is +very rare in the interior now.... If you want to get any Lawrenceana you +will have to send yourself, and, as I said to you, the results will be +very doubtful.’</p> + +<p>The variety <i>Macfarlanei</i> has rosy pink sepals; petals of club shape, +bowed, crimson, deepening towards the tips. Labellum long, narrow, all +crimson of the darkest shade.</p> + +<p>Noteworthy is a plant which we may suppose a natural hybrid of L. +purpurata with L. elegans, resembling the latter in size, comparatively +small, as in its narrow sepals and petals flushed with rose. The lip is +very bright and pretty, with large clear yellow throat, ringed with white; +the disc, of lively crimson, has a purple margin finely frilled, and a +whitish purple patch in front.</p> + +<p>Among miscellaneous examples here is a handsome specimen of Cymbidium +Devonianum, and a very remarkable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> hybrid of Catt. Gaskelliana × Catt. +Harrisoniae—<i>Mary Measures</i>; rather ghostly but pleasant to look upon. +Its colour of sepal and petal is palest mauve, the tube prettily lined and +mottled with pale yellow; labellum, gamboge-yellow in the throat, fading +towards the edge, and a pale crimson tip.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> +<h2>A STORY OF BRASSAVOLA DIGBYANA</h2> + +<p>Brassavola Digbyana is a flower for all tastes—large, stately, beautiful, +and supremely curious; I use the familiar name, though it should be Laelia +Digbyana. Charming are the great sepals and petals, greenish white, around +the snowy lip; but why, the thoughtful ask in vain, does that lip ravel +out into a massive fringe, branched and interlacing, near an inch wide? +The effect is lovely, but the purpose inscrutable. In Dendrobium +Brymerianum we find a puzzle exactly similar. But it does not help us to +understand. Countless are the species of Dendrobium, many those of Laelia; +but in each case no other shows this peculiarity.</p> + +<p>Brassavola Digbyana was first sent to Europe in 1845 by the Governor of +British Honduras, who named it in honour of his kinsman, Lord Digby. Once +only had the plant been received since that time, so far as I can learn, +until last year. But the second cargo, in 1879, ‘went a very long way.’ +Messrs. Stevens have rarely been so embarrassed with treasures. The +history of that prodigious consignment is worth recording.</p> + +<p>It was despatched by Messrs. Brown, Ponder, and Co., of Belize, who dealt +in mahogany and logwood—do still, I hope. That trade appears to be rather +interesting. The merchant keeps a gang of Caribs, who have been in the +employment of the firm all their lives perhaps. They go out at the proper +season to find and mark the trees; fell<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> them presently and return whilst +the timber is drying; or amuse themselves in the bush, hunting and +gathering miscellaneous produce. Then they float the raft down to Belize.</p> + +<p>These Caribs are more or less descended from the Indians of Jamaica. Early +in the last century the British Government collected the survivors of that +hapless race, and planted them out of harm’s way in the Island of St. +Vincent, uninhabited at the time. They did not thrive, however, and in +1796 the Government transported them once more to the Island of Roatan, in +the Bay of Honduras.</p> + +<p>But an extraordinary change had come over the poor creatures. We are to +suppose that when landed at St. Vincent their type was mostly if not +wholly Indian; when taken away it was to all appearance negro. Probably a +slave ship had been wrecked there, and the blacks, escaping, killed all +the male Indians, taking the women to wife; such is the theory, but there +is no record. A transformation so sudden and complete in such brief time +is striking evidence of the African vigour, for in hair, features, +complexion, and build the Carib is a negro.</p> + +<p>But not in character. He has virtues to which neither red man nor black +lay claim—industry, honesty, truthfulness, staunch fidelity to his +engagements and readiness to combine. The mahogany cutters have a Guild, +which holds itself responsible for the failure of any member to execute +work for which he has been paid; it cannot be called a Trade Union, +because, so far as I learn, it has no other purpose—except jollification. +In brief, the Carib of Honduras is one of the best fellows on earth in his +way. He looks down on all about him, negro and Indian and ‘poor white.’ If +a stranger suspect him of trickery, he thinks it defence enough to +exclaim—‘Um Carib man, sah!’ And so it is, as a rule.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>Messrs. Brown Ponder had lately taken on a new hand—let us call him Sam. +This young fellow had been wandering up and down the coast some years, +doing any honest work that turned up. Thus he had served in the boat’s +crew of M. Sécard, when that gentleman was collecting orchids in Guiana. +The experience had taught him that flowers have value, and he returned +from his first visit to the bush, after entering the firm’s service, with +the announcement of a marvel. We may fancy the report which negro +imagination would draw of Brassavola Digbyana. The mysterious fringe did +not puzzle Sam at all. It was long enough to serve the purpose of <i>chevaux +de frise</i>, to keep off monkeys and birds! M. Sécard used to give him a +dollar apiece for things not to be compared with it! In short, here was a +fortune for the gathering—and what terms would Mr. Brown offer him?</p> + +<p>Mr. Brown offered nothing at all. Residents in Honduras are curiously +apathetic about orchids even now. I think it may be said that no collector +has visited their country, which is the explanation perhaps. Moreover, Mr. +Brown well knew the liveliness of the Carib imagination. Sam had met with +only one or two belated flowers, which he displayed. But the shapeless +little cluster of withered petals was no evidence of beauty—quite the +reverse. Everybody cut his jokes upon it.</p> + +<p>It might be supposed that a man would carry his wares to another market +under such circumstances. But that is not the Carib way; it would be a +breach of loyalty. Good-naturedly Sam told Mr. Brown that he was a fool, +with an adjective for emphasis. They were all adjective fools, he assured +them daily. But to treat with a rival could not enter his mind.</p> + +<p>The gang had returned to the bush when young Mr. Ponder came back from +Bluefields. His partner mentioned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> Sam’s idea as a jest in conversation +when several friends were present. One of them recalled how Governor Digby +had sent some orchids to Europe ages ago, which sold for a mint of money. +Others had heard something of the legend. Ponder, young and enterprising, +inclined to think the matter worth notice. He inquired among the oldest +inhabitants, Carib and negro. Many recollected the Governor’s speculation, +and the orchid also, when pressed. It was as big as a bunch of bananas, +blue—no, red—no, yellow; shaped just like a boat, or a bird, or a star, +or a monkey climbing a tree, and so forth. But all agreed about the +fringe, ‘now you come to mention it.’ Ponder saw they knew nothing beyond +the mere fact. But he made up his mind to get some specimens next rainy +season, and judge for himself whether a consignment would be likely to +pay.</p> + +<p>In due time the cutters appeared with their rafts of timber. It was not +the moment to broach an unfamiliar subject. Calculations awfully intricate +for those honest fellows had to be made intelligible to them once more, +and then to be discussed, approved, explained again, and finally accepted +or compromised. The Caribs passed all day in argument and in measuring the +logs over and over; all night in working sums of arithmetic on fingers and +toes. At length the amount due was computed amicably, as usual, and paid. +But then, not without embarrassment, the whole gang, ‘gave notice.’</p> + +<p>When such an event occurs, under such circumstances, an employer knows the +reason. His Caribs have found gold. There is nothing to be said beyond +wishing them luck. But Mr. Ponder asked Sam to get him a few of his +orchids next rains. Sam declined, somewhat roughly. Mr. Ponder laid the +dispute before the Guild, so to call it, which pronounced that Sam must +carry out his proposal before leaving the firm’s service.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>The dry season was well advanced by this time, and all flowers had +withered. Nevertheless Sam jumped into a canoe, swearing, and started up +the river with a couple of Indians. In three or four days he returned with +a boat-load of orchids, sent them to the warehouse, and vanished. They +proved to be a miscellaneous collection, all sorts and sizes; evidently +the men had just gathered anything they came across.</p> + +<p>Mr. Ponder grew angry. It was an impudent trick, a defiance of himself and +the Guild, such as no true Carib would be guilty of. Foreign travel had +demoralised Sam. Those honest fellows, his partners, would be not less +indignant, if the shameful proceeding could be laid before them. But all +had gone up the river—to their gold-field, of course—and no one knew +where that might be. Mr. Ponder got more and more warm as he revolved the +insult. Business was slack. He decided to follow, and sent out forthwith +to engage a crew of Indians; gold-diggers do not mind the intrusion of +Indians so much, for when these savages have obtained a very little dust, +they withdraw to turn it into drink. And they never chatter. Moreover he +had to find the Caribs’ camp, and they are sleuth-hounds.</p> + +<p>The search was not so hopeless as it might seem. Carefully reviewing the +circumstances, Mr. Ponder felt sure that his Caribs had discovered their +placer whilst collecting the felled trees—not before; that is, in the +rainy season. Men would not wander far into the bush at that time. +Probably, therefore, the scene lay pretty close to one or other of the +spots where they had found mahogany. Of those spots he had a minute +description.</p> + +<p>The reasoning proved to be quite correct, but luck interposed before it +had been severely tested. On arrival at one of the stations to be +explored—after a week or ten days’ voyaging, as I imagine—he saw a canoe +just pushing out from beneath the wooded bank with two of the missing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +Caribs therein, going to Belize on some errand. Their astonishment was +loud, but not angry; they had no quarrel with Mr. Ponder. After a very +little hesitation they consented to lead him to the camp, the Indians +remaining in their boat.</p> + +<p>It was not a long walk, nor uncomfortable. A broad path had been cut to +the top of the ridge, for hauling down the trunks, and the rollers had +smoothed it like a highway; but not so broad that the great trees on +either hand failed to overshadow it. Mr. Ponder questioned his guides +laughingly. Was it a real good placer, with nuggets in it?—how much had +they pouched, and was the game likely to last? They grinned and patted +their waist-scarves, which, as he now remarked, were round and plump as +monster sausages.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I know that trick,’ laughed Mr. Ponder. ‘You’ve filled them with +maize-flour for your journey.’</p> + +<p>They whooped and roared with triumph. ‘Say, Mis’r George, you tell +nobody—honour bright?-not nobody?’ One of them turned down the edge of +his scarf, with no small effort—for it was twisted very tightly and +secured. Presently the contents glimmered into sight—little golden +figures, mostly flat, carved or moulded, one to three inches long. ‘Our +placer all nuggets, Mis’r George!’</p> + +<p>Any child in those seas would have understood. The Caribs had discovered +not a washing nor a mine, but a burial-ground of the old Indians, called +in those parts a ‘huaco.’ There are men who make it their sole business to +look for such treasure-heaps. Since they bear, in general, no outward +indication whatsoever at the present time, one would think that the hunt +must be desperate; but these men, like other gamblers, have their +‘system.’ Possibly they have noted some rules which guided the antique +people in their choice of a cemetery. And if they find one in a +lifetime—provided they can keep the secret—that suffices.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>Mostly, perhaps, huacos are discovered by accident. So it was in the +memorable instance on Chiriqui lagoon, where many thousand people dug for +months and many brought away a fortune—for them. And so it was here. The +Caribs told their story gleefully. From the crest of the ridge the land +sloped gently down towards a stream. When they reached this place to +secure the timber, now dry, the rains were very heavy. But Sam and +another, heaven-directed, roamed down the slope. A big tree had fallen, +and among its roots Sam’s lynx eyes marked a number of the little figures, +washed clean, sparkling in the sun-rays. These good fellows have no +secrets of the sort among themselves. They dug around, assured themselves +that it was indubitably a huaco; then returned, like honest Caribs, to +float the trunks down to Belize, and fulfil their contract, before +attending to personal interests.</p> + +<p>They had cleared a space and built a hut of boughs, a ‘ramada.’ There Mr. +Ponder found them assembled, smoking and sleeping after the mid-day meal. +Warned by the guide’s cheery shout they welcomed Mis’r George +heartily—all but Sam; unanimously they asked, however, what on earth he +wanted there, so far from home? Mr. Ponder told his complaint.</p> + +<p>The gang resolved itself into a sort of court-martial forthwith, the +eldest seating himself upon a stump and the others grouping round. There +was a moment’s silence for thought; then the president, gravely:</p> + +<p>‘You, Carib Sam, what you say?’</p> + +<p>‘Say d—— sorry, sah! Mis’r Brown an’ all the Mis’rs make fool of me! +Then Mis’r George come—I never see Mis’r George before! He says go to +bush an’ pick orchid—a month contract!—a month! But I found gold here, +an’ I want pick it up—have no more say! d—— sorry!’</p> + +<p>Mr. Ponder relented. ‘Why didn’t you explain at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> time, Sam?—I’m quite +satisfied, Caribs! Sam and I will shake hands and there’s an end of it!’</p> + +<p>But the others were not quite satisfied. The president sat shaking his +head. ‘When rains come,’ said Sam to him anxiously, ‘I get Mis’r George +two canoe-loads, six canoe-loads of orchid, an’ no mistake!’</p> + +<p>‘There, men! That’s final! Let’s shake hands round, and wash away all +unpleasantness—here’s the wash!—drink it up! Now will you show me your +huaco?’</p> + +<p>First they showed him the plunder—hundreds of those little images, mostly +human, in the rudest style of art, but pure gold; a large proportion +alligators, some probably meant for birds, not a few mere lumps. Mr. +Ponder calculated rapidly that the whole might represent three thousand +pounds for division among ten men. But the Caribs began to fear that their +huaco would prove to be a very small one. The yield had been failing in +all directions lately. They had prospected round, but hitherto without +success. No bones, nor weapons, nor anything but a few jars of pottery had +been found. Such is the rule—without exception, I believe—in +burial-grounds of this class, without cairn or statues; in fact, it is a +mere assumption to declare them burial-grounds at all. Men who dug at +Chiriqui told me that nothing whatever besides gold was found in that +great area. The statement is not quite exact, but it shows how little +turned up.</p> + +<p>The forebodings of the Caribs were sadly verified. Mr. Ponder started back +in the afternoon and they followed within a week—‘made men’ if they had +wit enough to keep their booty, but not so rich as they had hoped.</p> + +<p>Next rains Sam loyally performed his promise. And thus it happened that +Messrs. Stevens were overwhelmed with Brassavola Digbyana once upon a +time.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> +<h2>LYCASTES, SOBRALIAS, AND ANGOULOAS</h2> + +<p>occupy different compartments in one house. The first will not detain us. +All the species which orchidists, in a lordly way, term common are +represented here—of course, by their best varieties. I can fancy the +wonder and delight of a stranger entering when the Lycastes Skinneri alba +and virginalis are in bloom, remembering my own emotion at the spectacle +elsewhere. Not many of the genus appeal to the aesthetic, and Skinneri in +especial lacks grace. But unsymmetrical form and abrupt rigidity of growth +are forgotten when those great flowers, so pure, so divinely white, burst +upon the eye. Charming also are the pale varieties of Skinneri, such as +<i>Lady Roberts</i>, a dainty rose, the petals only just dark enough to show up +the labellum almost white; and <i>Phyllis</i> of somewhat deeper rose. Its +velvety lip has a crimson margin well displayed by a small white patch +upon the disc.</p> + +<p>Leucantha, dainty green with white petals, is charming; a pan of aromatica +with fifty or sixty delicate golden blooms makes a pretty show. But these +things do not call for special notice.</p> + +<p>There are varieties, however, of course, as the famous Lycaste plana +<i>Measuresiana</i>, coppery, shining, with pure white petals, crimson spotted, +and small white lip; plana <i>lassioglossa</i>, olive green of sepal and petal, +with a bright rusty stain at the base; lip white, with conspicuous white +spots.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span><i>Fulvescens.</i>—Large and spreading. Sepals and petals reddish orange, lip +clear brightest orange, so lightly poised that it quivers at a breath. It +has as many as forty flowers from one bulb sometimes.</p> + +<p><i>Denningiana.</i>—Very large. Sepals and petals whitish green, lip brown.</p> + +<p><i>Mooreana.</i>—An extraordinary variety of L. Locusta, which itself is +extraordinary enough. Reichenbach described Locusta in his lively way: +‘Green sepals, green petals, green lip, green callus, green ovary, green +bract, green sheath, green peduncle, green bulbs, green leaves—just as +green as a green grasshopper or the dress of some Viennese ladies.’ +Mooreana is larger, and the heavy fringe of the lip has a faint yellow +shade.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Sobralias</span></h3> + +<p>It may be granted that all classes of orchid are not equally beautiful, +but to compare one with another in this point of view is futile. Each has +its own charm which individual taste may prefer, and to set Cattleyas, for +instance, above Odontoglots is only to demonstrate that for some persons +size and brilliancy of hue are more attractive than grace and purity. But +in any competition of the sort Sobralias must rank high. They are all +large, they have every fascination which colour can give, and the delicate +crumpling of the lip, characteristic of this genus alone, is one of +Nature’s subtlest devices. Gardeners also approve them, for they need less +attention perhaps than any others, and they grow fast. The sagacious +reader will begin to ask by this time what are the disadvantages to set +against all these merits? There is only one, but for too many amateurs it +is fatal—the glorious flowers last scarcely two days. Certainly a spike +will carry four or five, or even six, which open one <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>after another. But +then all is over till next year. And the plants are big, occupying much +room. Therefore Sobralias are not favoured by the wise, when space is +limited.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-187tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-187.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">LYCASTE SKINNERI var. R. H. MEASURES.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p>All are American, growing among the rocks and in the scanty soil of +mountain districts. One reads of species so tall that a man on horseback +must raise his arm to pick the flowers. This may be an exaggeration, but +we have Sobralia macrantha gigas here six feet high, and Hookerae even +topping it. Upon the other hand, that marvel, Kienastiana, has a very +modest stature. Nearly all the species known are here—it is not a large +genus: Lindeni, Hookerae, Lowii, macrantha and macrantha alba, +xantholeuca, and Kienastiana, which has its story.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiana</i> is uncommon; white, an immense flower. The vast lip, +circular, daintily crumpled, is palest pink, with a deep yellow throat, +round which the pink darkens to pale crimson. <i>Sanderae</i> also is white, +faintly tinged with yellow.</p> + +<p>In these days, however, it is the hybrids which interest us, and there are +two of surpassing merit.</p> + +<p><i>Amesiana</i> (xantholeuca × Wilsonii).—Palest rosy lilac, somewhat more +rosy in the centre—the crumpled pink lip is as round and as big as a +crown piece. The cavity of the throat, orange, changes to gamboge as it +widens; encircling this is a stain of tawny crimson. Lip rose, shaded with +reddish brown.</p> + +<p><i>Veitchii</i> (macrantha × xantholeuca).—White, with a pretty orange throat. +Round the edges of the lip, deliciously frilled and crumpled, is a broad +band of purplish pink.</p> + +<p>Here and there in this house, as room can be made, stand many fine plants +of Laelia elegans. Beyond is a second compartment devoted to Lycastes and +Selenepeds, the name granted, for distinction’s sake, to Transatlantic +forms of Cypripedium; in the gardener’s point of view, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> there is +no difference between them, and such of these plants as call for notice, +in my very narrow space, are described among the Cypripeds.</p> + +<p>One rarity, however, I must not overlook—Miltonia Binottii, assumed to be +a natural hybrid of M. candida and M. Regnellii; sepals and petals creamy +yellow, tinged with lilac at the base and barred with cinnamon brown; lip +pale rosy purple.</p> + +<p> </p> +<h3><span class="smcap">Anguloas</span></h3> + +<p>Nature has thought fit to produce many clumsy plants, and the +well-balanced mind raises no objection so long as they remain in their +proper place. A pumpkin is not a thing of grace, but then nobody calls on +us to admire it. There is little to choose between an Anguloa and a +pumpkin in the way of beauty; yet a multitude of people, not less sane to +all appearance than their neighbours, invite one to mark and linger over +its charms. This always seems very strange to me. I remember a painting of +Adam in Paradise, exhibited by an Academician famous in his day—less +perhaps for talent than for the popular belief that he wrote certain +wailing letters signed ‘A British Matron,’ which the <i>Times</i> published +occasionally. Adam was sitting on a flowery bank. The good Academician had +all the Asiatic realm of botany before him, wherein to choose blooms +appropriate for Paradise; he spurned them all, crossed the Atlantic, +surveyed the treasures of the New World, and from the lovely host +selected—Anguloa Clowesii! Upon a bed of these Adam sat—of these alone; +nothing else was worthy of a place beside them. Evidently Anguloas have a +fascination. But my soul is blind to it. We have all the species here.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF SOBRALIA KIENASTIANA</h2> + +<p>There are startling flowers of divers sort. Some astonish by mere size, as +Rafflesia Arnoldii, which is a yard across and weighs fifteen to twenty +pounds, or Amorphophallus Titanum, eight feet high and fifteen inches +thick. The stench of these is not less impressive than their bulk; an +artist who insisted upon sketching the latter at Kew fainted over her +work. But many of the giants are beautiful, as the Aristolochias, like a +bag of silk cretonne with mouth of velvet, wherein a lady might stow her +equipment for an informal dance—shoes, gloves, fan, handkerchief, scarf, +and, if need be, a bouquet; Bomarias, the Peruvian wonder, trailing a +scarlet tassel three feet long and thick in proportion. Others are +surprising without qualification, like Nepenthes, which dangle a water jug +at the tip of every leaf. But among orchids alone you see flowers of +familiar shape and ordinary class, which startle you by the mere +perfection of their beauty. One of these is Sobralia Kienastiana. My first +sight of it at the Temple Show is not to be forgotten. I had been +thrilling and raving over a specimen of Cattleya intermedia Parthenia, +‘chaste as ice and pure as snow,’ when, turning to Baron Schröder’s +exhibit, I beheld this glory of Nature. It has all the advantage of +‘setting’ denied to so many among the loveliest of its fellows. That +divine Parthenia must be regarded alone. It has no charm of environment. +But the Sobralia<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> is a thicket, green and strong and pleasant to the eye, +crowned with the flowers of Paradise, snow-white, several inches broad, +but tender and dainty as the lily of the valley. Though open to the +widest, and exquisitely frilled, their petals are crumpled; you might +think fairies had been gauffering them and left the work incomplete, +surprised by dawn. Baron Schröder and Mr. Wilson of Westbrook, Sheffield, +had the only plants in England then; M. Kienast-Zolly, Consul at Zurich, +the only plant known elsewhere—a piece cut off when he sold the bulk. +That such a marvel had a legend I did not doubt. It is, in fact, an albino +of the common Sobralia macrantha; in speaking of it, by the way, to +scientific persons, or in referring to books, the word ‘macrantha’ must be +introduced. The family is Central American, and examples reach this +country especially from Mexico. A variety so rare and so charming would be +found in some hardly known spot. But orchids do not live in the desert. It +would be strange if Indians had not noticed such a wonder, and if they +noticed, assuredly they would prize it. They would not allow the plant to +be removed under ordinary conditions; if a price were accepted it would be +very high, but more probably no sum would tempt them. Therefore did I +conclude at sight that Sobralia Kienastiana had its legend. And I traced +without difficulty the outline which I have filled up.</p> + +<p>M. Kienast-Zolly dwelt many years at Orizaba in Mexico, where he collected +orchids with enthusiasm for his own delight. An Indian servant gave +zealous help, partly, doubtless, for love of the flowers, but partly also +for love of the master whose ‘bread he had eaten’ from childhood—and +still eats, I believe. This man, Pablo, ceaselessly inquired for rarities +among his own people, made journeys, bargained, bought, and by times, they +say—but stole is not the proper word to use when an object has no owner +nor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> intrinsic value. Pablo had a younger brother, a priest, in the +neighbourhood of Tehuacan. They had not met since his ordination, until, +once on a time, M. Kienast-Zolly visited those parts, and Pablo took the +opportunity to spend a day and night at the Indian village, Nidiri, where +his brother was priest. This ecclesiastic was an earnest man. He found no +satisfaction in compounding the heathen practices of his flock for money, +as do his fellows. His legitimate dues sufficed him—I daresay they +reached ten pounds a year. He found a melancholy diversion in writing +plaintive memorials to the Bishop. Week by week the good man raised his +moan. He could not see very deep. It did not occur to him that the +Christian faith itself, as the Indians understand it, is but a form of +heathendom. The doings of which he complained were acts of positive +worship towards the old idols. He demanded an investigation, special +magistrates; in brief, the re-establishment of the Inquisition. The Bishop +had long ceased to acknowledge these dolorous reports; doubtless they +contained nothing new to him.</p> + +<p>Out of the fulness of his heart a man speaketh, and after discussing +family affairs, the Cura broached his spiritual sorrows. Pablo had not +been trained at a seminary, and religious questions did not interest him. +As a townsman, also, he had picked up some liberal ideas, and when the +brother talked of converting his flock from their evil ways by force, he +observed that opinions are free in Mexico nowadays. Then the Cura grew +warm. Opinions? Rising hurriedly, he produced horrid little figures of +clay or wood, actual idols, found and confiscated, not without opposition. +When Pablo did not seem much impressed by these things—not unfamiliar, +probably—he hinted suspicions more awful. There was a spot somewhere in +the hills, frequented at certain seasons by these wretches, where they +performed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> sacrifice. Blood was shed, and the Cura had reason to think—he +dropped his voice, and bent across the little table to whisper awfully in +his brother’s ear.</p> + +<p>‘Why,’ said Pablo, ‘if you can prove that, the Government will interfere +fast enough. It’s murder!’</p> + +<p>‘I am not quite certain. But give me authority to arrest the Cacique—the +head-man of the village—and some others! They held one of their impious +festivals only last week. I met them returning just after dawn, crowned +with flowers, all the men intoxicated. Oh no, it wasn’t a mere drinking +bout. The Cacique and that vile Manuele—whom I believe to be the +priest—carried nosegays of the accursed flower the demons give them. I +know it! They used formerly—the sons of perdition!—to bring it to my +church and offer it upon the holy altar. And I—Heaven pardon +me!—rejoiced in its beauty. With prayers and thanksgivings I laid the +Devil’s Flower before the Blessed Mother. I did not know! It will not be +counted against me for a sin, brother?’ So he went on, bemoaning his +unconscious offence.</p> + +<p>Pablo woke up instantly. What did the Cacique do with his nosegay since he +was not allowed to deposit it on the altar? What sort of flower was it? +All this seemed trivial to the agitated Cura. With difficulty he was +brought to the statement that it resembled the Flor de San Lorenzo, but +snow-white. Then Pablo showed much concern. These shocking practices must +be made to cease; but first they must have evidence. That mysterious spot +on the hills? Did his brother know where it was? No, he had only pieced +together hints and fragmentary observations. They suggested a certain +neighbourhood. It had never occurred to him to look for it. If his +conjectures were sound, the place was desert. Indians always choose a +barren unpeopled site for their ancestral worship, as Pablo knew.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>He considered. There was a certain risk, for the priests might dwell by +their idols. But most even of these look upon their Christian rival with +reverence. He asked his brother how he was regarded? Indignantly the +latter confessed that all these wicked folk treated him with the utmost +deference. He had denounced them again and again from the altar, +threatened to excommunicate the whole community—but the Bishop promptly +crushed that idea. They listened in respectful silence, and went their own +way. Pablo came to a resolve. He proposed that they should start before +daylight and search for the accursed place. The Cura was startled, but he +assented with passionate zeal; of his stuff, unenterprising, +unimaginative, with room for one idea only, martyrs are made. Martyrdom he +half expected, and he was ready. Whilst Pablo snored in his hammock, the +good man prayed all through the night.</p> + +<p>It was still dark when they set forth, and before even Indians were +stirring they had passed beyond the village confines; but the sun was high +when they reached the hills. These are, in fact, a range of low volcanoes, +all extinct now; the most ancient overgrown with trees and brushwood, the +most recent still bare. Towards this part the Cura led the way. They +passed through blinding gorges where no green thing found sustenance. +Cacti and yuccas and agaves, white with dust, clung to the naked tufa. So +they went on, mounting always, encouraged from time to time by some faint +trace of human passage, which their keen Indian eyes discerned. But from +the crest nothing could be seen save gorges such as they had traversed, +and long slopes of dazzling rock.</p> + +<p>The quest began to look hopeless, but they persevered. And presently Pablo +noted something on the ground, at a distance, beside a clump of Opuntia. +It was a bunch of withered flowers. Approaching they saw a cleft in the +ridge<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> of tufa masked by that straggling cactus. They passed through—and +the idols stood before them! The Cura fell on his knees.</p> + +<p>It was a small plateau, as white and as naked as the rest. In the midst +stood three cairns, each bearing large stone figures, painted red and blue +and yellow. Before each cairn was an altar, built of unhewn stones topped +by a slab.</p> + +<p>The scene was impressive. Pablo recalled his prayers in looking on it. The +white and glittering dust lay even as a floor around those heaps of stone. +All was still, but the painted statues seemed to tremble and flicker in +that awful heat. Tiny whirls of sand arose, and danced, and scattered, +though never a breath of wind moved the burning air. The shadow of a +vulture sailing passed slowly from side to side.</p> + +<p>The Cura ended his prayer, leapt up and rushed—his old black gown +streaming like wings. He grasped the foremost idol and pushed and pulled +with all his might—he might as well have tried to overthrow the rock +itself. Another and another he attempted; all in vain. He paused at +length, mopping his drenched face, disheartened but still resolved. Then +he took stones and battered the features.</p> + +<p>Pablo was scarcely disappointed. So soon as they entered that barren +tract, he knew that the Flor de San Lorenzo could not live there. +Approaching he scrutinised the altars. Heaps of ashes and charred wood lay +upon them, beneath leaves and fruits and flowers, unburnt but shrivelled +and crackling in the sunshine. Carefully Pablo turned these over. On the +largest slab were found bones and dry pools of blood.</p> + +<p>I have not room to follow the story in detail. Next day they started for +Orizaba, the priest carrying a passionate recital of these discoveries to +the Bishop. What came of it I do not know. Pablo returned forthwith, in +pressing haste, accompanied by two soldiers. With these he called on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +Cacique and charged him with human sacrifice. For a while the Indian could +not speak; then he vehemently denied the accusation. The conference was +long; in the end, Pablo admitted his innocence of the graver charge, but +the acts of paganry could not be disputed. He agreed to say no more about +them, however, on condition that the accursed flower should be surrendered +and destroyed in his presence. By evening it was brought. But he changed +his mind about destroying it just then. As has been said, this was the +pride of M. Kienast-Zolly’s collection for many years; then it passed, the +half of it, to Baron Schröder, and a quarter to Mr. Wilson. Shortly +afterwards Mr. Measures secured the latter fragment.</p> + +<p>The description of the sacred place certainly does not apply to an Indian +temple. The cairns were graves of ancient heroes doubtless, and the +figures portrait-statues, such as I myself have seen in abundance to the +southward. The Indians made this desert spot a temple perhaps, and treated +the statues as idols, when their places of worship were destroyed.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE CYPRIPEDIUM HOUSE</h2> + +<p>Perhaps our collection is most famed for its Cypripeds. During twenty +years and more the owner has been securing remarkable hybrids and +varieties—labouring on his own account also to produce them. But the +pretty house which lodges these accumulated treasures is not more than 48 +feet long and 17 wide. No room here for vulgar beauties; only the best and +rarest can find admission. There are, to be precise, 980 plants upon the +stages, 169 hanging from the roof. They are close packed certainly, but a +glance at the vivid foliage satisfies even the uninitiated that they have +space enough. Orchids generally are the most accommodating of plants—the +best tempered and the strongest in constitution; and among orchids none +equal the Cypripeds in both respects. It is pleasant to fancy that they +feel gratitude for our protection. Darwin convinced himself that the whole +family is doomed. In construction and anatomy it preserves ‘the record of +a former and more simple state of the great orchidaceous family,’ now +outgrown. Such survivals are profoundly interesting to us, but Nature does +not regard them kindly. They betray her secrets. All the surrounding +conditions have changed while the Cypriped clings to its antique model—at +least, it has not changed in proportion. Few insects remain, apparently, +adapted to fertilise it and it cannot fertilise itself. In the struggle +for existence, therefore, it is terribly handicapped. Man comes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> to the +rescue, and no class of orchid accepts his intervention so readily.</p> + +<p>It is a pretty house, as I have said. Experienced gardeners have a deep +distrust of pretty houses. Picturesque effect and good culture can seldom +be reconciled; the conditions needed for the one are generally fatal to +the other. But here we have a pleasing exception. All is green and +fresh—no brickwork, nor shelves, nor pipes, nor ‘tombstone’ labels +obtrude upon the view. The back wall is draped with ferns and creepers, +orchids peeping through here and there. A broad stand down the middle, +accommodating five rows of Cypripediums on either side, has all its +substructures masked with tufa, which bears a mantle of green. The side +stands, each accommodating seven rows of pots, are equally clothed in +verdure, moss and fern. At the end, through a glass partition open in the +centre, is a fountain, with similar stands all round it. And—an essential +point, whereby we understand the glorious health of all these +plants—there is not one which the gardener cannot see perfectly as he +goes by, and reach without an effort, saving those overhead in the middle. +No chance of thrips flourishing unsuspected in this house, nor of slugs +following their horrid appetite from pot to pot unnoticed.</p> + +<p>Since it is especially the number of rare ‘garden mules’ which have won us +renown, I ought perhaps to say a word in passing upon the matter of +hybridisation. But what can be said in a few lines? It is a theme for +articles and books, even in the hands of a smattering amateur like myself. +The public has no suspicion how far this novel manufacture has been +carried already. There is a hint in the tiny volume compiled by Mr. R. H. +Measures ‘for private circulation,’ showing the number of hybrids in the +genus Cypripedium of which he could hear. It contains more than eleven +hundred items. Of these we have upwards of eight hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> in our +collection. But it must be remembered, in the first place, that there is +no authoritative list as yet; each inquirer must get information as he +can. In the second place, that the number increases daily. Such a list +could be framed only by an international committee of botanists, for in +France and Belgium orchid-growers are as enthusiastic as our own; whilst +in Germany, Italy, Austria and the United States, if the workers be +comparatively few they are very busy.</p> + +<p>It has often been suggested that an Orchid Farm would pay handsomely, if +established in some well-chosen district of the Tropics and intelligently +conducted. A gentleman resident in Oviedo, Florida, Mr. Theodore S. Mead, +has carried the notion into practice on a small scale with startling +results. I quote from the <i>Orchid Review</i>, June 1896:—</p> + +<p>‘I have built a small platform in the top of a live oak, about 45 feet +from the ground ... where I propose to try seeds of some thirty or forty +different orchid crosses, including pods from Vanda coerulea and Cattleya +citrina, which are thought difficult to manage under glass...’</p> + +<p>In September 1897 we hear further:—</p> + +<p>‘The season has been a very trying one, and though my orchid-eyrie in the +live oak-top promised great success in June, it was very difficult to keep +the compost in good condition during the hot, muggy days of July. Still, +out of thirty-two crosses planted on a space of peat, 16 inches long by 12 +broad, I obtained plants having first leaf of twenty-two of them—mostly +Cattleyas and Laelias;—though a good many died when it was necessary to +transplant them, on account of mould and algae threatening to swamp the +tiny plants. A single plant of Vanda coerulea × V. Amesiana appeared, and +is now showing its third leaf. This year I have repeated the cross Bletia +verecunda × Schomburgkia tibicinis and have several plants in their first +leaf; and also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> one of Bletia verecunda crossed with our native Calopogon +pulchellus...’</p> + +<p>In March 1899:—‘... My seed-planting was very successful after June in +polypodium fibre (fresh fern mats) in my tree-top eyrie, and from July +till October I averaged 500 little hybrids transplanted to pots every +month; about one-fourth still survive.... I had an ancient moss-grown +magnolia chopped down and cut into slabs, some thirty of which I planted +with orchid-seed and kept sprayed. The slabs coming from near the ground +scarcely germinated a seed, but those from 20 to 30 feet up yielded from 2 +to 3 up to about 150. I also tried oak bark, but while the seeds started +promptly they were more subject to disease;... when transplanted to pots +nearly all died.</p> + +<p>‘<i>Note.</i>—These magnolia slabs were placed in a green-house, not in the +“eyrie.”’</p> + +<p>It is hardly worth while to quote the list of seedlings obtained by Mr. +Mead through crossing plants of the same genus. But here are some +successes which, very few years ago, would have been declared flatly +impossible—as impossible as a fertile union betwixt cat and dog.</p> + +<p>Cattleya amethystoglossa × Epidendrum O’Brienianum; a few plants alive.</p> + +<p>Cattleya amethystoglossa × Epid. radicans; two plants alive.</p> + +<p>Schomburgkia undulata × Epid. radicans; several plants.</p> + +<p>Cattleya Bowringiana × Epid. cochleatum; several plants.</p> + +<p>Epidendrum nocturnum × Epid. osmanthum and Epid. cucullatum, pollen mixed; +several plants.</p> + +<p>Cattleya Bowringiana × Epid. osmanthum (Godseffianum); three plants.</p> + +<p>Bletia verecunda × Schomburgkia tibicinis; several plants.</p> + +<p>Bletia verecunda × Calopogon pulchellus; one or two plants.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>Schomburgkia tibicinis × Laelia purpurata; one plant.</p> + +<p>The discovery that fertile unions may be concerted between species, and +even genera, differing in all visible respects, gives profound interest to +the study of hybridisation in the scientific point of view. We have gone +so far already that classifications which appeared to be unquestionable +have been rudely upset. That Laelias and Cattleyas should combine is not +surprising, even though one come from North Mexico and the other from +South Brazil. But what shall we say when Epidendrums combine with +both?—with Sophronitis, Zygopetalum!—nay, with Oncidium!!—with +Dendrobium!!! Sobralia proves fertile with Cattleya; so does Sophronitis. +Spathoglottis has been crossed with Bletia and with Phajus. Zygopetalum +with Colax, with Oncidium, with Epidendrum, with Odontoglossum. +Schomburgkia with Laelia and Bletia. Combinations even more astonishing +are reported, but for those named there is responsible authority.</p> + +<p>I cannot go into detail; these remarks are designed only to call attention +to the subject. Not all the bigeneric hybrids mentioned have flowered; and +at the present time we have learned enough to be aware that possibly one +parent will be ignored by the offspring—that a seedling of Epidendrum +crossed with Dendrobium, for example, will bloom a pure Epidendrum or a +pure Dendrobium of the species used; which in itself is sufficiently +strange. But seedlings have actually been produced in every case which I +have named. It is one of the fixed rules in biology that the offspring of +different species must be barren—otherwise the parents are not truly +species—and that different genera will not breed at all. But in most +instances which have been brought to the test as yet, hybrid orchids of +different species prove fertile, and some bigeneric crosses yield a +progeny at least. What follows? Evidently that the genera or the species<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +are not really distinct—in the cases given. Must we admit, then, that a +Dendrobium of the Himalayas (crystallinum) does not differ generically +from an Epidendrum of Mexico (radicans)?</p> + +<p>This is not the place to argue it out; nor, in truth, would there be much +profit in arguing the question while the number of facts to be adduced is +still so small that error is not improbable. I hope I have made it clear +that the hybridisation of orchids is the most fascinating of botanic +studies at this time; which is all I have in view.</p> + +<p>But professional ‘growers’ are not likely to help the cause of science +much—no blame to them either. They cannot afford to make experiments +which demand a great deal of time, and increasing attention, for years, +from the most highly-paid of their staff—too probably remaining a dead +loss after no small portion of a lifetime has been spent in bringing the +produce to flower. A man of business must make such crosses as are most +likely to pay in the shortest time—easy species, big, highly coloured. +Under the best conditions he must wait three to six years, perhaps ten, or +even more. Evidently the most valuable hybridisations in a scientific +point of view would be those least likely to succeed; all would be +doubtful, all would require a long term of years, and most would not +‘sell’ in the end probably. Such work is for amateurs.</p> + +<p>I can mention only a few of the Cypripediums here which seem most notable, +and it will always remain dubious whether I have chosen the best examples.</p> + +<p><i>Bellatulum eximium.</i>—The dorsal is small, low and spreading, white, with +carmine specks along the edges, large red-chocolate spots inside. Petals +closely depressed, mottled with carmine here and there at the edges, and +spotted like the dorsal. Lip insignificant—white with a few small dots.</p> + +<p><i>Olivia</i> (tonsum × concolor).—Dorsal white above, changing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> to pink; base +greenish, slenderly feathered with carmine. Petals bowed, flushed with +pink, pink lined, dotted with carmine. Slipper pink, deepening to carmine +along the front, fading at the toe.</p> + +<p><i>M. Finet</i> (callosum superbum × Godefroyae).—White with a faint rosy +blush. At the base of the dorsal is a greenish tinge, which reappears +somewhat stronger on the petals. There are a few specks of crimson on the +latter, and a few crimson markings at the top of the slipper.</p> + +<p><i>Gertrude Hollington</i> (ciliolare × bellatulum).—A flower of remarkable +size. The dorsal is low but exceedingly broad; white, very strongly scored +with crimson. Upon the scores stand spots of maroon, and a crimson splash +follows the midrib. The great broad petals are white of ground, but +obscured at the base by a cloud of crimson-maroon, save the edges. Crimson +lines, carrying spots and specks of maroon, overrun the whole. Slipper +purplish crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Macropterum</i> (Lowii × superbiens).—Dorsal green, darker below. Petals +long, curving downwards, greenish at base, heavily spotted; the ends +clouded with purple. Slipper large, tawny purple.</p> + +<p><i>Bellatulum album.</i>—The pure white variety of this striking species, so +densely spotted in its normal form. It was discovered by Mr. R. Moore when +Assistant-Commissioner of the Shan States in 1893. The dorsal is very low, +spreading and depressed; the high-shouldered petals clasp the slipper +close all round, in such manner that their ends hang below its tip. +Grandly beautiful.</p> + +<p><i>Baconis</i> (chlorops × Schlimii).—Very small, rosy. Sepals scored with a +brighter hue. They reverse half their length, showing the back of +brilliant rose. Slipper carmine.</p> + +<p><i>H. Ballantine</i> (purpuratum × Fairieanum).—Dorsal rosy white, ribbed with +dark crimson branching lines. Petals greenish, lined, dotted, and edged +with coppery crimson.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> Slipper purple above, green below, handsomely lined +with crimson.</p> + + +<p><i>Barbato-bellatulum.</i>—Takes after the latter parent in shape, but all +purple; the white-edged dorsal lined and the petals finely spotted with a +darker tint.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. E. Cohen</i> (callosum × niveum).—All pinkish white, suffused with +crimson, lined with crimson and speckled with purple. Slipper +carmine-purple.</p> + +<p><i>Cardinale</i> (Sedenii × Schlimii-albiflorum).—Takes its name from the +carmine slipper. White in general colour; the petals have a rosy base and +rosy tips.</p> + +<p><i>Chrysocomes</i> (caudatum Warcewiczii × conchiferum).—Dorsal +greenish-yellow, edged with white. Its tip or crest is most extraordinary, +hanging forward like a tongue between high jaws curved and serrated. The +ochreous-greenish petals have an edging of crimson and an outer edging of +white, prettily frilled and gauffered. They twine and twist through a +length of ten or twelve inches, showing the crimson reverse.</p> + +<p><i>Claudii</i> (Spicerianum × vernixium).—The dorsal is white above, with a +strong purple midrib, and a purple flush towards the edge; the base is +olive green. Petals olive green, shaded in a darker hue, and tipped with +purple. The slipper purple above, green below.</p> + +<p><i>Beeckmanii</i> (Boxalli sup. × bellatulum).—The yellow-green dorsal is +broadly margined in its upper part with white, and marked profusely with +large crimson-brown spots. The petals are depressed, spreading like wings, +of madder-purple hue, lined and spotted, the lower margin greenish. +Slipper dark purple, with a greenish toe.</p> + +<p><i>Bellatulum egregium.</i>—Doubtless a natural hybrid. The depressed dorsal +is pale green, spotted with pink in lines. Petals and slipper white above, +pale greenish below, with large pink spots all over. A most remarkable +variety.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span><i>Brownii</i> (leucorrhodum × longifl. magnificum).—The dorsal takes a very +singular form. Narrow and almost rectangular, it is sharply constricted +towards the top, then widens out again like the ace of spades. The colour +is white, touched with green and rose. Petals long, narrow, with an edging +of carmine, and outer edging of white; as they reverse towards the tip the +colour is all rose. Big broad slipper, rosy, prettily spotted with carmine +on the white lining.</p> + +<p><i>Antigone</i> (Lawrenceanum × niveum).—The big dorsal sepal is pink with a +white border. Strong branching ribs of crimson spring from a base of vivid +green and form a network. The drooping petals show a deeper pink, with +similar lines and maroon specks; as does the slipper.</p> + +<p><i>H. Hannington</i> (villosum × fascinator).—The great dorsal bears a purple +mauve cloud within its broad white margin, changing to dusky green at the +base and scored with branching lines of somewhat darker mauve. Petals and +lip greenish ochre, frilled and shining, lined with brown in dots.</p> + +<p><i>Hector</i> (Leeanum var. × Sallierii var.)—Dorsal white with a +greenish-blue centre, traversed by dull brown lines. Petals yellow at the +base, set with a quantity of short, stiff black hairs; changing to +ochreous dun, the upper half bearing a dusky brownish network. Lip of the +same dusky hue.</p> + +<p><i>Myra</i> (Chamberlainianum × Haynaldianum).—Tall, graceful in form as in +colouring. The long narrow dorsal is pale green, edged with white. At the +base is a patch of dusky chocolate and spots of the same tone run upward +in lines. The pale-green petals, narrow and rectangular, bear a few large +dun blotches outlined with chocolate; their tips reverse, showing a faint +mauve tint.</p> + +<p><i>Aphrodite superbum</i> (niveum × Lawrenceanum).—The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> same parentage +reversed; as usual the produce is quite dissimilar. Its colour is white, +purple-tinged except the margin, overlaid with a crimson network of dots. +Another example from the same seed-pod has a palest pink network instead +of crimson, and tiny dots of maroon. It looks like the ghost of its +sister.</p> + +<p><i>Arnoldiae</i> (bellatulum × superciliare).—Whitish, with bold spots of +crimson-brown arranged in lines upon the dorsal. Slipper purple-lake +above, greenish below.</p> + +<p><i>Arnoldianum</i> (superbiens × concolor).—Dusky shining yellow, tinged at +the edges with crimson, spotted and lined with the same. A hybrid +remarkable for its shyness to flower.</p> + +<p><i>Cyanides</i> (Swanianum × bellatulum).—A dusky flower, of green and purple +tones. The greenish dorsal is clouded at base, lined and spotted, with +purple. Petals the same, but the spotting is darker and more distinct. +Slipper clear purple.</p> + +<p><i>Callosum Sanderae.</i>—A sport or natural hybrid of most singular beauty. I +remember the delighted amazement which possessed me when Mr. Sander +unlocked a door and showed this exquisite flower just opening—a treasure +hidden from all but the trustiest friends until it could be displayed at +the Temple Show in 1894. The great dorsal sepal is white above, tender +green in two shades below, with strong green lines ascending from the +base. The petals, much depressed, are bright green, lined with a darker +hue and tipped with white. The slipper yellowish-green.</p> + +<p>It may be mentioned that the owner of this collection declined to accept +1000 guineas for his stock of callosum Sanderae three years after buying +the original plant.</p> + +<p><i>Aylingii</i> (niveum × ciliolare).—Small, white ground. The dorsal and +petals alike are boldly striped with carmine-crimson. Slipper all white.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span><i>Conco-Curtisii.</i>—The triangular dorsal is bright green in the centre, +with a dark crimson cloud at the base and crimson lines. The broad +depressed petals are dark crimson, fading towards the tips, similarly +lined. Slipper green at the toe, crimson above.</p> + +<p><i>Conco-callosum.</i>—The dorsal, almost a diamond in shape, is crimson, with +darker lines extending from a greenish base; petals greenish, margined, +lined and spotted with crimson. Slipper crimson-purple above, green below.</p> + +<p><i>Alfred</i> (laevigatum × venustum).—Strong ribs of crimson-brown circle up +from a green base over the white dorsal, which is pointed sharply. The +drooping twisted petals are brightest green above, with a white margin, +changing to tawny crimson as they reverse. The whole heavily spotted with +crimson-brown. Slipper green, broadly netted over with a darker tint.</p> + +<p><i>Calloso-niveum.</i>—Where the parentage is shown in the name it need not be +expressed at full length. A pale flower, dorsal and sepals greenish at +base, faintly tinged and lined with pink, dotted carmine.</p> + +<p><i>Amphion</i> (Harrisianum × Lawrenceanum).—The grand dorsal +sepal—greenish-yellow, dotted and ribbed with coppery brown—has a broad +white margin. Petals narrow and bowed, greenish at base, changing to +copper; a few heavy dots. The slipper coppery.</p> + +<p><i>Cowleyanum</i> (Curtisii × niveum).—Dorsal low and spreading, purplish and +lined with purple; the edges white. Petals purple, very much darker at +base and tips, with a white outline above, and tiny speckles of purple. +Purple slipper.</p> + +<p><i>Conco-Lawre</i> (concolor × Lawrenceanum).—Dorsal large, suffused and lined +with purple, edged white. Petals green at base, margined and lined with +crimson, with a few dots of chocolate. Slipper purplish above, greenish +below.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span><i>Curtisii</i> (Woodlands variety) does not depart from the ordinary form in +its scheme of colouring, but all the hues are intensified, and the +enormous slipper, tinged with green at the edge, is deepest +crimson-maroon.</p> + +<p>I may interrupt the dry enumeration with a story.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-211tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-211.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">CYPRIPEDIUM. WILLIAM LLOYD.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF CYPRIPEDIUM CURTISII</h2> + +<p>My tales do not commonly bear a moral. If one they have it is apt to be +such as grandmamma teaches—foresight, perseverance, the habit of +observation. Those virtues need no finger-post. They are illustrated by +the story of Cypripedium Curtisii, and rewarded there, as they should be +always, by a notable instance of luck. I have not heard of any special +circumstances attending the first discovery of this plant. It was found in +Sumatra by Mr. Curtis, travelling for Messrs. Veitch, in 1882—a large +green flower, margined and touched here and there with white, the pouch +vinous purple. This brief and vague description may suffice for readers +who take more interest in romance than in orchidology. Mr. Curtis did not +tell the world at large where he found the treasure. It was his intention, +doubtless, to work the mine himself. But after sending home the first +fruits, he was offered the Directorship of the Botanic Gardens at Penang, +and left Messrs. Veitch’s service. He may well have hoped to revisit +Sumatra one day, but the opportunity never came. Messrs. Veitch knew the +secret, doubtless, and kept it faithfully; but they took no steps. And so, +the first consignment being scanty, no more arriving, and the plant +growing in favour, Cypripedium Curtisii rose to famine price.</p> + +<p>The St. Albans firm took note of this. The home of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> the new Cypriped was +admitted. Sumatra yields a profitable harvest always, even of familiar +species, and besides, there is an excellent chance—vastly stronger +fifteen years ago—of finding novelties. An intelligent man upon the spot +should be able to trace the route of an earlier traveller. One of the St. +Albans staff was disengaged. In short, Mr. Ericsson, a Swedish collector +of great experience, was commissioned to seek Cypripedium Curtisii. He +sailed in 1884. Nearly five years did Ericsson wander up and down the +island—that is, in the Dutch territory. Working at leisure from Bencoolin +northwards, he searched the range of mountains which bounds it on the +east, and often descended the further slope—visiting peoples scarcely +known, whom the Dutch had not yet invaded. They proved to be amiable +enough. Many fine orchids did he send home, and the issue of the search +was patiently awaited at St. Albans.</p> + +<p>It did not seem more hopeful as years went by. Mr. Curtis’s footsteps were +traced easily enough here and there; but the Dutch frontier officials +rarely speak any language but their own and the Malay, nor does their +discourse generally turn upon orchids when they have a visitor. It was +just as likely as not that Ericsson had already traversed the district he +sought, without identifying it. Cypripeds, as a rule, occupy a very narrow +area, especially the fine species. They are a doomed race, belonging to +the elder world, and slowly following its inhabitants to extinction. That +fascinating theme I must not touch; readers interested may refer to +Darwin. The point is that a collector may skirt a field of Cypripeds very +closely without suspecting his good fortune.</p> + +<p>But travel in Sumatra at that time was more limited than it had been—more +than it is now. The Achinese still held out—for that matter, while I am +writing, comes news of a skirmish wherein three officers and nineteen +soldiers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> lost their lives. Ten years ago that stubborn and fearless +people not only defended their own soil but also made forays into the +Dutch territory. Desperate patriots allied themselves with the Battas, a +cannibal race dwelling between their country and the province of Tapanuli; +and hatred to the white man—or rather to the Dutch—carried the Achinese +so far, though strict Moslems, that they tempted these savages to move by +a promise of surrendering all captives—to be devoured. Thus the northern +parts of Dutch Sumatra were very unsafe. When Ericsson desired to explore +there he was refused permission. At Padang, the capital, however, in 1887, +he made acquaintance with the Controleur—Magistrate, as we should say—of +Lubu Sikeping, a district which lies along the Batta country. This +gentleman spoke Swedish—an accomplishment grateful beyond expression to +Ericsson, who had not heard his native tongue for years. Promptly they +made friends.</p> + +<p>The Controleur had been summoned to report upon the state of things in his +Residency. He presented a long list of outrages and murders. Scores, if +not hundreds, of peaceful subjects had been not only plundered and killed, +but eaten, on Dutch soil, in the last few months. He represented that +active measures must be taken forthwith. The Battas, inhabiting a high +tableland beyond the mountains, crept through the defile, ravaged, burnt, +massacred, and trooped back, carrying their prisoners away for leisurely +consumption. Before news of the inroad reached the nearest outpost they +were half-way home. Smaller parties lay in wait along the roads, stopping +all communication. They had not yet ventured to assail a post, or even a +large village, but the Achin desperadoes urged them to bolder feats, and +they grew continually more aggressive. An expedition must be sent. It need +not be large, for the cannibals are not fighting men. The Governor was +persuaded. He ordered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> a small force to be equipped, and meantime the +Controleur returned to his station.</p> + +<p>It was a rare opportunity for Ericsson. He begged permission to accompany +his new friend, who good-naturedly presented him to the Governor. An +historian may be allowed to say that the hero of this narrative is fat, +and there is no offence in supposing that the most exalted functionary has +a sense of humour. His Excellency appears to have been tickled. The +cannibals would rage with disappointment in beholding this succulent +mortal—beyond their reach. He laughed and consented. I have no details of +the expedition striking enough to be set down in a brief chronicle like +this. It was a slow and toilsome march through jungle and mountain passes, +the Barizan range, where a score of determined men might have stopped an +army. The Achinese proved that; they held the force at bay for hours in a +gorge, though less than a score. But the Battas would not fight even when +their capital was reached, on Lake Toba. The Rajahs submitted, paid an +indemnity, gave hostages, yielded up the surviving victims, and undertook +to have no more dealings with the Achinese. So the matter ended. Ericsson +found some new plants in their country, and many old well worth +collecting. Doubtless the results would have been far more important could +he have wandered freely. But those demons of Achin hung upon the line of +march, joyously sacrificing their own lives to kill a Dutchman. If his +personal adventures were not so curious, however—perhaps I should rather +say so dramatic—that I could single out one of them, Ericsson gained much +information about an extraordinary people. I can only set down a few +facts.</p> + +<p>He says that the Battas themselves do not regard their cannibalism as an +immemorial practice. They have a story, not worth repeating, to account +for it. But I may observe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> that if Marco Polo’s ‘kingdom of Mangi, called +Concha,’ lay in those parts, as geographers believe, some race of the +neighbourhood was cannibal in the thirteenth century. ‘They commonly eat +men’s flesh, if the person die not of sickness, as better tasted than +others.’ That is the motive still—the only one adduced—mere liking. +Elsewhere the practice may be due to superstition in one form or another; +among the Battas it is simply <i>gourmandise</i>. The head Rajah questioned +gave a matter-of-fact answer. ‘You Dutch eat pig,’ said he, ‘because you +like it; we eat man because that is our fancy.’ To be devoured alive is +the punishment of four offences among themselves—adultery, robbery after +nightfall, unprovoked assault, and marrying within the clan; the last an +interesting item of which Sir John Lubbock should certainly take note for +his next edition of <i>The Origin of Civilisation</i>. The instinct of +‘exogamy’ has no such striking illustration elsewhere. As for foreigners +and strangers there is no rule; they are devoured at sight. And it may +well be believed that people so fond of eating one another do not demand +unquestionable evidence when a man of low station is charged with one of +the four crimes which may give them a meal. I must not repeat the horrors +which Ericsson learned. Suffice it that the victim is tied up, and those +present exercise their choice of morsels. At a former time, they say, not +long ago, the flesh was cooked—a statement which confirms the theory, so +far as it goes, of a recent introduction. At this present they dip the +slice in salt and pepper and eat it on the spot.</p> + +<p>A good many missionaries, English, Dutch, French, and American, have not +only settled on the confines of the Batta territory, but have travelled in +the interior. The earliest of these, Messrs. Ward and Burton, found the +people kindly, which again must be noted as suggesting that they were not +so ferocious in 1820. The second party, Messrs. Lyman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> and Munson, of +Massachusetts, were eaten. Mdme. Pfeiffer nearly crossed the tableland +unmolested, though the savages were not friendly; but, as she says, they +regarded her as a witch. Encouraged by this example, three French priests +made an attempt two years later; they were promptly devoured. Two Dutchmen +shared their fate not long afterwards, and the Government forbade more +experiments.</p> + +<p>I have no room for detail, but one very curious point must be indicated. +These cannibals unredeemed possess an alphabet of their own, bearing no +resemblance to the Malay, which latter is a corrupt amalgamation of +Arabian, Persian, and Tamil. The Batta characters are original. They write +commonly on strips of bamboo, scratching the letters.</p> + +<p>On the return of the expedition, a party of invalids was despatched to the +local sanitarium on Selimbang Hill, and Ericsson obtained leave to +accompany it. There was no danger now. A few huts had been built there for +troops, and a bungalow for officers—who made him welcome, of course. They +arrived at dusk. The officers went out early next morning to their duties, +and Ericsson lay waiting for his coffee. The rough timbers of the bungalow +were concealed by boards, smooth and neat. Invalids quartered there had +amused themselves by scribbling their names. Some, more ambitious, added +verses, epigrams, and caricatures; others, drawings and even paintings. +From his bed-place Ericsson scrutinised these artless memorials in the +early light. Presently he observed a flower—a Cypripedium; the shape +could not be mistaken. It was coloured, but dimly—the tints had soaked +into the wood. With professional interest his eye lingered on this sketch. +And then the first sun-ray streamed across the verandah and fell upon the +very spot. Its faded colours shone brightly for a moment, green, white +margin, vinous purple—Ericsson sprang out of bed.</p> + +<p>No room for doubt! To make assurance doubly sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> there was an +inscription—‘C. C.’s contribution to the adornment of this room.’</p> + +<p>Hurriedly he sought a pencil and wrote—‘Contribution accepted. +Cypripedium collected, C. E.’</p> + +<p>It was not such a smart <i>réplique</i> as the occasion seems to demand. But +Ericsson is perfectly well satisfied with it to this day.</p> + +<p>We can imagine how blithely he set to work that morning. Cypripedium +Curtisii was selling in London at the moment for many guineas—a small +plant too. And he had found the goose with golden eggs innumerable, +waiting to be picked up. These orchids ‘travel’ well. There was no great +distance to carry them before embarkation. The good fellow’s fortune was +made, and he had the pleasure of knowing it well earned.</p> + +<p>With such cheerful thoughts, Ericsson sallied out day after day for a +while, searching the mountain. He had a following of miscellaneous +‘natives’ by this time, experienced in their work. The neighbourhood was +rich. Every evening they brought in a load of orchids more or less +valuable, but never Cypripedium Curtisii. He engaged men of the district +and showed them the picture. Some recognised it, and undertook to bring +specimens; but they were always mistaken. The invalids withdrew, one after +another. Ericsson found himself alone. His accumulated spoil of plants, +well worth shipping, began to be as much as he could transport. As time +went by, despair possessed him. After all, it did not follow that Mr. +Curtis had found the prize just here because he painted it on the wall. To +discover a new and fine orchid is a great achievement, and the lucky man +might very well commemorate it anywhere when choosing a device.</p> + +<p>Finally, ‘time was up.’ To wait longer would be sacrificing the great heap +of treasures secured. After<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> shipping them he might return. It was a sad +disappointment after such reasonable hopes, but things might have been +worse. So Ericsson gave orders to pack and start as soon as possible. When +all was ready, on the very evening before departure, one of the local +assistants brought him a flower. This time it was right. In three days +several thousand plants had been collected, and Ericsson went his way +rejoicing.</p> + +<p>No reader, I hope, will fancy that these coincidences are invented. The +story would be childish as fiction. It is literal fact, and therefore only +is it worth telling.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-221tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-221.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">CYPRIPEDIUM × ROTHWELLIANUM.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p> +<h2>CYPRIPEDIUMS—<i>Continued</i></h2> + +<p><i>William Lloyd</i> (bellatulum × Swanianum).—The white crest of the dorsal +rises from a dull crimson blur with greenish centre, overrun with crimson +lines. The petals have a dull crimson ground, paler below, densely +speckled with maroon, the ends just tipped with white. Slipper, shining +maroon.</p> + +<p><i>A de Lairesse</i> (Curtisii × Rothschildianum).—The fine dorsal is white, +with a greenish centre and faint purple edges, the lines clear purple. +Petals long and drooping, pale green, edged with white; all covered with +purple spots. Slipper, ochreous brown.</p> + +<p><i>Juno</i> (Fairieanum × callosum).—The broad white dorsal, green at base, +tinged with purple, and strongly scored with purple lines, is actually the +widest part of the flower, as in Fairieanum. The narrow petals curl down +close upon the slipper, green in paler and darker shades, with bunches of +purple hair, like those on a caterpillar, at the edges, and pale purple +tips. Slipper, dusky greenish with brown lines.</p> + +<p><i>Saide Lloyd</i> (venustum × Godefroyae).—Dorsal small, bright green with +darker lines. Petals purplish above, greenish below, speckled with small +dots of crimson and strong spots of maroon. Slipper, ochreous yellow, +dotted with crimson at top and netted with green.</p> + +<p><i>Cymatodes</i> (Curtisii × Veitchii).—The fine dorsal is green, fading to +white, with a pretty narrow edging of pink, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> boldly ribbed. The +petals, dark at base, change to green, and towards the tips have an edging +of profuse crimson specks. The slipper, very wide at the mouth, is +greenish.</p> + +<p><i>Dauthierii albino.</i>—A wonderful sport. Up the grass-green dorsal, edged +with white above, run strong lines of darker tone. The petals, very narrow +at base, are yellowish green, suffused and lined with copper above, paler +below. The slipper shows similar colouring.</p> + +<p>On the same plant, open at the same time, but from another stem, was a +flower of the common Dauthierii type. Still more remarkable, one year this +second stem bore a flower of which half the dorsal was pale yellow, the +other half coppery green, as is usual, thus betraying a futile inclination +to rival its albino sister. The petals were scarcely affected, however.</p> + +<p><i>Dauthierii marmoratum.</i>—Another abnormal form. The point of the dorsal, +and the high shoulders, are white, the rest crimson-maroon. From the point +descend three or four broad lines, or long splashes, of green, with +striking effect. The petals are marbled longitudinally with purple on a +dusky ground. The lip is dull, dusky crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Lord Derby</i> (Rothschildianum × superbiens).—An immense flower—the grand +dorsal rosy white, tinged with pale green in the middle, pale purple on +either hand, dark lines circling upward over all. The petals, outlined +with purple at the base, change to pale green, almost to white, below and +at the tips. Great spots of darkest crimson stud the whole. Slipper +maroon, greenish at the toe.</p> + +<p><i>Evenor</i> (Argus × bellatulum).—Ground-colour throughout ochreous yellow. +The dorsal has a purplish base and maroon lines of dots. Broad round +petals, closely spotted with maroon. Slipper purplish above, ochre below.</p> + +<p><i>Excelsior</i> (Rothschildianum × Harrisianum).—Dorsal long, +high-shouldered, greenish, with darkest crimson edging<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> lines of the same +tint, and white margin. Petals depressed, of a like green, crimson along +the upper edge, covered with the heavy spots and hairs of Rothschildianum. +Slipper very long, dull crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Engelhardtiae</i> (insigne Maulei × Spicerianum).—The dorsal has very broad +shoulders, narrowing to a wasp-waist, where the upper white changes +abruptly to bright green, spotted with pink. A strong crimson line runs +from base to tip. Petals so evenly curved downwards that they seem to make +a half-circle, coppery yellow in hue, handsomely gauffered on the upper +edge, and lined with copper colour. Immensely wide lip, coppery ochre with +a bright green lining.</p> + +<p><i>Edwardii</i> (superbiens × Fairieanum).—Dorsal long, white-edged, stained +at the margin with purplish crimson and lined with the same. Short narrow +petals, very strongly bowed, greenish, edged throughout with purplish +crimson. Slipper green at toe, coppery above.</p> + +<p><i>Fairieanum.</i>—No orchid is so interesting as this in the point of view +which may be called historic. In the autumn of 1857, Mr. Reid of Burnham +and Mr. Parker, nursery-man, of Holloway, sent flowers of it to Sir W. +Hooker at Kew, asking what they might be. Shortly afterwards Mr. Fairie of +Liverpool showed a plant in flower at the R.H.S. meeting, and Dr. Lindley +named it after him. It is believed that all these plants were bought at +Stevens’ Sale-rooms among a number of orchids forwarded from Assam. But +none have turned up since, and attempts to find the habitat have been +totally unsuccessful.</p> + +<p>Those who expect to see a flower big in proportion to its fame will be +disappointed; but if small, indeed very small, Cyp. Fairieanum is striking +both in form and colour. The upstanding dorsal has a crest, from which the +sides curl back. Its ground-colour is white with a greenish tinge. Broad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +lines of maroon fall downwards from the crest, lessening as they go, but +multiplying towards the edges, where they form a close network. The petals +curl as sharply as a cow’s horn, inverted at the tips to show a maroon +lining; they are greenish above, with three sharp little maroon bars at +the base, and slender lines of maroon; maroon also is the narrow edging. +The shield of the column, small as it is, cannot be overlooked, for it +shines like a jewel—exquisitely mottled with the brightest green, +accentuated by a tiny arch of maroon on either side. Slipper greenish, +with blurred lines of maroon.</p> + +<p><i>Gertrude</i> (Chamberlainianum × insigne Chantinii).—Dorsal white above, +bright green below, heavily dotted in lines with crimson-brown. Petals +finely gauffered, dusky crimson, spotted. The slipper, crimson-purple, +looks very bright by contrast.</p> + +<p><i>Tesselatum porphyreum</i> (concolor × barbatum).—The pale ochreous tone of +one parent and the purple of the other have produced a very remarkable +result in combination. The general effect distinctly red. The round dorsal +is reddish above, of a deeper shade at base, with dotted lines of red; the +petals curve down, dark red at the base, fading towards the ends, which +are clothed in a pretty network of pale red. The green slipper is clouded +and netted over with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Telemachus</i> (niveum × Lawrenceanum).—The dorsal, very broad, is tinged +with purple in the centre. Crimson lines ascend from a green base and the +margin all round is white. The petals are green, changing to purple, with +darker lines and spots. Slipper crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Tautzianum lepidum</i> (niveum × barbatum Warneri).—A rosy flower, covered +throughout with lines and network of crimson. The lip darker.</p> + +<p><i>Georges Truffaut</i> (ciliolare × Stonei).—Very large. The tall dorsal has +crimson edges and lines, greenish centre.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> The twisted petals—greenish, +with crimson lines, very large maroon spots and crimson-purple tips—hang +loosely. An enormous slipper, all crimson-brown.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. E. G. Uihlein</i> (villosum aureum × Leeanum giganteum).—The dorsal +rises to a point between shoulders perfectly square, white, with a heavy +slash of copper from base to crest; the centre greenish-coppery, with +lines and mottling of pale crimson. Petals green in the upper half, +clouded and lined with copper; paler below. Slipper similar.</p> + +<p><i>Venustum</i> (Measures variety).—A remarkable sport. Small. The white +dorsal is striped with clear green lines, rising from a green cloud at the +base. The ochreous copper petals have a green base. Slipper the same, +covered with a pretty green network.</p> + +<p><i>Watsonianum</i> (Harrisianum nigrum × concolor).—The white crested dorsal +shows a crimson line in the centre, green on either side, crimson towards +the edges. The petals, dark green at base, fade to a paler tint, and the +ends are crimson; all softly lined with crimson. Slipper maroon.</p> + +<p><i>Woodlandsense</i> (Dayanum × Javanicum virens).—Among the rare Cypripeds in +this collection, I have noted several of which the dorsal sepal bore a +cap, elaborate as eccentric in shape. But this is most singular of all. +Between the point of the dorsal and the shoulder is a process which I can +only describe in architectural language as a volute reversed; an addition +so abnormal and inexplicable that I really find nothing to say about it. +In other respects the dorsal is striking—handsomely rounded, white with a +rosy margin, the vivid green at the base not fading softly but abrupt +almost as a splash; petals the same vivid green, with maroon spots and a +stain of copper at the ends. The rosy stamenode shows well upon this +ground. Slipper pale green, with a pleasing network of copper.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span><i>Zeus</i> (tonsum × Boxallii).—The white globular dorsal rises from a very +slender green waist, with a broad dark-crimson line up the centre. Petals +dark coppery in the upper half, pale below. Slipper dusky.</p> + +<p><i>Annie Measures</i> (bellatulum × Dayanum).—Dorsal yellowish, outlined +white, covered with slender purple lines and dots. Large smooth petals, +netted over with small crimson dots in a pattern. Slipper narrow, dull +crimson above, white toe.</p> + +<p><i>Frau Ida Brandt</i> (Io grande × Youngianum).—The large dorsal, white at +the edges, is suffused with green and purple; the long petals, green and +purple, are depressed. Heavy spots of crimson-brown, furnished with stiff +hairs, cover them. Handsomely reversed at the tip. Slipper +greenish-coppery.</p> + +<p><i>Adrastus</i> (Leeanum × Boxallii).—Here the large white dorsal with green +base is heavily blotched with red-brown in the centre, lightly at the +sides. The closely drooping petals, yellowish green, have the upper half +splashed and mottled with a lively brown almost obscuring the +ground-colour, which reappears in the lower half. Lip green at toe, +coppery above.</p> + +<p><i>Athos</i> (parentage unknown) has an odd colouring—ochreous-green sepals, +outlined with white and profusely dotted with brown; petals bright ochre, +the upper length scored with lines of raw sienna. The lip similar.</p> + +<p><i>Arthurianum pulchellum</i> (Fairieanum × insigne Chantinii).—The green +dorsal is thickly dotted all over with brown; the tip falls over, showing +its white underside. Petals depressed, greenish, charmingly frilled, +clouded and lined with copper-brown above, spotted with copper below. +Slipper greenish, handsomely veined and marbled in a soft coppery tone.</p> + +<p><i>Astraea</i> (laevigatum × Spicerianum).—Dorsal white, with a pale green +base, whence a heavy radius, maroon in colour,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> mounts to the tip; petals +narrow, loosely hanging, greenish at base, crimson-purple through most of +their length, marked with red lines. Slipper greenish, stained with +purple.</p> + +<p><i>Aurantiacum</i> (venustum × insigne aureum).—Ochreous-green dorsal, its +square top broadly crowned with white, spotted below with brownish-red; +petals darker, similarly spotted. The slipper harmonises.</p> + +<p><i>Cleopatra</i> (Hookerae × aenanthum superbum).—A striking flower—deep +glossy crimson, ribbed with a darker hue. On the upper length of the +petals are heavy warts; the lower has a greenish tawny stain at base, like +the slipper.</p> + +<p><i>Lily Measures</i> (Dayanum × niveum).—The dorsal is white, daintily +flushed, with green base. Lines of red dots ascend from it, growing +smaller and fainter as they rise. Such lines form a pleasing network on +the petals, which have a yellowish smear at the base. The slipper +corresponds.</p> + +<p><i>Lawrebel</i> (Lawrenceanum × bellatulum).—A grand and gorgeous hybrid. The +green patch at the base of the dorsal is promptly swallowed up by a +crimson cloud, which again fades into a delicious mottling of crimson on a +white ground. The petals are vivid green above, paler below, both changing +to crimson at the tips. Slipper yellowish at the edge and the toe, crimson +between.</p> + +<p><i>Lawrebel</i> (Woodlands variety) shows the difference of colour so often +found among seedlings of the same parentage and the same ‘batch.’ Here the +crimson is by no means so bright, in fact purplish, but it covers nearly +the whole surface of the dorsal, and what remains is not white but green. +On the petals also, which are broader, green occupies nearly all the +space, though less vivid, and the crimson of the tips almost disappears. +They are heavily spotted with maroon. Slipper dusky purple, netted over +with maroon.</p> + +<p><i>La France</i> (nitens × niveum).—White and very graceful.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> The only trace +of colour appears in broad pink spots at the base of the dorsal, and +smaller spots, more profuse, at the base of the petals. On the slipper +they are smaller still, set along the edge.</p> + +<p><i>Lawrenceanum-Hyeanum</i> has a broad white dorsal, clouded with green at the +base, and marked with handsome green lines. The narrow petals stand out +firmly, vivid green, with lines of a deeper shade. The slipper also is +green but pale. Another example is very much larger.</p> + +<p><i>Lawrenceanum Sir Trevor.</i>—This is no hybrid, but a wonderful variety of +the species. The dorsal strangely broad and depressed—squat in fact. +White in colour, with superb green lines mounting from the green cloud +below, it sits tight over the rectangular petals of dark but vivid green, +marked with deeper lines. The slipper is yellowish-green.</p> + +<p><i>Leucochilum giganteum</i> (assumed to be a hybrid of Godefroyae × +bellatulum).—A compact flower, of which the three parts seem equal in +size. White, with a faint ochreous tinge; covered throughout, saving the +margin, with crimson spots, which form almost a blotch in the midst of the +dorsal. Slipper small and white.</p> + +<p><i>Leysenianum</i> (barbatum Crossii × bellatulum).—The dorsal is very +handsome and striking, bright crimson at top, fading to a dusky base, +lined with crimson. The clinging petals, tawny green in the upper length, +are washed with crimson in the lower; all profusely spotted with maroon. +Slipper dull crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. Fred Hardy</i> (superbiens × bellatulum).—A very dainty hybrid. The +dorsal, white with a greenish centre, is covered with interlacing crimson +lines dotted with maroon, saving the clear margin. The petals almost form +a semi-circle, greenish with a white edge, netted over with pale crimson +and dotted with maroon in lines. The slipper greenish, with a pretty pink +network round the upper part.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span><i>Holidayanum</i> (concolor × almum).—Excepting a narrow white margin the +dorsal is bright crimson, darkening towards the greenish base; petals +greenish, with edges and dotted lines of crimson. Slipper dull crimson, +with yellowish toe.</p> + +<p><i>Hirsuto-Sallierii.</i>—The upper half of the dorsal is white, the lower +clear yellow-green, the whole covered with antlered lines of grass-green; +petals yellow-green, finely frilled, tipped with palest purple. Pale +purple and greenish also is the slipper.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. Herbert Measures</i> (Lathamianum × Leeanum giganteum).—The great +dorsal, yellow tinged with purple, has the shape of a flattened peg-top. A +broad splash of maroon bisects it. The cinnamon-coloured petals are +flushed with red, and lined with the same tint; the midrib is maroon. +Slipper abnormally wide, purplish.</p> + +<p><i>Javanicum.</i>—A species, named from its habitat. Small and solidly green +save the white crest of the dorsal, and the pale purple tips of the narrow +petals. Such strong and decided colouring makes it useful to the +hybridiser.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresianum</i> (villosum × venustum).—The small triangular dorsal, +white, is evenly striped with green; petals yellow-green, with a +grass-green base and emerald lines from end to end. The slipper shows a +charming network of vivid green on a tawny yellow ground.</p> + +<p><i>Marchioness of Salisbury</i> (bellatulum × barbatum superbum, Sander’s +variety).—Dorsal hollow, broadly crimson all round the margin, dusky +white inside, striped with crimson and speckled with maroon. Petals +closely depressed, white, with a shade of green above, of crimson below, +dotted with maroon. Slipper tawny crimson, with clouding of the same.</p> + +<p><i>Marshallianum</i> (venustum-pardinum × concolor).—Unique in effect. Dorsal +and petals ochreous white, with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> faint crimson flush; all densely +covered with minute crimson dots. Slipper of a yellow almost bright.</p> + +<p><i>Brysa</i> (Boissierianum × Sedeni candidulum).—A handsome plant, with long +pale leaves. Dorsal greenish, corkscrew petals similar, tinged with pink. +Slipper pale pink, all the inside prettily dotted with brown.</p> + +<p><i>Muriel Hollington</i> (niveum × insigne).—A broad flower but compact. The +globular white dorsal has a pink cloud at the base and dots of crimson. +The petals, similar, have crimson lines. Slipper prettily mottled with +pink.</p> + +<p><i>Lavinia</i> (concolor × barbatum).—White of ground-colour all through, with +a faintest flush of rose-pink. The whole of the dorsal marked with maroon +dots upon regular lines of crimson. The broad drooping petals are spotted +irregularly with the same tint. The narrow white slipper has a close array +of crimson dots round the edge.</p> + +<p><i>Cydonia</i> (concolor × Curtisii).—Dorsal flesh-colour at the edges; in the +middle a broad green stain which fades towards the apex. Midrib +brown-crimson, with a paler network of the same over all. Petals crimson +above, then greenish, pink or light crimson below, with faint lines and +sharp little dots of crimson-brown. Slipper brownish and green.</p> + +<p><i>Symonsianum</i> (volonteanum × Rothschildianum).—Impressive for size and +width, but not brilliant nor attractive in colour. Dorsal greenish, with +pink-flushed edges, marked by strong lines of crimson-brown. Petals +greenish, tipped with pale crimson, strongly dotted along the edges with +the bristling tufts of Rothschildianum. Slipper nondescript—greenish and +purplish.</p> + +<p><i>J. Coles</i> (Godefrovae-leucochilum majesticum × Dayanum superbum).—A +charming flower. The dorsal is purplish crimson, with a pretty tinge of +green in the midst and narrow white edges; the whole lined and netted +over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> with crimson-purple. Petals the same, very dark at base, paling to a +greenish centre; all closely spotted with the dark crimson tone. Slipper +maroon, highly polished.</p> + +<p><i>Princess May</i> (callosum × Sanderianum).—A stately bloom, of impressive +colouring. The tall bulbous dorsal is white at the crest, crimson-lake +below, pale green at base; the whole striped with maroon and with crimson +dots. Petals long, drooping far below the greenish slipper, green in the +midst, with crimson edges and profuse dottings of crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Pylaeus</i> (Cardinale × Sedeni).—Pink and pretty. The pointed dorsal is +pale pink above, greenish in the midst. The sharp pink petals have edges +of carmine, and carmine tips. The pouch-like slipper is crimson; its +lining ivory, marbled with pink.</p> + +<p><i>Phoebe</i> (laevigatum × bellatulum).—Rosy-white throughout. The dorsal +bears a cloud of crimson-lake, sharply defined, darkening to maroon at the +base, whence proceed heavy branching lines of crimson and maroon. The +petals, crimson-stained above, heavily dotted all over with maroon, have +white margins. Slipper bright crimson at the top, whitish below.</p> + +<p><i>Paris</i> (bellatulum × Stonei).—A grand beauty. The broad globular dorsal +has a greenish patch in the midst, surrounded by purple, netted all over +with maroon lines. The edges are pure white, as distinct as if drawn with +the brush. Petals depressed, curiously blunted at the tips, +verdigris-green at base, fading and changing to dusky crimson, with heavy +spots of deepest maroon. Slipper purple, netted over with carmine; +yellowish at the toe.</p> + +<p><i>Rowena</i> (Chamberlainianum × bellatulum).—Dorsal greenish-yellow above, +darkest maroon below; branching maroon lines circle upwards. Petals +greenish towards the tips, clouded at base, edged, scored, and dotted all +over with maroon-crimson. The shield of the column intensely dark<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> maroon +and shining. Slipper striped with a pleasant pale crimson, and closely +speckled over with tiny points of a darker shade.</p> + +<p><i>Mrs. W. A. Roebling</i> (caudatum × leucorrhodum).—The colouring is very +delicate. Dorsal long, with a twisted crest; all stainless grass-green. +Petals, which make one complete revolution or twist, softly greenish in +the middle, edged with tender pale crimson, which also appears on the +reverse; the lower base shows a brilliant decoration of tiny crimson bars +round the column. The pouched slipper, bright pink, has a yellow lining, +freckled with greenish dots.</p> + +<p><i>Reticulatum.</i>—A species, known also as Boissierianum, as curious as +charming. The dorsal, of extraordinary length and the same narrow width +throughout, curls over at the crest—bright pea-green, with slender lines +a shade darker. The petals have the same slender green lines; they are +very thin, closely and evenly twisted in six complete spirals. The shield +of the column intensely dark green. Slipper green, its lining snow-white, +with purple dots.</p> + +<p><i>Charles Richmond</i> (bellatulum × barbatum superbum).—The broad purplish +dorsal has a whitish outline and a greenish tinge in the centre; its +midrib is very strong purple, as are the lines which intersect it. Petals +purple, darker at the base, dotted all over with maroon. Slipper dark +purplish-crimson. In colour, shape, and size alike this hybrid is most +impressive.</p> + +<p><i>Schofieldianum</i> (bellatulum × hirsutissimum).—Very distinct. On a +yellowish-white ground the dorsal has a pale greenish centre, surrounded +by purple, deepening at the base; all scored with branching lines of +purple in dots. The petals are broad and strong, yellowish-white, tinged +with purple, closely covered with maroon-purple dots. Slipper +purplish-crimson, greenish at the toe.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span><i>Southgatense</i> (callosum × bellatulum).—The dorsal has a rosy-white +ground, very heavily clouded with dark crimson below, and almost hidden by +strong lines of crimson and maroon. The petals have a touch of bright +green at the base, edges of a lively dark crimson, and strong dots of +maroon. Slipper crimson, dusky yellow at the toe.</p> + +<p><i>Southgatense superbum.</i>—This is another example of the difference which +seedlings from the same pod may display; cases even more striking could be +adduced with ease. Incomparably finer than the last. The rosy-white dorsal +is stained with crimson up to the edges, and scored with darker lines. The +petals, slightly greenish at the base, have a dotting of crimson on their +rosy-white ground. The slipper, whitish, is prettily speckled with crimson +round the top.</p> + +<p><i>Massaianum</i> (superciliare × Rothschildianum).—A large bold flower. +Dorsal white, greenish in the middle. Clear thin lines of purple, almost +black, alternate with lines equally thin of pale green. The fine long +petals are greenish above, palest purple below, with the massive spots of +Rothschildianum. Strong hairs line the edges. The broad shield is dusky +ochre. Slipper maroon, netted over with a deeper shade.</p> + +<p><i>Miss Clara Measures</i> (bellatulum eximium × barbatum +grandiflorum).—Lively dark crimson. The crest of the dorsal is handsomely +defined by semicircular scallops on each side. Petals depressed, clinging +to the slipper, greenish at base, fading and changing to the same bright +dark crimson as the dorsal; all speckled finely in a deeper shade. Slipper +crimson. A grand flower.</p> + +<p><i>Measuresiae</i> (bellatulum × superbiens).—Dorsal rosy, with green tip and +a faintly green centre, dotted over with maroon in lines. Petals rosy +white, tinged with purple above, strongly speckled with maroon. Slipper +crimson, fading towards the toe, covered with crimson dots.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span><i>Winifred Hollington</i> (niveum × callosum).—Dorsal pale dusky crimson, +purple at base; lines of the same colour, accentuated by dots. The +handsome petals are pale purple, with darker branching lines and specks +over all. Slipper purplish, with pale crimson lines.</p> + +<p><i>Nitidum</i> (selligerum majus × nitens).—Very large. The broad white edges +of the dorsal fold sharply back. It is green in the midst, with green +lines and longitudinal rows of strong dark brown spots. Petals clear brown +above, with a tinge of maroon, paler below, with spots of the same. +Slipper brownish. The whole polished and shiny to a degree which gives it +the name nitidum.</p> + +<p>But there was one astonishing peculiarity in the flower which I saw—the +first produced. Everyone knows that in the genus Cypripedium the two lower +sepals are fused together, making a single limb, small commonly, +insignificant, and nearly hidden by the slipper. But in this case there +was no attempt at fusion. The lower sepals stood out as clearly as in a +Cattleya, one on each side the slipper—whitish, with green lines and +crimson spots at the base. It will be interesting to observe whether this +deformity—which is in truth a return to the more graceful pristine +form—will prove to be permanent.</p> + +<p><i>Sir Redvers Buller.</i>—A new hybrid of which the parents are understood to +be Lucie × insigne; the former itself a hybrid—Lawrenceanum × ciliolare. +I have not seen the flower, which is thus described in the <i>Gardeners’ +Chronicle</i>, Jan. 20, 1900: ‘The fine dorsal is of a pale-green tint in the +lower half with dark chocolate-purple dotted lines; the upper portion pure +white, with the basal dark lines continued into it, but of a deep +rose-purple. The petals are yellowish, tinged with rose on the outer +halves and blotched with dark purplish chocolate. Lip greenish with the +face tinged reddish-brown.’</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-237tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-237.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"><span class="smcap">CYPRIPEDIUM BOISSIERIANUM var. BUNGEROTHI.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF CYPRIPEDIUM PLATYTAENIUM</h2> + +<p>This is the rarest and costliest of all orchids—of all flowers that blow, +indeed, and all green things, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop upon +the housetop. I think it no exaggeration to say that a strong specimen +would be worth its weight in diamonds if a little one—for the most +enthusiastic of millionaires seem to lose courage when biddings go beyond +a certain sum. But it is long since any plants came into the market.</p> + +<p>I suppress part of the name, as usual, fearing to daunt casual readers. Be +it understood that this treasure is a variety of Cypripedium Stoneii; the +specific title should be introduced in speaking of it. Doubtless +platytaenium is a very handsome member of the family, impressive in size +and shape, elegantly coloured. But one who regards the flower with eyes +undazzled by fashion may pronounce that its value lies mostly in its +renown.</p> + +<p>But one plant has ever been discovered; and that came to Europe +unannounced. Messrs. Low sold a quantity of a new Cypripedium from Borneo. +Some pieces were bought by Mr. Day, of Tottenham, at an average of eight +shillings each. They flowered successively, and Mr. Day named the species +Stoneii, after his excellent gardener. In 1863, however, one appeared +different to the rest—different, as it has proved, to all the myriads +which have been discovered since. This was named platytaenium. But besides +the merit of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> rarity, it is distinguished by a peculiar slowness of +growth. Mr. Day multiplied the specimen as fast as he could, but between +1863 and 1881 he only succeeded in making four small plants from it. One +of these was sold to Mrs. Morgan, of New York; it perished, doubtless, for +when, at her death, a Cypriped was put up under that hallowed name, and +bought at a long price, it proved to be the common Stoneii. Mr. Dorman, of +Sydenham, was the victim. I may mention that two of the largest +orchid-dealers in Europe sent an agent expressly to buy this ‘lot’ in New +York. Mr. Day then had three left. One of them he divided, and gave a +fragment to his sister, Mrs. Wolstenholme. The Tottenham collection was +dispersed in 1881; Mr. Day kept one small plant, Baron Schröder bought one +for £106; Mr. Lee, of Leatherhead, and Sir Trevor Lawrence, in +partnership, one for £147. Three or four years afterwards this was +divided, each partner taking his share. Baron Schröder afterwards bought +Mr. Lee’s. Also he bought the one Mr. Day kept back, for £159:12s., at the +death of that gentleman. Then Mrs. Wolstenholme’s executors put up her +example—which had never flowered—and Baron Schröder secured it for £100. +These prices do not seem to bear out my statement that platytaenium is the +most valuable of all orchids. Infinitely greater sums have been paid. But +it must be remembered that these were all tiny bits, weakened by division +whenever they grew big enough to cut. At present Baron Schröder and Sir +Trevor Lawrence have all the stock existing, to human knowledge. How much +either would obtain at Protheroe’s for his little hoard makes a favourite +theme for speculation in a gathering of orchidists. They have one +significant hint to go upon. Two years ago Mr. Ames, of Boston, U.S.A., +commissioned Mr. Sander to offer Sir Trevor Lawrence a cheque of 800 +guineas for one plant. And Sir Trevor declined it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>Now for the legend. That consignment of Cyp. Stoneii in which platytaenium +appeared was forwarded by Sir Hugh Low from Sarawak. He recalls the +circumstances with peculiar distinctness, as is natural. The plants were +collected on the very top of a limestone hill at Bidi, near Bau, famous +afterwards in the annals of Sarawak as the spot whence the Chinese +insurgents started to overthrow the government of Rajah Brooke. But the +gold washings had not been discovered then. Such Chinamen as dwelt in the +neighbourhood were mostly gardeners and small traders. A few sought +nuggets in holes and fissures of the limestone, and found them, too, +occasionally. Sir Hugh Low could never frame a satisfactory explanation of +the presence of gold under such conditions, but it is frequent in Borneo. +That auriferous strata should decompose, and that nuggets should be +transferred to another formation during the process, is easily +intelligible. But in many instances, as at Bau, the gold is found at a +considerable height, and no trace remains of those loftier hills from +which it must have fallen. Deposits of tin occur under just the same +circumstances in the Malay Peninsula.</p> + +<p>The top of this little hill was a basin, much like a shallow crater, +encircled by jagged peaks as by a wall. Each of these was clothed in the +glossy leaves of Cyp. Stoneii from top to bottom, as it would be with ivy +in our latitude. So easy was orchid-collecting in those days. Sir Hugh had +but to choose the finest, and pull off as many as his servants could +carry. In the hollow of the basin other Cypripeds were growing—plants +with spotted foliage—and he has not ceased to regret leaving these +untouched, since wider knowledge inclines him to fancy that they belonged +to species not yet introduced. At one spot, however, beneath the shadow of +the little peaks, gold-seekers made a practice of camping. Ashes lay thick +there, and bits of charcoal and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> dry bones. Here sprang a single tuft of +Cyp. Stoneii, and in passing Sir Hugh was tempted to dig it up. He +cherishes a suspicion—which he does not attempt to justify, of +course—that this solitary plant, growing under conditions so different to +the rest, was platytaenium.</p> + +<p>Some years afterwards, a young clerk in the service of a German firm at +Singapore, visited Sarawak on his holiday. Orchids made a standing topic +for conversation in that early time. He heard much about Mr. Day’s +priceless Cypriped at the capital, and he resolved to try his luck. I may +call him Smidt for convenience; my informants are not sure of the name, +after a lapse of forty years.</p> + +<p>There is no trouble in reaching Bau. The village stands on the river +Sarawak, and at any moment of the day a sampan can be hired to take one +thither. Smidt did not travel in luxury. If he kept a ‘boy’ at Singapore, +like a thrifty young Teuton he left him behind. Servants are as easily +found in those countries as sampans, if one be not too particular. Smidt +engaged a Chinaman who had good recommendations, though not of recent +date, nor from persons living in Sarawak; he had come thither from Penang +to ‘better himself,’ as he said, and had been working at the gold-fields. +For convenience again we may give him a name—Ahtan.</p> + +<p>The project of visiting Bau was not agreeable to this Chinaman. ‘I makee +bad pigeon there one time,’ he said frankly. But the objection was not +serious.</p> + +<p>Bau had changed since Sir Hugh Low’s day. In the meantime the Dutch +authorities at Sambas had irritated the gold-diggers of that region to the +point that they massacred a body of troops—I do not mean to hint that the +Dutch policy was unjustifiable. In consequence a great number of Chinamen +fled across the frontier, found profitable washings at Bau, and invited +their comrades. So many came, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> they showed such a lawless spirit from +the outset, that the Rajah’s government took alarm. But as yet all was +quiet enough.</p> + +<p>Smidt had obtained a note from one of the Chinese merchants at Sarawak, +with whom his employers did business, to the head of the Kunsi—the +Gold-diggers’ Union, as we should say. That personage invited him to use +his house. Unwillingly did Ahtan accompany his master. He bowed before the +Kunsi chief, and made a long discourse with downcast eyes and folded +hands. The chief answered shortly and motioned him to go about his +business.</p> + +<p>If Smidt made inquiries about that wonderful organisation, the Kunsi of +the gold-diggers at Bau, so soon to be crushed in a mad revolt, assuredly +he found matter to interest him. The parent society in Sambas has annals +dating back two hundred years, and its system was imported, they say, from +China without alteration. There is no reason to doubt the statement. +Anyhow, we find among these immigrants, two centuries ago, a perfected +system of trade union, benefit clubs, life assurance, co-operative stores, +and provision for old age, such as British working-men may contemplate +with puzzled and envious despair at the present day. Every detail is so +well adjusted—by the experience of ages—that disputes scarcely ever +arise; when they do the Council gives judgment, and no one questions its +decision. The earnings of the whole body are stored in the Treasury. There +is a general meeting once a fortnight, when the accounts are audited in +public, and each member receives his share as per scale, subject to the +deduction for veterans’ past work, widows and orphans, and also for the +goods he has bought at the co-operative store. But I must not linger on +this fascinating theme.</p> + +<p>Next day Smidt started to explore the famous hill with Ahtan, who carried +the tambok—the luncheon basket. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> found Cypripeds beyond counting and +noted certain spots to be re-visited. Then he chose a shady nook for +lunch, and Ahtan lit a fire.</p> + +<p>It was beneath a wall of limestone, a tangle of foliage above, where the +sunlight struck it, but clothed only in moss and ferns and bare roots in +the shade below. There was wind upon the hill as usual, and Ahtan made his +fire in a cleft.</p> + +<p>Smith sat on a log opposite, smoking, after the meal. He remembered +afterwards that Ahtan was eager to start, packing his utensils hastily, +and predicting ‘muchee rain by’m bye minute.’ But no signs of change were +visible. Presently the Chinaman put a quantity of green leaves upon the +fire. Such a volume of smoke arose as called Smidt’s attention.</p> + +<p>It was in a cleft, and he sat opposite, as has been said. The blaze had +scorched that drapery of ferns. The moss just above had peeled off in +flakes, taken fire mostly and dropped. So in places the rock stood bare. +Looking in that direction now, Smidt observed a yellow gleam, hidden by +smoke for a moment, then reappearing more distinctly. It was worth +investigation. He rose leisurely and crossed the little space. Ahtan was +standing on one side. As he scattered the fire with his foot, looking for +that yellow gleam the while, a tremendous blow felled him. He was dimly +conscious of another before his senses fled.</p> + +<p>Not till sunset did Smidt feel strong enough to descend the hill; before +starting he looked for the ‘yellow gleam’—it had vanished, and in place +of it was a hole. Bloodstained and tottering he regained the public path. +Diggers returning from their work laughed heartily at the spectacle, but +perhaps they meant no harm. Chinamen must not be judged by the laws that +apply to other mortals. At least they warned the chief, who sent two +stalwart members of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> Kunsi to assist his guest. They also found the +situation vastly amusing, but they were kind enough.</p> + +<p>The chief had a bottle of skimpin ready. He set a slave to wash Smidt’s +head, and clothed him in a snowy bajo. No questions did he ask. Smidt told +his short story, and begged him to pursue the malefactor.</p> + +<p>‘No good, sir,’ said the chief. ‘I policeman here—I know. Where you think +Ahtan?’</p> + +<p>‘In the jungle, I suppose, making for Kuching with the great nugget he +picked out of the rock. Send to warn the Tuan magistrate, at least.’</p> + +<p>‘I say, sir, I Tuan magistrate here, and I know.’ He unlocked a coffer, +iron-bound, using three separate keys; brought out a parcel wrapped in +cloth and slowly unfolded it, looking at Smidt the while, his narrow eyes +twinkling.</p> + +<p>‘You say nugget, hey?’</p> + +<p>Smidt gasped. It was a lump of gold as big as his two fists.</p> + +<p>‘Is this—is this mine?’</p> + +<p>The chief sat down to laugh and rolled about, spluttering Chinese +interjections.</p> + +<p>‘Is this mine? He-he-he-he! Mine? This gold, sir! Kunsi take gold—all +gold here! You says, mine, sir? Ha! ha! ha!’</p> + +<p>Smidt did not feel assured of his legal rights.</p> + +<p>‘You took it from Ahtan?’ he asked. ‘Did you arrest him?’</p> + +<p>The chief had another fit. Recovering, he answered, ‘Ahtan down this way,’ +and stamped upon the ground.</p> + +<p>‘In the cellar? Oh, that’s a comfort! I’ll carry him to Kuching +to-morrow.’</p> + +<p>This caused another outburst of merriment. ‘I tell, sir, I Tuan magistrate +at Bau. Ahtan he under order for kingdom come to-night.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>This was rather shocking. ‘Oh, I don’t ask that. He must be tried.’</p> + +<p>‘What your matter, sir?’ the chief snapped out. ‘I try him, and I say die! +Ahtan is Kunsi man. He play trick before—I let him go. We catch him on +river with gold. He die this time.’</p> + +<p>Doubtless he did—not for attempted murder, but for breaking his oath to +the Kunsi. Smidt ought to have denounced this monstrous illegality to the +Rajah. But his firm did a great business with Chinamen, and their secret +societies have a very long arm. I imagine that he held his tongue.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM</h2> + +<p>The annals of Cypripedium Spicerianum open in 1878, when Mrs. Spicer, a +lady residing at Wimbledon, asked Messrs. Veitch to come and see a curious +flower, very lovely, as she thought, which had made its appearance in her +green-house. Messrs. Veitch came; with no extravagant hopes perhaps, for +experience might well make them distrustful of feminine enthusiasm. But in +this instance it was more than justified, and, in short, they carried off +the marvel, leaving a cheque for seventy guineas behind. I may remark that +Cypripeds are easy to cultivate. They are also quick to increase. Messrs. +Veitch hurried their specimen along, and divided it as fast as was safe. +To say that the morsels fetched their weight in gold would be the reverse +of exaggeration—mere bathos.</p> + +<p>Importers sat up. They were not without a hint to direct their search in +this case. The treasure had arrived amongst a quantity of Cyp. insigne. +Therefore it must be a native of the Himalayan region—Assam, Darjeeling, +or Sikkim, no doubt. There are plenty of persons along that frontier able +and willing to hunt up a new plant. A good many of them probably received +commissions to find Cypripedium Spicerianum.</p> + +<p>At St. Albans they were more deliberate. It is not exactly usual for +ladies residing at Wimbledon to receive consignments of orchids. When such +an event happens,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> one may conclude that they have relatives or intimate +friends in the district where those orchids grow; it will hardly be waste +of time anyhow to inquire. A discreet investigation proved that this +lady’s son was a tea-planter, with large estates on the confines of +Bhutan. With the address in his pocket Mr. Forstermann, a collector of +renown, started by next mail.</p> + +<p>Orchids must be classed with <i>ferae naturae</i> in which a landowner has no +property. But it is not to be supposed that a man of business will tell +the casual inquirer where to pick up, on his own estate, weeds worth +seventy guineas each. Forstermann did not expect it. Leaving his baggage +at the dak bungalow, he strolled afoot to the large and handsome mansion +indicated. Mr. Spicer was sitting in the verandah, and in the pleasant, +easy way usual with men who very rarely see a white stranger of +respectable appearance, he shouted:</p> + +<p>‘Are you looking for me, sir? Come up!’</p> + +<p>Forstermann went up, took an arm-chair and a cheroot, accepted a +comforting glass, and sketched his experiences of the road before +declaring even his name. Then he announced himself as an aspirant +tea-planter, desirous to gain some practical knowledge of the business +before risking his very small capital. In short, could Mr. Spicer give him +a ‘job’?</p> + +<p>‘I’m afraid not,’ said Mr. Spicer. ‘We have quite as many men in your +position as we can find work for. But anyhow you can look round and talk +to our people and see whether the life is likely to suit you. Meantime, +you’re very welcome to stay here as my guest. If you’ve brought a gun, my +manager will show you some sport; but he’s away just now. Oh, you needn’t +thank me. In my opinion it’s the duty of men who have succeeded to help +beginners along, and I’m sorry I can’t do more for you.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>Forstermann remembers a twinge of conscience here. It may be indubitable +that orchids are <i>ferae naturae</i>. But they have a distinct money value for +all that, and to remove them from the estate of a man who gives you a +reception like this! Anyhow, he felt uncomfortable. But to find the thing +was his first duty. Possibly some arrangement might be made, though he +could not imagine how.</p> + +<p>The invitation was accepted, of course, and a week passed very pleasantly. +But Forstermann could not bring his host to the point desired. Several +times they observed Cypripedium insigne whilst riding or driving about the +neighbourhood. Mr. Spicer even remarked, when his attention was called to +it, that he had sent a number of plants home; but nothing followed. Then +the manager returned, and the same night an appointment was made to go +after duck on the morrow.</p> + +<p>Forstermann turned out at dawn, but his companion was not ready. He gave +the explanation as they rode along.</p> + +<p>‘We had another <i>chelan</i> last night—you have learnt the meaning of that +word, I daresay!—a faction fight among our people. The coolies on this +estate come mostly from Chota Nagpore, and thereabouts. They’re good +workers, and not so troublesome as regular Hindus when once they’ve +settled down. But there’s generally a bother when a new gang arrives. We +tell our agents to be very careful in recruiting none but friendly clans. +Young Mice and Fig Leaves we find best among the Oraons, Stars and Wild +Geese among the Sonthals.’ Forstermann was puzzled, but he did not +interrupt. ‘It’s no use, however. They take any fellow that comes +along—and between ourselves, you know, considering how many of those +scamps bolt with the contract-money and never enlist a soul, we haven’t so +very much to complain of. It’s a bad system, sir!</p> + +<p>‘Well, when they get here, a mixed lot, they find half a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> dozen mixed lots +established. We have, to my knowledge,’ reckoning on his fingers, +‘Tortoises, Tigers, Crows, Eels, Grass-spiders, Fishing-nets—ay, and a +lot more, besides Stars and Wild-geese. Of course, they quarrel at sight, +and we don’t interfere unless the <i>chelan</i> gets serious. What’s the good? +But, besides that, there is a standing provocation, as you may say. Some +of our coolies have been with us many years. They don’t care to go +home—for reasons good, no doubt, but it’s not our business. Well, two of +these fellows have married—one, a Potato, has married the Stomach of a +pig——’</p> + +<p>‘Eh?’ Forstermann could not contain himself.</p> + +<p>‘Those are their families, you know.’ The manager, quite grave hitherto, +laughed out suddenly. ‘Of course, it seems mighty droll to you, but we’re +accustomed to it. Each clan claims to be descended from the thing after +which it is named. You mustn’t ask me how the Stomach of a pig can have +children. That’s beyond our understanding. The point is that certain of +these stocks may not intermarry under pain of death—that’s their law. So +you may fancy the rumpus when strange Potatoes arriving here find one of +their breed——’ he laughed again. ‘It does sound funny, when you think of +it! Last night, however, when the usual disturbance broke out—a new gang +arrived yesterday, you know—Minjar, the Eel, who is the other fellow that +has married some girl he ought not to, declared he had made +blood-brotherhood with the chief of the Bhutias across the river, who +would come to avenge him if he were hurt. And I fancy that’s not quite +such nonsense as you would think. I saw Minjar there that time I got the +orchid——’</p> + +<p>Forstermann heard no more of the tale. The orchid! They reached the pool, +and he shot ducks conscientiously, but his thoughts were busy in devising +means to lead the conversation back to that point.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>There was no need of finesse, however. At a word the manager told +everything. He it was who found the Cypripedium which had caused such a +fuss, when shooting on the other side of the river—that is, beyond +British territory. Struck with its beauty, he gathered a plant or two and +gave them to Mr. Spicer. It took him several days’ journey to reach the +spot, but he was shooting by the way. Tigers abounded there—so did fever. +The mountaineers were as unfriendly as they dared to be. For these reasons +Mr. Spicer begged him not to return. The same motive, doubtless, caused +the planter to be reticent towards others.</p> + +<p>With a clear conscience and heartiest thanks Forstermann bade his host +farewell next day. He had a long and painful search before him still, for +his informant could give no more than general directions. The plant grew +upon rocks along the bed of a stream to the north-west of Mr. Spicer’s +plantation, not less than two days’ journey from the river—that was about +all. The inhabitants of the country, besides tigers, were savages.</p> + +<p>Many a stream did Forstermann explore under the most uncomfortable +circumstances, wading thigh-deep, hour after hour, day after day. I am +sorry that I have not room even to summarise the long letter in which he +detailed those adventures.</p> + +<p>To search the upland waters would have been comparatively easy; he might +have walked along the bank. But the Cypripedium grew in a valley; and +nowhere is tropical vegetation more dense than in those steaming clefts +which fall from the mountains of Bhutan. To cut a path was out of the +question; the work would have lasted for months, putting expense aside. It +was necessary to march up the bed of the stream.</p> + +<p>Forstermann ascended each tributary with patient hopefulness, knowing that +success was certain if he could hold out.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> And it came at length to one so +deserving; but the manager had wandered to a much greater distance than he +thought. After wading all the forenoon up a torrent which had not yet lost +its highland chill, Forstermann reached a glade, encircled by rocks steep +as a wall—so steep that he had to fashion rakes of bamboo wherewith to +drag down the masses of orchid which clung to them. It was Cypripedium +Spicerianum!</p> + +<p>Then arose the difficulty of getting his plunder away. After much +journeying to and fro, Forstermann engaged thirty-two Bhutias, half of +them to carry rice for the others along those mountain tracks, where 25 +lbs. is a heavy load. So they travelled until, one day, after halting at a +village, the men refused to advance. The road ahead was occupied by a +tiger—I should mention that such alarms had been incessant; in no country +are tigers so common or so dangerous as in Bhutan. Forstermann drove them +along; at the next bit of jungle eight threw down their loads and +vanished. He found himself obliged to return, but eight more were missing +when he reached the village. There was no other road. Gradually the poor +fellow perceived that he must abandon his enterprise or clear the path. At +sunset, they told him, the brute would be watching—probably in a tree, +described with precision. Forstermann spent the time in writing farewell +letters—making his will, perhaps. Towards sunset, he took a rifle and a +gun and sallied forth.</p> + +<p>The Bhutias assured him that there was no danger—from this enemy, at +least—until he reached the neighbourhood of the tree; but we may imagine +the terrors of that lonely walk, which must be repeated in darkness, if he +lived, or if the tiger did not show. But luck did not desert a man so +worthy of favour. He recognised the tree, an old dead stump overhanging +the path, clothed in ferns and creepers. Surveying it as steadily as the +tumult of his spirits would <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>allow, in the fading light he traced a +yellow glimmer among the leaves. Through his field-glass, at twenty yards’ +distance, he scrutinised this faint shadow. The tiger grew +impatient—softly it raised its head—so softly behind that screen of +ferns that a casual wayfarer would not have noticed it. But it was the +hint Forstermann needed. With a prayer he took aim, fired—threw down his +rifle and snatched the gun. But crash—stone-dead fell the tiger, and its +skin is a hearthrug on which I stood to hear this tale.</p> + +<p>So on March 9, 1884, 40,000 plants of Cypripedium Spicerianum were offered +at Stevens’ Auction Rooms.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-254tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-254.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">CYPRIPEDIUM × D<sup>R</sup> RYAN.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE COOL HOUSE</h2> + +<p>contains about three thousand plants, mostly Odontoglossums. It is a +‘lean-to,’ of course. Not all the most successful growers use this form of +building. Baron Schröder’s world-famous Odontoglots dwell in an oblong +structure which receives an equal quantity of light from every side. Even +the hardiest of epiphytal orchids are conscious of influences which we +cannot grasp, and those who understand them are unwilling to lay down +fixed rules. But experience shows that under ordinary conditions cool +species thrive in a ‘lean-to’ better than in a house of full span. It may +be because the back wall retains moisture and gives it out all day +steadily, whilst the air is saturated and dried by turns if fully exposed +to a hot sun. Or it may be because the full light of a span-roof is too +strong in most situations. A collector once told me that he often found +Odontoglossum Pescatorei so buried in Lycopodium as to be invisible until +the flower-spike appeared. Evidently such a plant does not need strong +light. Both causes operate, perhaps. At least the broad fact is so well +established that one might almost fancy Baron Schröder’s Odontoglots would +do better, if that were possible, in a ‘lean-to.’</p> + +<p>There are three glass partitions, but from either door the full length of +the house is seen; a pleasing vista even when there are no flowers—all +smoothly green on one hand, rocky bank upon the other, studded with ferns +and creepers and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> an orchid here and there. Why these plants dislike to +stand in a long house open from end to end is a question none the less +puzzling because every gardener is ready to explain it. Loving fresh air +so well they cannot object to the brisker circulation. But their whims +must be respected, and after building a house ninety feet long we must +divide it into compartments.</p> + +<p>I name a few among the rarities here. Of Odontoglots:—</p> + +<p><i>Wilckeanum.</i>—Upon internal evidence Reichenbach pronounced this a +natural hybrid of Od. crispum × Od. luteo-purpureum. It was one among +innumerable instances of his sagacity. A few years ago M. Leroy, gardener +of Baron Edmond de Rothschild at Armainvilliers, crossed those two species +and the flower appeared in 1890. It was Od. Wilckeanum; but for the sake +of convenience this garden hybrid is called Leroyanum.</p> + +<p><i>Wilckeanum pallens.</i>—A form still rarer of this rare variety; +yellow-ivory in colour, heavily splashed with brown; lip white, with a +brown bar across the centre.</p> + +<p><i>Wilckeanum albens.</i>—Very large, white instead of yellowish; spotted and +blotched with brown.</p> + +<p><i>Ruckerianum.</i>—Sepals and petals white in the centre, edged with violet, +yellow lip; all spotted with reddish-brown.</p> + +<p><i>Ruckerianum splendens.</i>—Larger and more finely coloured in all respects +than the normal form. The violet margin is broader.</p> + +<p><i>Vuylstekeanum.</i>—Those who saw the original plant of this noble species +at the Temple Show some years since have not forgotten the spectacle +assuredly. Petals and dorsal sepal pale yellow; lip and side sepals +brightest deepest orange.</p> + +<p><i>Mulus.</i>—A natural hybrid of Od. luteo-purpureum with Od. gloriosum no +doubt. It bears a strong spike, branched,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> with many large flowers, bright +yellow blotched with pale brown. But the colouring varies greatly.</p> + +<p><i>Josephinae.</i>—Named after Miss Josephine Measures. White, with a rosy +flush; sepals and petals spotted with chocolate at the base.</p> + +<p><i>Hunnewellianum.</i>—Small, but very pretty. Sepals and petals pale yellow, +profusely dotted with brown; lip white, with a single brown spot.</p> + +<p><i>Elegans.</i>—Assumed to be a natural hybrid of Od. cirrhosum and Od. +Hallii. The ground colour, faintly yellow, is almost concealed by +chocolate spots and patches; lip white, with a large blotch in the centre.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum virginale.</i>—Very large and pure white, saving the yellow crest.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Measuresiae.</i>—Sepals and petals broad, white, spotted and +blotted with reddish brown. Lip unusually large, with a single great brown +blotch.</p> + +<p><i>Edithae.</i>—Rosy white of sepal and petal, bordered with yellow and barred +with chestnut; lip pale yellow, much deeper at the base, with chestnut +spots in the centre.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Our Empress.</i>—A remarkable variety. Very large, rose colour, +heavily blotched with reddish purple; lip paler, covered with brown spots.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Woodlandsense.</i>—A superb example of the ‘round-flowering’ type. +Sepals and petals very broad, densely spotted with cinnamon-brown; lip +short, broad, similarly spotted.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum magnificum.</i>—Sepals pale rose; petals and lip very faintly +flushed; the whole covered with brown spots.</p> + +<p><i>Bictoniense album.</i>—The ordinary Bictoniense is pretty enough when the +lower blooms on the densely clothed spike can be persuaded to last until +those above them open. This uncommon sport is much more effective, with +sepals and petals of a lively brown, and broad lip of purest white.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span><i>Facetum.</i>—A good example of this catches the eye at once. Ground colour +pale yellow, almost hidden by great brown bars upon the sepals. The petals +are sharply freckled with brown, and up the middle runs a series of dark +red dots. Lip similarly freckled above, with a large splash of brown in +front; the lip handsomely fringed.</p> + +<p><i>Cristatellum.</i>—Rather small and not impressive, but valuable for its +scarcity. The yellow ground colour shows itself only in a few narrow +streaks upon sepal and petal, and in the base of the lip. Elsewhere it is +hidden beneath layers of chestnut.</p> + +<p><i>Hallii magnificum.</i>—A variety finer in all respects than the common +type. Sepals brown, save the yellow tips, and a few yellow lines; petals +yellow, with two large brown blots. The fringed lip also is yellow, with +two brown blots.</p> + +<p><i>Madrense.</i>—Named after its place of birth, the Sierra Madre, in Mexico. +The plant is not uncommon, but it does not flower willingly, as a rule. +Sepals and petals <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'ear'">are</ins> white, with a double purple blotch at the base; lip +small, bright orange.</p> + +<p><i>Polyxanthum magnificum.</i>—The grandest variety of a species always +treasured. In colour deepest ‘old gold,’ with four or five great blots of +chestnut on the sepals, and as many spots at the base of the petals. The +lip has a shallow fringe and a broad splash in the centre.</p> + +<p><i>Wallisii.</i>—Small. Sepals and petals dusky yellow, with a long straight +bar of chocolate down the middle. Lip white at the base, with small rosy +streaks; the disc rosy, edged with white.</p> + +<p><i>Hallii leucoglossum.</i>—One of the largest Odontoglots. Buff or greenish +yellow, lip white, fringed; all heavily blotched and spotted with dark +brown.</p> + +<p><i>Mirandum.</i>—Among so many charming species this must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> be reckoned curious +rather than pretty. Narrow and rather small, dull greenish yellow, with a +longitudinal bar and spots of red-brown.</p> + +<p><i>Wilckeanum Rothschildianum.</i>—-Perhaps the handsomest form of this rare +variety. Large, very broad of sepal and petal, pale yellow, blotched and +spotted with brown.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei Germinyanum.</i>—Named after the Comte de Germiny, an +enthusiastic lover of orchids, as indeed of all other flowers. This ranks +among the prettiest forms of Pescatorei. Petals white, sepals flushed; +both marked with a spot of dark rose. Lip white, with similar dots.</p> + +<p><i>Sceptrum.</i>—A superb variety of the common luteo-purpureum. Sepals deep +reddish brown, with yellow edges; petals yellow, blotched with +reddish-brown. Lip yellow, with a single blotch in front.</p> + +<p><i>Coronarium.</i>—One of the Odontoglots which may be termed climbing <i>par +excellence</i>, for the pseudo-bulbs thrust out a long shaft before taking +form. It makes a very large plant, and probably the example here is the +largest existing—at least there are few as big. By successive +enlargements, the basket in which it stands has reached the dimensions of +three feet by two. Coronarium is reckoned among the species slow to +flower, but here we find no difficulty at all. Last season our plant made +nine growths and threw up eight spikes—a record! Noble spikes they are +too, bearing twenty to thirty blooms; petals of the brightest red-copper, +marbled with yellow at the base; petals somewhat browner, both edged with +gold. Lip small, narrow, light red, broadening towards the tip, which is +pale primrose. I should describe coronarium as the most majestic of +Odontoglots.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Arthurianum.</i>—A notable variety—very large, blush-white, with +one enormous chocolate blot and two or three small spots on sepal and +petal. Spotted lip.</p> + +<p><i>Crispo-Harryanum.</i>—This is one of the very few hybrid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> Odontoglots. It +was commonly assumed until a few years ago that the genus would not bear +fruitful seed in Europe. This notion proves to be ill-founded happily, but +to obtain good seed is still very difficult, and to rear the young plants +more difficult still. Crispo-Harryanum was raised by M. Chas. Vuylsteke +near Ghent. The flowers show the influence of either parent in colour and +shape; the petals, which in Harryanum refuse to expand, are almost as flat +as in crispum.</p> + +<p><i>Humeanum.</i>—We may confidently assume that this is a natural hybrid of +Od. Rossii and Od. cordatum. The former parent is so handsome that he has +begotten a very pretty progeny, though the mother is so plain—sepals +primrose, closely spotted with brown, petals and lip white, the former +similarly spotted at the base.</p> + +<p><i>Tripudians oculatum.</i>—A rare and beautiful variety of an interesting +species. Very much larger than the common form; sepals of a lively brown, +with yellow tips, petals yellow, mottled with brown; lip white, with +violet spots above, a large blot below.</p> + +<p><i>Platycheilum.</i>—One of the oddest and rarest Odontoglots. Sepals and +petals white, with a few brown dots at the base; lip large and widespread, +pink, spotted with crimson.</p> + +<p><i>Baphicanthum.</i>—A valuable hybrid of Od. crispum and Od. odoratum or Od. +gloriosum, as internal evidence suggests. All primrose of ground colour, +but the sepals and petals are thickly dotted with red-brown.</p> + +<p><i>Schillerianum.</i>—Exceedingly rare. Pale yellow; sepals and petals spotted +with chestnut. The lip has one large chestnut splash in the centre.</p> + +<p><i>Murrellianum.</i>—Probably a natural hybrid of Od. Pescatorei and Od. +naevium. White tinged with violet, sepals and petals spotted with purple.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span><i>Lindeni.</i>—A superb species, but uncommonly reluctant to display its +charms, as a rule. In my own poor little house it has been growing bigger +for years and years. The pseudo-bulbs are five inches high now, and more +than two thick, but I look for flowers in vain. When they condescend to +appear they are all sulphur-yellow, crumpled, or, as the phrase goes, +undulated, in a fashion quite unlike any other Odontoglot.</p> + +<p><i>Grande magnificum.</i>—The common form of grande ranks among the showiest +of flowers, much too big, indeed, and too strong in colour, to be approved +by a dainty taste. But this is even bigger, its yellow more brilliant, its +red-brown markings more distinctly red. There is record of sixteen flowers +on one spike, each seven inches across!—I scarcely expect to be believed, +but ‘chapter and verse’ are forthcoming on demand.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum aureum.</i>—Almost as yellow as polyxanthum, ‘the very golden’—a +most remarkable variety. The spots are few and small.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Cooksoni</i>, on the other hand, is white, superbly spotted, or +rather blotched, with crimson brown. Perhaps the best of its class.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Reginae.</i>—Immense. White. The handsome spots, of purplish brown, +are more regularly disposed than usual.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Chestertoni.</i>—Peculiar for a yellow lip, while sepals and petals +are white; the former of these heavily splashed, and the latter sprinkled, +with red-brown. The lip has a brown blot on the disc.</p> + +<p><i>Rossii aspersum</i> is a natural hybrid of Od. Rossii and Od. maculatum, as +is supposed. Sepals and petals faintly yellow, spotted with brown at the +base; lip creamy white.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei album.</i>—Large. All pure white.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei superbum.</i>—A round flower, of great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> +‘substance’—which means, in effect, that it will last an unusual time. Notable for the deep +tone of its purplish markings.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei grandiflorum.</i>—Immense. The lip has a yellow dash at base.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei splendens.</i>—Sepals and petals white; lip handsomely spotted +with purple.</p> + +<p><i>Pescatorei violaceum.</i>—The whole flower is tinted with violet.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum purpureum</i> shows a similar peculiarity, but the tint is purple.</p> + +<p><i>Crispum Dayanum.</i>—The sepals have a large irregular patch of darkest +mauve in the centre, the petals a spot or two of the same colour and a +streak at the base. The lip is white.</p> + +<p>Old-fashioned people have not yet learned to call Odontoglossum +vexillarium a Miltonia. To avoid confusion I will give it no generic name +at all. It should be observed, however, that in our collection these +plants are ‘grown cool’ all the year round. Among the most important +are:—</p> + +<p><i>Vexillaria Cobbiana.</i>—Pale rose with white lip.</p> + +<p><i>Vexillaria Measuresiana.</i>—All white save the golden ‘beard.’ Perhaps the +handsomest of its rare class.</p> + +<p><i>Vexillaria rubella.</i>—Deep rose. Valuable for its habit of flowering in +autumn.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-265tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-265.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">ODONTOGLOSSUM, ROSSII MAJUS<br /><i>WOODLANDS VARIETY.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF ODONTOGLOSSUM HARRYANUM</h2> + +<p>Men supremely great in science have a quality beyond reason, such as we +term instinct, enabling them to leap over the slow processes of +demonstration, and announce a law or a result unsuspected, which they +cannot yet prove. The great Collector Benedict Roezl had this gift. +Returning from the memorable expedition in which he discovered the +Miltonia commonly called Odontoglossum vexillarium, he assured Mr. Sander +that in those parts would be found a true Odontoglossum of unusual +colouring. When asked the grounds for his opinion he could only say he +‘smelt it.’ Mr. Sander was not unused to this expression, and he knew by +experience that Roezl’s scientific nose might be trusted. It was something +in the air, in the ‘lie’ of the country, in the type of vegetation, which +guided him, no doubt. Other collectors born and bred have a like sense. +Roezl showed his supremacy by the confident prediction that this new +species would be darker than any known, and striking in the combination of +its tints.</p> + +<p>This was in 1875. Ten years later Professor Reichenbach wrote to Mr. +Sander of an astounding Odontoglossum he had seen—it may be necessary to +tell the unlearned that Professor Reichenbach was the very genius of +orchidology. Nothing in the least resembling it had been even rumoured +hitherto. And then Reichenbach described Odontoglossum Harryanum. The +raptures of that enthusiast were wont to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> divert admiring friends, +expressed with quaint vehemence, but always suggesting that he mocked +himself the while. Never had he such a theme as this. Speaking with due +thought and sufficient knowledge, I declare that Odontoglossum Harryanum +is the most finished result of Nature’s efforts to produce a flower which +should startle and impress by its colours alone, without eccentricity of +shape or giant size, or peculiarities of structure. Remembering that not +all the world has seen this flower, I should give just a hint of the means +employed. Fancy, then, eight or ten great blooms, dark chestnut in tone, +barred with yellow, striped with mauve; the lip white, broadly edged with +a network of bluish purple and intersected by a deep stain of that tint, +beyond which is spread a sheet of snow; touch with gold here and there, +and you have the ‘scheme of colour.’ Those who knew the great savant can +imagine how he raved after giving, with luminous precision, his scientific +report of the new orchid.</p> + +<p>Reichenbach persuaded himself, by study of the flower, that it must be a +native of Mexico. He was wrong for once, but people were so used to regard +him as infallible that Mr. Sander did not think of doubting the assertion. +Presently, however, it became known that Messrs. Veitch had bought the +plants, a dozen or so, from Messrs. Horsman. And then Mr. Sander learned +by accident that the latter firm received a small case of orchids from +Barranquilla, twelve months before. While pondering this news, Roezl’s +unforgotten prophecy flashed into his mind. Barranquilla, in the United +States of Columbia, is the port of that district where Odontoglossum +vexillarium is found! He had a collector not far away. Within an hour this +gentleman, Mr. Kerbach, received a telegram short and imperative: ‘Go +Amalfi.’ Not waiting an explanation Kerbach replied ‘Gone!’—reached +Amalfi in due course, and found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> another telegram containing a hint that +sufficed, ‘New Odontoglossum.’</p> + +<p>Kerbach began to inquire the same day. It was hardly credible that an +orchid of importance could have been overlooked in the neighbourhood of +Amalfi, where collectors—French, Belgian, and English—had been busy for +years. A hunt there would be very unpromising. Kerbach wandered about, +asking questions. Thus at Medellin he made acquaintance with a Bank clerk. +It may be noted, by the way, that the inhabitants of that busy and +thriving town, the bulk of them, are descendants of Maranos—that is, Jews +converted by the processes of the Inquisition. Doubtless there are records +which explain why and how many thousands of those people assembled in a +remote district of New Granada, but they themselves appear to have lost +the tradition; they have lost their ancestral faith also, for there are no +more devout Catholics. The religious instincts of the race assert +themselves, however, for New Granadans in general are not more fervent +than other creoles of South America, while the town of Medellin is an +oasis of piety.</p> + +<p>The Bank clerk was questioned as usual, though not a likely person to take +note of plants. ‘Why,’ said he, ‘there was a customer of ours at the Bank +yesterday, swearing like a wild Indian at orchids and everybody connected +with them. I should advise you to keep out of his way.’</p> + +<p>‘What have the orchids done to him?’ asked Kerbach.</p> + +<p>‘I wasn’t listening, but I’ll inquire.’ And presently he brought the +explanation. A young French collector had been in those parts some years +before. He stayed a while at the planter’s house, and there discovered an +orchid which stirred him to enthusiasm. After gathering a quantity he made +arrangements with his host for a shipment to follow next season, promising +a sum which astonished the native. But this young man was drowned in the +Couca. After a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> while Don Filipe resolved to despatch a few of the weeds +on his own account to Europe, and he consigned them to a friend at +Barranquilla. But the friend never returned him a farthing. He had handed +the case to some one else for shipment, and this some one, he said, could +not get his money from England. It is pleasant to hear, however, that Don +Filipe had implicit trust in British honesty. He proclaimed his friend a +swindler, and doubtless he was right.</p> + +<p>All the cash that this good man was out of pocket could not well have +exceeded ten dollars, and his time did not count. Perhaps he would have +been less furious had the loss been greater. Anyhow he nursed his wrath +with Indian stubbornness—for Don Filipe was an Indian, though +distinguishable from a white only in character, as are myriads at this +day.</p> + +<p>Kerbach did not doubt that he had found his Odontoglossum, and gaily +started for the hacienda. Some little diplomacy might be needed, and +rather more cash than usual; but of course a sane man would come to terms +at last. Don Filipe was absent when he arrived—a fortunate chance, +perhaps. Meantime Kerbach entertained the ladies, played with the +children, and made himself agreeable. The haciendero found him seated at +the piano, and applauded with the rest.</p> + +<p>But his face changed when they got to business. Kerbach opened with +flattering remarks upon the wealth of the country and its prospects. Don +Filipe purred with satisfaction. Gradually he worked round to orchids. Don +Filipe ceased to purr, and he hastily begged leave to visit the cacao +plantation. As they rode through the sheltering woods Kerbach looked about +him sharply. It was too late for flowers, but the growth of Odontoglossum +Harryanum is very distinct. He espied one plant and recognised it as a new +species.</p> + +<p>The trouble must be faced, and after dinner Kerbach<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> explained his object, +as gently as he could. The planter flamed out at once, dropped his +Castilian manners, and vowed he would shoot any man found gathering +orchids on his estate. Kerbach withdrew. Next day he visited two other +hacienderos of the district. But Don Filipe had preceded him. Less rudely +but with equal firmness the landowners forbade him to collect on their +property.</p> + +<p>A brief explanation is needed. In those parts of South America, where the +value of orchids is known to every child, a regular system has been +introduced long since. As a rule almost invariable, the woods belong to +some one, however far from a settlement. With this personage the collector +must negotiate a lease, as it is called, a formal document, stamped and +registered, which gives him authority to cut down trees—for the peons +will not climb. At the beginning, doubtless, they shrewdly perceived that +to fell a stout trunk would pay them infinitely better—since they receive +a daily wage—than to strip it, besides the annoyance from insects and the +risk from snakes which they elude. At the present time this usage has +become fixed.<small><a name="f2.1" id="f2.1" href="#f2">[2]</a></small></p> + +<p>Without the assistance of peons, Kerbach could not possibly get plants +sufficient to ship. To cut down trees without authority would be a penal +offence, certainly detected. He explored the country at a distance and +found nothing. It was necessary to come to terms with Don Filipe at any +cost or abandon the enterprise. Meantime letters reached Amalfi describing +the new Odontoglossum, with a picture showing the foliage. It was that he +had found. The treasure hung within reach, and a pig-headed Indian forbade +him to grasp it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>In such a difficulty one applies to the Cura. Kerbach paid this gentleman +a visit. A tall, stout, good-natured ecclesiastic was he, willing to help +a stranger, perhaps, even though unprovided with the dollars which Kerbach +offered ‘for the poor,’ if his mediation proved successful. The Cura made +the attempt and failed signally. It was useless to try again. The good man +begged ten dollars, or five, or one, upon the ground that he had done his +best. But Kerbach in despair was not inclined for charity. The Cura +sighed, hesitated, tossed off a glass of aguardiente and proposed another +way.</p> + +<p>‘This is a wicked country, sir,’ he said. ‘Ah! very wicked. And the +wickedest people in it have a proverb which I shudder to repeat. But your +case is hard. Well, sir, they say (heaven forgive them and me!), “If the +saints won’t hear you, take your prayer to the devil.” Horrible, isn’t +it?’</p> + +<p>‘Horrible!’ said Kerbach. ‘But I don’t know where to find the devil.’</p> + +<p>‘Yours is a pious country I have heard, though not Christian. In this +wicked land even children could tell you where to seek him. Now, you will +give me a trifle for my poor?’ And he held out his hand.</p> + +<p>‘But I’m not acquainted with any children. Your reverence must really be +more explicit.’</p> + +<p>‘Bother!’ exclaimed his reverence, or some Spanish equivalent. ‘Well, you +will pay me the fifty dollars promised?’</p> + +<p>‘Twenty! When Don Filipe signs the lease.’</p> + +<p>‘And all incidental expenses? Then my sacristan will call on you +to-morrow. Never talk to me again of your impious projects, sir.’</p> + +<p>The sacristan was very business-like. He demanded a dollar to begin with +for the Indian who would work the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> charm, and another dollar for himself +to pay for the masses which would expiate his sin. Kerbach asked details, +which were given quite frankly. The wizard was a respectable +person—attended church, and so forth. The sacristan had talked matters +over with him and neither doubted of success. Kerbach must write a letter +to Don Filipe’s wife begging her to intercede. The wizard having charmed +that document before presenting it, she would be compelled to grant its +request. If the planter should still refuse, a curse would be launched +against him. And he could not dare resist that.</p> + +<p>The man was so serious, he explained himself in such a matter-of-fact +tone, that Kerbach, laughing, risked two dollars on the chance. With the +letter in his pocket the sacristan departed. Two days later he returned. +Don Filipe was willing to negotiate the lease. Kerbach was so delighted +that he never thought of asking whether the lady’s gentle influence or the +terrors of the curse had persuaded him. Thus Odontoglossum Harryanum was +found, to the eternal glory of Roezl.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span></p> +<h2>MASDEVALLIAS</h2> + +<p>Among Masdevallias we have scarce varieties of Harryana, as <i>Bull’s +Blood</i>, Mr. Bull’s punning name for the darkest of all crimsons, and +<i>Denisoniana</i>, which keen eyes distinguish from it by a shade of magenta; +<i>splendens</i>, pure magenta; <i>versicolor</i>, which has patches of deep crimson +on a magenta ground, and a bright yellow ‘eye’; <i>Armeniaca</i>, large, +apricot in colour, also with a yellow ‘eye’; <i>Sander’s Scarlet</i>, which +speaks for itself.</p> + +<p><i>Bonplandii.</i>—Greenish yellow, with a few purple marks. Tails short and +stiff.</p> + +<p><i>Caudata.</i>—Upper sepal light yellow dotted with red; lower purplish rose, +marbled with white. A dwarf species, but the yellow tails are two to three +inches long.</p> + +<p><i>Abbreviata.</i>—Small, white speckled with purple.</p> + +<p><i>Ignea splendens.</i>—Much larger than the normal form. Fiery red.</p> + +<p><i>Amabilis.</i>—Small, carmine, conspicuous by reason of its ‘tail,’ an inch +and a half long.</p> + +<p><i>Chelsoni.</i>—A hybrid of the last-named with Veitchii, orange-yellow, with +mauve spots and two ‘tails.’</p> + +<p><i>Veitchii grandiflora</i>, a variety even larger than the common type, seven +inches across sometimes; orange-red, suffused with purple.</p> + +<p><i>Polysticta.</i>—One of the lovely little ‘curiosities’ which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> abound in +this genus—palest lilac freckled with purple, and tailed.</p> + +<p><i>Coccinea.</i>—Rosy pink above, glowing scarlet below.</p> + +<p><i>Macrura.</i>—One of the few Masdevallias which do not please my eye, but +very rare. Immense, as much as twelve inches long, counting the yellow +tails, rough of surface, vaguely brown in colour, with darker spots.</p> + +<p><i>Peristeria.</i>—Greenish yellow, freely speckled with purple; +yellow-tailed.</p> + +<p><i>Melanopus.</i>—Small, white, dotted with purple and yellow-tailed.</p> + +<p><i>Wallisii stupenda.</i>—-Pale lemon colour splashed with chocolate. There is +a curious white excrescence on each side the column, dotted with scarlet.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span></p> +<h2>ONCIDIUMS</h2> + +<p>Of Oncidiums in this house I note:—</p> + +<p><i>Lamelligerum.</i>—A very grand and noble flower, too rarely seen. It +belongs to the stately section of which Oncidium macranthum is the common +type. The great dorsal sepal swells out roundly from a stalk half an inch +long; the two lower resemble in shape those long-bladed paddles, with +scalloped edge, which are used by chiefs in the South Seas; in colour rich +brown, with a clear golden margin. The yellow petals also have a stalk, +but to give a notion of the large, beautiful, and complex development +which they carry at the ends is a hopeless endeavour. I have seen ladies’ +work-baskets which faintly resemble it when wide open; made of the softest +straw, without end-pieces, only to be closed by tying a ribbon in the +centre. But really the case is desperate. I pass on.</p> + +<p><i>Tetracopis.</i>—Another of the same group, even more rare, but not so +striking. Large, as they all are. Sepals a lively brown, gold edged; +petals bright yellow splashed with brown; lip yellow.</p> + +<p><i>Undulatum.</i>—A third member of this handsome family. Sepals brown, petals +white, marbled with yellow and mauve at the base, spotted with purple +above, and streaked with yellow. Lip very small, as in all the other +cases, but conspicuous by reason of its bright purple tint.</p> + +<p><i>Ornithorhynchum album.</i>—This is one of our oldest and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> commonest +species, discovered by Bonpland, who accompanied Humboldt to Mexico; +brought to Europe no long time afterwards. But the pure white variety +turned up to astonish the world very few years ago, and the names of those +happy mortals who possess a sample would make only a brief if +distinguished list.</p> + +<p><i>Loxense</i> seems to have been not uncommon in our fathers’ time, but no +plants have arrived from Peru—Loxa is the district—for many years. It +makes a long spike with branches, bearing a great number of large flowers; +sepals greenish ochre, crossed with blurs of chocolate; petals deep brown, +edged and tipped with yellow. Lip large and flowing, as it were, +orange-yellow, speckled with red in the throat.</p> + +<p><i>Weltoni.</i>—-Classed of late among Miltonias. A singular and fascinating +species, difficult to grow and still more difficult to flower. The sepals +and petals are very narrow, with edges like a saw, greenish brown, +widening out suddenly at the tip, which is yellow. The lip is +extraordinary in all respects. It shows a fine broad disc of dusky purple, +with a darker bar across the middle; and below this, sharply divided as if +by a stroke of the brush, two smaller discs pure white. Upon the whole to +be wondered at rather than admired, but more interesting on that account.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-279tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-279.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center">ODONTOGLOSSUM × HARRYANO-CRISPUM.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF ONCIDIUM SPLENDIDUM</h2> + +<p>We all know that to make a thing conspicuous above measure is the most +effective way of baffling those who seek it. Wendell Holmes has expounded +the natural law of this phenomenon, and Edgar Poe exemplified it in a +famous story. I am about to give an instance from the life, as striking as +his fiction.</p> + +<p>Oncidium splendidum is one of the stateliest orchids we have, and one of +the showiest. Its leaves are very large, fleshy and rigid, and the tall +flower spike bears a number of pale yellow blooms striped with brown, each +three inches across. There is no exaggeration in saving that they would +catch the most careless eye as far off as one could see them.</p> + +<p>At an uncertain date in the fifties a merchant captain—whose name and +that of his ship have never been recovered—brought half a dozen specimens +to St. Lazare and gave them to his owner, M. Herman. This gentleman sold +the lot to MM. Thibaud and Ketteler, orchid-dealers of Sceaux. They were +tempted to divide plants so striking and so new; thus a number of small +and weakly pieces were distributed about Europe at a prodigious price. We +have the record of the sale of one at Stevens’ Auction Rooms in 1870; it +could show but a single leaf, yet somebody paid thirty guineas for the +morsel. So ruthlessly were the plants cut up. Even orchids, tenacious of +life as they are, will not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> stand this treatment. In very few years more +Oncidium splendidum had vanished.</p> + +<p>No one knew where it came from—with a strange carelessness MM. Thibaud +and Ketteler had not inquired. M. Herman was dead, and he left no record +of the circumstances. The captain could not be traced. Had the name of his +ship been preserved, it might have furnished a hint, since the port of +sailing would be registered in the Custom House. More than one +enterprising dealer made inquiries, but it was too late to recover the +trail. Oncidium splendidum took its place for a while among the lost +orchids.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Sander of St. Albans would not admit defeat. When, after great +pains, he had satisfied himself that nothing could be discovered at St. +Lazare or at Sceaux, he examined the internal evidence. In the first +place, an Oncidium must needs be American, since the genus is not found in +the Old World. This species also must dwell in a hot climate; leaves so +rigid and fleshy are designed to bear a scorching sun. But the +possibilities seemed almost boundless, even thus limited. Patiently and +thoughtfully Mr. Sander worked out a process of exhaustion. Mexico might +be neglected, for a time at least; those hunting-grounds had been so often +explored that some one must surely have come across a flower so +conspicuous. So it was with New Grenada. Brazilian Cattleyas have thick, +hard leaves, though not to compare with this Oncidium; but they form a +single genus which shows the peculiarity among hundreds which do not. +Brazil, therefore, might be excluded for the present. The astonishing +wealth of Peru in varieties of orchid was not suspected then. After such +careful thought as a man of business allows himself when tempted by a +speculation which may cost thousands of pounds, Mr. Sander determined +that, upon the whole, Central America was the most likely spot; and again, +after more balancing of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> chances, that Costa Rica was the most likely +part of Central America.</p> + +<p>After coming to a decision he acted promptly. In 1878 Mr. Oversluys, one +of our trustiest and most experienced collectors, was despatched to Costa +Rica. More than three years he travelled up and down, and treasures new or +old he sent in abundance—Epidendron ciliare, Cattleya Bowringiana, +Oncidium cheirophorum, are names that occur at the moment. But as for +Oncidium splendidum he had not so much as heard of it. Not a peon could be +found in the woods to recognise the sketch which Mr. Sander had given him. +Oversluys had never seen the plant himself, I think.</p> + +<p>He was driven at length to conclude that if the thing did really exist in +those parts—poor Oversluys applied a variety of epithets to ‘the thing’ +now, none expressive of tenderness—it must be on the Atlantic slope or +the steaming lowlands beyond. He had felt himself justified in neglecting +those districts hitherto because there is no port where a large vessel can +lie, and absolutely no trade, save a trifling export of bananas. What +could tempt a French captain to the Atlantic shore of Costa Rica? And the +expedition was as uninviting as well could be. There were no towns nor +even villages—but it must be borne in mind that I speak of twenty years +ago. At that time all the white and coloured population was settled on the +tableland, excepting a few individuals or families who yearly wandered +downwards to squat along the slope. Upon the other hand there were Indian +tribes—Talamancas to the southward, who admitted some vague allegiance to +the Republic on condition that white men did not enter their territory; +and Guatusos or Pranzos to the northward, utter savages. It was their +country, however, to which the wandering folks mentioned betook +themselves, and thither Oversluys must go; for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> track they had cut +through the forest was the only one connecting the tableland with the +Atlantic coast.</p> + +<p>I have travelled that ‘road’ myself in the days when peril and discomfort +were welcome for the promise of adventure; but had we known what lay +before us when bidding a joyous adieu to the capital, we should have +meekly returned to the Pacific harbour by coach. Oversluys was a man of +business, and to men of business adventure commonly means embarrassment +and loss of time, if no worse. Varied experiences, all unpleasant, told +him that to seek orchids in a country like that must be a thankless +enterprise, attended by annoyance, privation, and even danger. But he had +undertaken the work. It must be done.</p> + +<p>As cheerfully then as such untoward circumstances permitted, Oversluys set +forth from San José, and in due time reached the Disengagno. This is a +blockhouse raised by some charitable person on the edge of the tableland; +a very few yards beyond, the path dips suddenly on its course to the +Serebpiqui river, 6000 feet below. The spot is bitterly cold at night, as +I can testify, or seems so, and for this reason the hut was built, as a +shelter for travellers. But they, too lazy to seek wood in the forest at +arm’s length, promptly demolished the walls and burned them. Only the roof +remained in a few months, with the posts that upheld it.</p> + +<p>A group of ill-looking peons occupied this shed when Oversluys arrived. +They began to pick a quarrel forthwith; in short, he heartily wished +himself elsewhere. It was not yet dusk. Drawing the guide apart Oversluys +questioned him, and learned that there was one single habitation within +reach. The report of it was not promising, but he did not hesitate. As the +little party filed off, one of the peons shouted, ‘A good night, <i>macho</i>! +We’ll wait for you at La Vergen!’—the first halting-place on the descent. +A pleasant beginning!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>The shelter they sought lay some miles back. There is plenty of game on +these unpeopled uplands, if a man knows how to find it, and a hunter had +built himself this cabin in the woods. They reached it as darkness was +setting in—a hut as rough as could be, standing on the edge of a small +savannah. At the same moment the owner returned, with a deer tied on the +back of a small but very pretty ox. He might well be surprised, but +hospitality is a thing of course in those parts. Kindness to animals is +not, however—much the contrary—and Oversluys observed with pleasure how +carefully the little ox was treated. Children came running from the hut, +and, after staring in dumb amaze for a while at the strangers, took the +animal and actually groomed it in a rough way.</p> + +<p>After supper—of venison steaks—Oversluys alluded to this extraordinary +proceeding. The guide said, ‘Our friend Pablo may well take care of his +ox. There’s not such another for hunting on the countryside.’ And Pablo +grunted acquiescence.</p> + +<p>‘For hunting?’ asked Oversluys.</p> + +<p>‘Yes. You should see him when he catches sight of deer. Tell the +gentleman, Pablo.’</p> + +<p>Upon this theme the hunter was talkative, and he reported such instances +of sagacity that Oversluys—remembering those ruffians who awaited him at +La Vergen—asked whether there was any chance to see the ox at work? Pablo +meant to have another stalk at dawn, with the hope of carrying two deer to +market, and willingly he agreed to take his guest. So they started before +daylight.</p> + +<p>It was no long journey to the hunting-ground. These high lands are mostly +savannah, with belts of dense forest between. Oversluys had heard deer +belling incessantly all night. After carefully studying the wind Pablo +chose the direction of the hunt. He had cut tracks to each point of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> the +compass, and he took that which would bring him to the edge of the first +clearing with the wind in his face.</p> + +<p>It was just light enough when they arrived to see half a dozen dark forms +above the misty grass. Forthwith Pablo crept out from the trees, walking +backwards, his left arm round the ox’s neck, and his stooped body behind +its shoulder. Thus he could see nothing. It was unnecessary. The ox +marched on, its broadside towards the deer, very softly, but always +zigzagging closer. As the light strengthened, Oversluys watched with +growing pleasure. Very soon the deer noticed this intrusion and ceased +feeding; then the ox dropped its head and grazed. Again and again this +occurred. So long as one deer remained upon the watch it kept its head +down, but when the last recovered confidence, instantly it advanced. +Pablo’s old gun could not be trusted beyond fifty yards or so. The deer +became more restless. They drew together—Oversluys saw they would bound +off in a moment. Just then the ox wheeled actively—they flew. But one +rolled over, shot through the chest.</p> + +<p>Oversluys was so pleasantly excited that he ran to pat the clever +creature. Then he assisted Pablo to load up the game. It was broad +daylight now. In lifting the body he noticed some large yellow flowers +which it had crushed in falling. They were pretty and curious in shape. He +glanced at the leaves—they were large, polished, and very stiff. A wild +fancy struck him. He compared the drawing. There was no doubt! Scores of +Oncidium splendidum starred the tall grass all around!</p> + +<p>I do not try to paint his raptures. A few weeks later many thousand plants +were on their way to Europe. But the point of the story is that Mr. +Oversluys had seen and even admired this flower many a time on the upland +savannahs in riding past. He was looking for orchids, however, and who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +could have expected to find an Oncidium buried among herbage in the open +ground?</p> + +<p>The ox demands a word. Such trained animals are not uncommon in Central +America. The process of education is very cruel. By constant tapping, +their horns are loosened when young, so that the tortured beast obeys the +slightest pressure. Its movements in walking are thus directed, and when +the horns grow firm again it continues to recognise a touch. But the +degrees of intelligence in brutes are strikingly displayed here. Some +forget the lesson in a twelvemonth. Most are uncertain. A very few, like +Pablo’s, understand so well what is required of them that direction is +needless. In that case the hunter can walk backwards, keeping his body +quite concealed. He is almost sure to kill, unless the fault be his own.</p> + + +<p> </p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span></p> +<h2>LAELIA JONGHEANA</h2> + +<p>The back wall carries a broad sloping ledge of tufa, where little chips of +Odontoglossum and the rest are planted out to grow until they become large +enough to be potted—no long time, for they gather strength fast in niches +of the porous stone. Along the top, however, are ranged flowering plants +of Odontoglossum grande which make a blaze in their season—three to six +blooms upon a spike, the smallest of them four inches across. Overhead is +a long row of Laelia Jongheana—some three hundred of them here and +elsewhere. It is a species with a history, and I venture to transcribe the +account which I published in the <i>Pall Mall Gazette</i>, July 18, 1899.</p> + +<p>‘<span class="smcap">A Sensation for the Elect.</span>—The general public will hear without emotion +that Laelia Jongheana has been rediscovered. The name is vaguely +suggestive of orchids—things delightful in a show, or indeed elsewhere, +when in bloom, but not exhilarating to read about. Therefore I call the +news a sensation for the elect. At the present moment, I believe, only one +plant of L. Jongheana is established in this country, among Baron +Schröder’s wonders. Though its history is lost this must be a lonely +survivor of those which reached Europe in 1855—a generation and a half +ago. It is not to be alleged that no civilised mortal has beheld the +precious weed in its native forests since that date; but no one has +mentioned the spectacle, and assuredly no one has troubled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> to gather +plants. Registered long since among the “Lost Orchids,” which should bring +a little fortune to the discoverer, native botanists and dealers in all +parts of South America have been looking out. And the collectors! For +forty years past not one of the multitude has left the shores of Europe or +the United States, bound for the Cattleya realm, without special +instructions to watch and pray for L. Jongheana. More and more pressing +grew the exhortations as years went by and prices mounted higher, until of +late they subsided in despair. Yet the flower is almost conspicuous enough +to be a landmark, and it does not hide in the tree-tops either, like so +many.</p> + +<p>‘Every one who takes interest in orchids will be prepared already to hear +that Messrs. Sander are the men of fate. How many of such spells have they +broken! Without book I recall Oncidium splendidum, of which not a plant +remained in Europe, nor a hint of the country where it grew; the “scarlet +Phalaenopsis” of native legend, never beheld of white man, which, in fact, +proved to be brick-red; Cattleya labiata, the Lost Orchid <i>par +excellence</i>, vainly sought from 1818 to 1889. The recovery of Dendrobium +Schröderium was chronicled by every daily paper in London, or almost, with +a leader, when a skull was shown in Protheroe’s Rooms with a specimen +clinging to it, and a select group of idols accompanying the shipment. +Less important, but not less interesting, was the reappearance of +Cypripedium Marstersianum at a later date. Verily, we orchidists owe a +debt to the St. Albans firm.</p> + +<p>‘In these cases success was merited by hard thought, patient inquiry, and +long effort. Working out the problem in his study, Mr. Sander fixed upon a +certain country where the prize would be found, and sent his collector to +the spot. Oversluys searched for Oncidium splendidum during three years, +until he wrote home that it might be in —— or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> ——, but it certainly +was not in Costa Rica; yet he found it at last. In this present case, +however, the discovery is due to pure luck; but one may say that a slice +of luck also was well deserved after those laborious triumphs. One of the +St. Albans collectors, M. Forget, was roaming about Brazil lately. The +Government invited him to join a scientific mission setting out to study +the products and resources of Minas Gaeras. It is comparatively little +known. M. Forget was unable to accept the invitation, but he heard enough +about this secluded province to rouse his interest, especially when the +savants reported that no collector had been there. Accordingly, he made an +expedition as soon as possible, and at the very outset discovered an +orchid—not in flower—resembling Laelia pumila in every detail but size. +It was at least twice as big as that small, familiar species, but the +points of similarity were so striking that M. Forget pronounced it a grand +local form of L. pumila. And when the consignment reached St. Albans, even +the wary and thoughtful authorities there endorsed his view! Not without +hesitation. I believe that the name of L. Jongheana was whispered. But +despair had grown to the pitch that no one ventured to speak out. Yet by +drawings and descriptions, anxiously studied for years, all knew perfectly +well that in growth the lost species must be like L. pumila, enlarged. It +is, indeed, strong evidence of the absorbing interest of the search that +when at length it ended, neither M. Forget nor his employers dared to +believe their own eyes.</p> + +<p>‘So in November last year some hundreds or thousands of a remarkable +orchid were offered at Protheroe’s under the title “L. pumila (?).” Nearly +all the leading amateurs and growers bought, I think, but at a very cheap +rate. Half a crown apiece would be a liberal average for plants over which +millionaires would have battled had they known. But, after all, the luck +of the purchasers was not unqualified.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> Many who read this will feel a +dreary satisfaction in learning that if their plants have perished or +dwindled, plenty of others are in like case. Further experience shows that +they were gathered at the wrong time; of course they reached Europe at the +wrong time. And nearly every one put them into heat, which was a final +error. L. Jongheana is quite a cool species. Through these accumulated +misfortunes only two out of the multitude have flowered up to this, so far +as I can hear. The dullest of mortals can feel something of the delicious +anxiety of those gentlemen who watched the great bloom swelling from day +to day when it began to show its tints, and they proved to be quite unlike +those of L. pumila. At length it opened, and L. Jongheana was recovered.</p> + +<p>‘What sort of a thing is it, after all? For an unlearned description, I +should say that the flowers—two, three, or even five in number—are from +four to five inches across—sepals, petals, and curl of lip bright +amethyst, yellow throat, white centre; the crisped and frilled margin all +round suffused with purple. It was discovered in 1855 by Libon, who died +soon after, carrying his secret with him. He was sent out by M. de Jonghe, +of Brussels—hence the name.’</p> + +<p>Up to the present time only one of the plants here has flowered—and it +opened pure white, saving a yellow stain on the lip. This was not +altogether a surprise, for a close examination of the faded blooms +convinced M. Forget that some of them must have been white, whatever the +species might be. And he marked them accordingly. That a collector of such +experience should prove to be right was not astonishing, as I say, but +remarkably pleasant.</p> + +<p>At the end of the house is a pretty verdant nook where Cypripedium insigne +is planted out upon banks of tufa among Adiantums and overshadowing +palms.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> +<h2>STORY OF BULBOPHYLLUM BARBIGERUM</h2> + +<p>This species is so rare in Europe that I must give a word of description. +The genus contains the largest and perhaps the smallest of orchids—B. +Beccarii, whose stem is six inches in diameter, carrying leaves two feet +long, and B. pygmaeum of New Zealand. They are all fly-catchers, I think, +equipped with apparatus to trap their prey, as droll commonly in the +working as ingenious in the design. Barbigerum has pseudo-bulbs less than +an inch high, and its flowers are proportionate. But charm and size are no +way akin. Fascination dwells in the lip, which, hanging upon the +slenderest possible connection, lengthens out to the semblance of a brush. +Thus exquisitely poised it rocks without ceasing, and its long, silky, +purple-brown hairs wave softly but steadily all day long, as if on the +back of a moving insect. Pretty though it be, all declare it uncanny.</p> + +<p>The species was introduced from Sierra Leone by Messrs. Loddiges, so long +ago as 1835. I have not come upon any reference to a public sensation. +Assuredly, however, the orchidists of the day were struck, and it is +probable that Messrs. Loddiges sold the wonder at a high price if in +bloom. Some people in Sierra Leone forwarded consignments. But an orchid +so small and delicate needs careful handling. None of them reached Europe +alive, I dare say.</p> + +<p>It appears, however, that Bulbophyllum barbigerum is common throughout +those regions. The example at Kew,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> which diverts so many good folks year +by year, came from Lagos, near a thousand miles east and south of Sierra +Leone. And the story I have to tell places it at Whydah, between the two.</p> + +<p>A young man named Boville went thither as clerk in the English factory, +soon after 1835. We have not to ask what was his line of commerce. I have +no information, but it must be feared, though perhaps we do him wrong, +that one branch of it at least was the slave trade. Boville had heard of +Messrs. Loddiges’ success. Residents at Whydah do not commonly explore the +bush, but he was young and enterprising. On his first stroll he discovered +the Bulbophyllum, and to his innocence it seemed the promise of a fortune. +Real good things must be kept quiet. The treasure was plentiful enough to +cause ‘a glut’ forthwith if many speculators engaged. Luckily he had a +Kroo boy in attendance, not a native. To him Boville assumed an air of +mystery, said he was going to make fetich, and ‘something happen’ to any +one who spoke of his proceedings—‘make fetich’ and ‘something happen’ are +among the first local expressions which a man learns in West Africa. The +Kroo boy grinned, because that is his way of acknowledging any +communication whatsoever, and snapped his fingers in sign of willing +obedience. So Boville gathered a dozen plants, and hoped to have a stock +before ‘the ship’ arrived. There were no steamers then, and at Whydah, a +very unimportant station for lawful trade, English vessels only called +once in three months. Slavers did not ship orchids.</p> + +<p>It was Boville’s employment henceforth to collect the Bulbophyllum +whenever he had a few hours to spare. He hung his spoils on the lattice +work which surrounds a bedroom in those parts, between roof and wall, +designed for ventilation—hiding them with clothes and things. It is +proper to add that the ‘English Fort’ was already deserted,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> and the +‘Factory’ a mere name. The agent, his superior officer, was not at all +likely to visit a clerk’s quarters. This good man belonged to a class very +frequent then upon ‘the coast.’ He had not returned to England, nor wished +to do so, since coming out. At a glance he recognised that this was his +real native land, and without difficulty he made himself a +fellow-countryman of the negroes, living like a caboceer, amidst an +undeterminate number of wives, slaves, and children. Very shocking; but it +may be pointed out that such men as this established our colonies or seats +of trade in Africa. They had virtues, perhaps, but their vices were more +useful. The moral system of the present day would not have answered then. +An agent secured his position by marrying a daughter of every chief who +might be troublesome. He had no Maxim guns.</p> + +<p>Mr. Blank knew every feeling and superstition of the negroes,—that is the +point of my reference to his character. And one evening he entered the +room just as Boville was hanging up his latest acquisitions, some of which +were in flower. Whatever Mr. Blank’s business, it fled from his mind on +beholding the orchids.</p> + +<p>‘Good God!’ he cried. ‘What—what—you are no better than a dead man! I +won’t protect you—I can’t! Good God! What possessed you?’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t understand,’ said Boville.</p> + +<p>‘No, you don’t understand! They send me out the most infernal idiots’—and +then Mr. Blank fell to swearing.</p> + +<p>Boville saw the case was grave somehow. ‘Are they poisonous?’ he asked.</p> + +<p>‘Poisonous be—etc. etc. That’s the Endua—the holiest of plants! You’ll +wish they were poisonous before long! What a lot! You didn’t get ’em all +to-day?’</p> + +<p>‘I can destroy them. Only Georgius Rex the Krooman has been into the bush +with me.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span>‘You fool! D’you think you can hide this from the fetich? Put—put ’em in +a sack, and tumble ’em into the river after dark! Oh Lord, here’s an awful +business!’</p> + +<p>Moving about the room restlessly as he talked, whilst Boville thrust the +orchids into a bag, the agent opened a door which gave upon a platform +called the verandah—in fact, the roof of the store. It overlooked the +street. In an instant he ran back.</p> + +<p>‘It’s all up’ he cried. ‘Oh Lord! Here’s the Vokhimen!’</p> + +<p>Boville had heard this name, which belongs to an official of the Vo-dun, +the fetich priesthood, whose duty it is to summon offenders. He went to +see. The street was in an uproar. Two men clothed in black and white, with +faces chalked, were beating Vo-drums furiously—but such din is too usual +for notice. They stood at the door of a house—habitations in Whydah are +not properly described as huts. All the neighbours surged round +vociferous. Presently emerged a grotesque figure, rather clothed than +adorned with strings of human teeth and bones, and little wooden idols +painted red. His black and white cap had lappets with red snakes sewn +thereon; the breast of his tunic bore a large red cross, the sacred symbol +of Dahomey. He came forth with a leap, and danced along with ridiculous +gestures to the next house, flourishing the iron bar which marks his +office. The bones and images rattled like castanets. The drummers +followed. Through the next doorway the Vokhimen sprang, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>‘He isn’t after me, thank God!’ cried Boville.</p> + +<p>‘He is, you fool! It’s their way to hunt about like that when they well +know where to find the victim. No, it’s too late to hide the cursed things +now. God help you, Boville! I can do nothing.’ And Mr. Blank hurried out.</p> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/illo-297tmb.jpg" alt="" /><br /> +<a href="images/illo-297.jpg"><small>Larger Image</small></a></div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="flower"> +<tr><td colspan="3" align="center"> ODONTOGLOSSUM, CORONARIUM.</td></tr> +<tr><td><small><span class="smcap">Painted from nature also</span></small></td><td> </td><td><small><span class="smcap">Chromo by Macfarlane F.R.H.S.</span></small></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td align="center"><small><span class="smcap">Printed in London</span></small></td></tr></table> + +<p> </p><p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>‘Go to the Hun-to at least, sir—and to Mr. Martinez! Don’t leave me +helpless to these devils!’</p> + +<p>‘I’ll do all I can for you, but it’s worse than useless my stopping here.’</p> + +<p>Perhaps it is necessary to observe that the Europeans in Whydah had long +been subject to the King of Dahomey, ruled by a Viceroy. Each nationality +had its official chief, called Hun-to by the English, and the Portuguese +representative enjoyed particular consideration. Nevertheless, the Viceroy +was their absolute master, and he obeyed the fetich men.</p> + +<p>It is so easy to conceive poor Boville’s bewilderment and despair that I +shall not dwell upon the situation. With feverish haste he concealed his +orchids. Mr. Blank reappeared, with a rope fringed with strips of palm +leaf, dry and crackling. This he threw round Boville’s neck.</p> + +<p>‘They daren’t hurt you with that on!’ he cried. ‘Only the head priest can +remove it! Go down! I’ve set drink on the table! Good-bye!’</p> + +<p>The poor fellow obeyed, taking a pistol. All the servants were clustered +at the door, wide-eyed, humming with terror and excitement. Presently the +drums sounded nearer and nearer—the throng opened—the Vokhimen danced +through, jibbering, curveting, posturing. He started at sight of the +palm-leaf cord, but passed by, unheeding a glass of rum which Boville +offered, and pranced upstairs. The agent was right. This devil knew where +to look! He thumped about a while overhead, then capered down, with a +bundle of orchids dangling on the iron stick. The glass was not refused +this time. After drinking, the summoner touched Boville with his wand of +office, saying, ‘Come! The snake calls you!’</p> + +<p>Boville did not understand the formula, but he guessed its meaning. There +was no help. He set forth. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> Vokhimen pocketed the rum bottle and +followed, moving gravely enough now.</p> + +<p>The mob shouted with astonishment at the appearance of a white criminal, +but when the cause of his arrest was seen—that bundle of the holy +Endua—astonishment changed to rage. Boville owed his life to the Azan, +the fetich cord, at that instant. But the drummers beat furiously, and, as +if in response, a dozen fetich men suddenly appeared, pushing through the +crowd. One side of their heads was shaven bare. They wore garments of +hideous fantasy, charms and horrid objects innumerable, and each a pair of +silver horns upon the forehead. Under this escort Boville marched to the +fetich place.</p> + +<p>This was a bare piece of ground, encircled by the low dark dwellings of +the priests, with the sacred wood behind it, and in the midst the Snake +Temple. Often had Boville glanced into the small building, which has no +door, and seen the reptiles swarming inside. He did not feel the loathing +for snakes which is so common—happily, as it proved. But no man could +watch that multitude of restless, twining creatures without horror.</p> + +<p>Led to the dreadful doorway, Boville turned, thinking to resist; but they +fell upon him, doubled him up—for the entrance was very low—and thrust +him in bodily. The poor fellow screamed in tumbling full length upon a +platform which occupied the middle. He had seen it alive with snakes, +writhing one over the other.</p> + +<p>But none were there. He scrambled to his feet and looked round. The temple +had no windows, but the solid walls of adobe did not meet the roof, and +the level sun-rays of evening poured through the gap. There was nothing to +interrupt the view, save a besom and a basket. But no snake could he see. +A movement above caught his eye. He looked up.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>There are men who would have lost their wits in terror at that sight. The +snakes were there, hundreds of them, perched upon the thickness of the +wall—the ridge of their bodies gleaming in the red light of sunset, their +long necks hanging down, waving and twining. Every head was turned towards +him, the glass-bright eyes fixed on his, and the tongues slithering with +eagerness. Nightmare was never so horrible.</p> + +<p>For an instant Boville stood frozen, with dropped jaw and starting eyes, +the icy sweat streaming from every pore; then, howling in no human voice, +he burst through the doorway, through the guard, and fell in the midst of +a party advancing.</p> + +<p>All the Europeans in Whydah were there, with the Viceroy himself, and the +head fetich man. The horrid absurdity of their equipment I have no room to +describe. The white men had been pleading, even threatening, and the +Viceroy supported them. When Boville dropped at their feet the last word +had been spoken. His punishment should be that decreed against the man who +kills a snake by evil chance—no worse.</p> + +<p>‘What is that?’ Boville panted, when the agent who held him in his arms +had explained.</p> + +<p>‘Never mind—we’ll do our best! And it is to be at once, thank God! Night +will soon be here!’</p> + +<p>‘Don’t go—not all of you! Don’t leave me with these devils!’</p> + +<p>‘We must, poor boy—to arrange. But we shall return.’</p> + +<p>Boville remained among a group of fetich men, who sang and capered round, +making gruesome pantomime of tortures. Meanwhile, others were busy at a +shed with spades and bundles of reed. Dusk was settling down when they had +finished. The head priests returning took their stations,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> surrounded by +men with torches still unlit. All the population was gathered round the +holy area.</p> + +<p>Mr. Blank came back with others. ‘Listen,’ he said. ‘They are going to put +you—unbound—in a hole, cover you with reeds, and set them alight. You +must spring up and run to the nearest water, all these brutes after you. +But I have arranged with many of them, and they will intercept the others. +Now mark, for your life may depend on it! The law is that one who kills a +snake shall be cut and hacked till he reaches water! They expect you to +make for the river, but there is a pond on the very edge of the fetich +wood yonder! See? You make for that! You can’t miss it if you go straight +between the torches and the temple. You understand? Now summon your +courage, man, and run for your life.’</p> + +<p>He wrung Boville’s hand. The executioners seized their victim and hurried +him to the shed, amidst a furious tumult—roaring, singing, beating of +drums, and blaring of cow-horns—thrust him into the hole, and heaped +combustibles over him. The instant he was free Boville sprang up, but the +reeds flared as quick as gunpowder. All ablaze he ran—the savage crew +pursuing. But they mostly expected him on the river side. With but little +hurt, save burns, he reached the pool and leapt in.</p> + +<p>It is satisfactory to add that Boville did not suffer in health or fortune +by this dread experience. He became the richest trader in Whydah, a +special favourite with the natives. But he collected no more orchids.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span></p> +<h2>INDEX</h2> + +<p> +Angraecum sesquipedale, <a href="#Page_97">97</a><br /> +<br /> +Anguloa, <a href="#Page_162">162</a><br /> +<br /> +Anthurium × Albanense, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× aurantiacum, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Goliath, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Lady Godiva, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Lawrenceae, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× niveum, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Salmoniae, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Saumon, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× The Queen, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Brassavola Digbyana—Story, <a href="#Page_151">151</a><br /> +<br /> +Bulbophyllum barbigerum—Story, <a href="#Page_253">253</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Calanthe × bella, <a href="#Page_129">129</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Clive, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Florence, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Sandhurstiana, <a href="#Page_129">129</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Veitchii alba, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Victoria Regina, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× William Murray, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<br /> +Cattleya × Atalanta, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>aurea, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>" R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>bicolor Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Bowringiana, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>—Story, <a href="#Page_37">37</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Browniae, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Cecilia, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Chloris, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>chrysotoxa, <a href="#Page_27">27</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Extermination of, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144-148</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Fowleri, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Gaskelliana, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Dellensis, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Duke of Marlborough, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Godseffiana, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Herbertiana, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Miss Clara Measures, <a href="#Page_33">33</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Sanderiana, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Woodlandsensis, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>gigas, <a href="#Page_25">25</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>" Imschootiana, <a href="#Page_25">25</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>" Sanderae, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>guttata Leopoldii—Hybrids, <a href="#Page_8">8</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Harrisoniae R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>intermedia Louryana, <a href="#Page_97">97</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Parthenia, <a href="#Page_96">96</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Kienastiana, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>labiata Adelina, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>alba, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Archduchess, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Baroness Schröder, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>bella, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Her Majesty, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>imperatrix, <a href="#Page_145">145</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Juno, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Macfarlanei, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Mrs. R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>nobilis, <a href="#Page_145">145</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Princesse de Croix, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Princess May, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Princess of Wales, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Robin Measures, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Sanderae, <a href="#Page_146">146</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Lawrenceana, <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>Extermination of, <a href="#Page_148">148</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Louis Chaton, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Mantinii inversa, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>×<span class="spacer2"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>nobilior, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Mariottiana, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Mary Measures, <a href="#Page_149">149</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Mendelii, <a href="#Page_29">29</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Duke of Marlborough, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Lily Measures, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Monica Measures, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Mrs. R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>William Lloyd, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Miss Measures, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Mossiae, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>excelsior, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>gigantea, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Gilbert Measures, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>grandiflora, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Mrs. R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>—Story, <a href="#Page_45">45</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Wageneri, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Mrs. Fred Hardy, <a href="#Page_27">27</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Mrs. Mahler, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>O’Brieniana, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Our Queen, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Portia, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Prince of Wales, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Sanderiana, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>A Collector’s report upon, <a href="#Page_28">28</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Schroderae, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Miss Mary Measures, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Skinneri alba—Story, <a href="#Page_59">59</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>speciosissima alba, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Dawsonii, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Trianae, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Macfarlanei, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Robert Measures, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Tyrianthina, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Woodlandsensis, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Trismegistris, <a href="#Page_27">27</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Wendlandiana, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× William Murray, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<br /> +Cœlogyne speciosa—Story, <a href="#Page_135">135</a><br /> +<br /> +Cymbidium × Lowiano-eburneum, <a href="#Page_132">132</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>× eburneo-Lowianum, <a href="#Page_132">132</a><br /> +<br /> +Cypripediums, <a href="#Page_170">170</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× A de Lairesse, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Adrastus, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Alfred, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Amphion, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Annie Measures, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Antigone, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Aphrodite superbum, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Arnoldiae, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Arnoldianum, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Arthurianum pulchellum, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Astraea, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Athos, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× aurantiacum, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Aylingii, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Baconis, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× barbato-bellatulum, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Beeckmanii, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>bellatulum album, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× <span class="spacer4">"</span>egregium, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>eximium, <a href="#Page_176">176</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Boissierianum—<i>vide</i> reticulatum.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Brownii, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Brysa, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× calloso-niveum, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× callosum Sanderae, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Cardinale, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Charles Richmond, <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× chrysocomes, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Claudii, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Cleopatra, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× conco-callosum, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>×<span class="spacer">"</span> Curtisii, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>×<span class="spacer">"</span> Lawre, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Cowleyanum, <a href="#Page_181">181</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Curtisii—Story, <a href="#Page_183">183</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span> (Woodlands variety), <a href="#Page_182">182</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Cyanides, <a href="#Page_180">180</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Cydonia, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× cymatodes, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Dauthierii albino, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span> marmoratum, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Edwardii, <a href="#Page_193">193</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Engelhardtiae, <a href="#Page_193">193</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Evenor, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× excelsior, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Fairieanum, <a href="#Page_193">193</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Frau Ida Brandt, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Georges Truffaut, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Gertrude, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Gertrude Hollington, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Godefroyae, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× H. Ballantine, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× H. Hannington, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Hector, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× hirsuto-Sallierii, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Holidayanum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>insigne, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Amesiae, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Bohnhoffianum, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>clarissimum, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>corrugatum, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Dimmockianum, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Dorothy, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Drewett’s variety, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>eximium, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Frederico, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Harefield Hall, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Hector, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Laura Kimball, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>longisepalum, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Macfarlanei, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>majesticum, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Measuresiae, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>punctatum, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Rona, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Sanderae, <a href="#Page_56">56</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer3">"</span>Statterianum, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× J. Coles, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Javanicum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Juno, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× La France, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Lavinia, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Lawrebel, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>×<span class="spacer2"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>(Woodlands variety), <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Lawrenceanum-Hyeanum, <a href="#Page_198">198</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span> Sir Trevor, <a href="#Page_198">198</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>leucochilum, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>×<span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>giganteum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Leysenianum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Lily Measures, <a href="#Page_197">197</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Lord Derby, <a href="#Page_192">192</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× M. Finet, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× macropterum, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Marchioness of Salisbury, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Marshallianum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Massaianum, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Measuresiae, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Measuresianum, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Miss Clara Measures, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Mrs. E. Cohen, <a href="#Page_178">178</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Mrs. E. G. Uihlein, <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Mrs. Fred Hardy, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Mrs. Herbert Measures, <a href="#Page_199">199</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Mrs. W. A. Roebling, <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Muriel Hollington, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Myra, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× nitidum, <a href="#Page_204">204</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Olivia, <a href="#Page_176">176</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Paris, <a href="#Page_201">201</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Phoebe, <a href="#Page_201">201</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>platytaenium—Story, <a href="#Page_205">205</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Princess May, <a href="#Page_201">201</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Pylaeus, <a href="#Page_201">201</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>reticulatum, <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Rowena, <a href="#Page_201">201</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Sade Lloyd, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Schofieldianum, <a href="#Page_202">202</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Sir Redvers Buller, <a href="#Page_204">204</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Southgatense, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>×<span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>superbum, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>Spicerianum—Story, <a href="#Page_213">213</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Symonsianum, <a href="#Page_200">200</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Tautzianum lepidum, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Telemachus, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× tesselatum porphyreum, <a href="#Page_194">194</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>venustum (Measures variety), <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Watsonianum, <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× William Lloyd, <a href="#Page_191">191</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Winifred Hollington, <a href="#Page_204">204</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Woodlandsense, <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>× Zeus, <a href="#Page_196">196</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Dendrobium × Ainsworthii, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>× Leechianum, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>Lowii—Story, <a href="#Page_121">121</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>nobile album, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Cooksoni, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>murrhinianum, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Ruckerianum, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>splendens grandiflorum, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>virginale, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>phalaenopsis Schröderianum—Story, <a href="#Page_113">113</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>× Schneiderianum, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span>Epidendrum radicans, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>× radico-vitellinum, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Hybridisation—Remarks, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>Mr. Mead’s experiments, <a href="#Page_173">173</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Laelia × Beatrice, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Claptonensis, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>elegans, <a href="#Page_7">7</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Adonis, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Amphion, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>bella, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Blenheimensis, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Boadicea, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Cleopatra, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Doctor Ryan, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Empress, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>euracheilos, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>eximia, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>F. Sander, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Frederico, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Godseffiana, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>H. E. Moojen, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>H. G. Gifkins, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>haematochila, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Hallii, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>incantans, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Juno, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Ladymead, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>leucotata, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Lord Roberts, <a href="#Page_16">16</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Luciana, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>luculenta, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Macfarlanei, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>II., <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>macroloba, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>matuta, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Medusa, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>melanochites, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Minerva, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Monica, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Morreniana, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Mrs. F. Sander, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Mrs. R. H. Measures, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Myersiana, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Neptune, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>nyleptha, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Ophelia, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Oweniae, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>paraleuka, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>platychila, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Princess Stephanie, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Pyramus, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Red King, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Sade Lloyd, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Sappho, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Schilleriana, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>splendens, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Stella, <a href="#Page_10">10</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Stelzneriana, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Tautziana, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>tenebrosa, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Venus, <a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Weathersiana, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Wolstenholmae, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Gravesiae, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Jongheana, <a href="#Page_249">249</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Latona, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Perrinii alba, <a href="#Page_97">97</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>" nivea, <a href="#Page_97">97</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>praestans alba, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>pumila marginata, <a href="#Page_31">31</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>purpurata, <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Archduchess, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Lowiana, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Macfarlanei, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>marginata, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>tenebrosa, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Sanderae, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × splendens, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Yula, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> ×<span class="spacer">"</span> inversa, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<br /> +Laelio-Cattleya Albanensis, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>amanda, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Amazon, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Amesiana, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Ancona, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Aphrodite, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Arnoldiana, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Bellairensis, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Broomfieldensis, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>C.-G. Roebling, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>callistoglossa, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>ignescens, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Canhamiana, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>D. S. Brown, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Decia, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Empress of India, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Eudora, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>alba, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>euspatha, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>excellens, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Exoniensis, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Fire Queen, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Harold Measures, <a href="#Page_11">11</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Henry Greenwood, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Hippolyta, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Hon. Mrs. Astor, <a href="#Page_91">91</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Lady Wigan, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>leucoglossa, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Mardellii fascinator, <a href="#Page_92">92</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Miss Lily Measures, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Nysa, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Pallas superba, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Robin Measures, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Tiresias, <a href="#Page_88">88</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>superba, <a href="#Page_90">90</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Tresederiana, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>velutino-elegans, <a href="#Page_94">94</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Zephyra, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<br /> +Laelio-Cattleyas unflowered and unnamed—List of, <a href="#Page_95">95</a><br /> +<br /> +Lycaste aromatica, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> Denningiana, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> fulvescens, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> leucantha, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> Locusta, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> Mooreana, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> plana lassioglossa, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> <span class="spacer">"</span> Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_160">160</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> Skinneri alba, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> <span class="spacer">"</span> Lady Roberts, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span> <span class="spacer">"</span> Phyllis, <a href="#Page_159">159</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Madagascar—Legend of, <a href="#Page_99">99</a><br /> +<br /> +Masdevallia abbreviata, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> amabilis, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> Bonplandii, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> caudata, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> Chelsoni, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> coccinea, <a href="#Page_238">238</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> Harryana Armeniaca, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer">"</span> Bull’s Blood, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer">"</span> Denisoniana, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer">"</span> Sander’s Scarlet, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer">"</span> splendens, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span><span class="spacer">"</span> versicolor, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> ignea splendens, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> macrura, <a href="#Page_238">238</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> melanopus, <a href="#Page_238">238</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> peristeria, <a href="#Page_238">238</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> polysticta, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> Veitchii grandiflora, <a href="#Page_237">237</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span> Wallisii stupenda, <a href="#Page_238">238</a><br /> +<br /> +Miltonia Binottii, <a href="#Page_162">162</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span> vexillaria Cobbiana, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>rubella, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Odontoglossum baphicanthum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Bictoniense album, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>coronarium, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>crispo-Harryanum, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>crispum Arthurianum, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>aureum, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Chestertoni, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Cooksoni, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Dayanum, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>magnificum, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Measuresiae, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Our Empress, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>purpureum, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Reginae, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>virginale, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer2"> </span>Woodlandsense, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>cristatellum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Edithae, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>elegans, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>facetum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>grande magnificum, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Hallii leucoglossum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>" magnificum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Harryanum—Story, <a href="#Page_229">229</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Humeanum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Hunnewellianum, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Josephinae, <a href="#Page_223">223</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Lindeni, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Madrense, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>mirandum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>mulus, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Murrellianum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Pescatorei album, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Germinyanum, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>grandiflorum, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>splendens, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>violaceum, <a href="#Page_228">228</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>platycheilum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>polyxanthum magnificum, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Rossii aspersum, <a href="#Page_227">227</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Ruckerianum, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer3"> </span>splendens, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>sceptrum, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Schillerianum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>tripudians oculatum, <a href="#Page_226">226</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>vexillarium—<i>vide</i> Miltonia<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Vuylstekeanum, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Wallisii, <a href="#Page_224">224</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Wilckeanum, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>albens, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>pallens, <a href="#Page_222">222</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"</span><span class="spacer4"> </span>"<span class="spacer"> </span>Rothschildianum, <a href="#Page_225">225</a><br /> +<br /> +Oncidium lamelligerum, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Loxense, <a href="#Page_240">240</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>ornithorhynchum album, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>splendidum—Story, <a href="#Page_241">241</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>tetracopis, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>undulatum, <a href="#Page_239">239</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Weltoni, <a href="#Page_240">240</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Phaio-calanthe Arnoldiae, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<br /> +Phajus × Ashworthianus, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Cooksoni, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Marthae, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Owenianus, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span> × Phoebe, <a href="#Page_130">130</a><br /> +<br /> +Phalaenopsis, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>× Hebe, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span class="spacer3"> </span>Sanderiana—Story, <a href="#Page_79">79</a><br /> +<br /> +Pothos aurea, <a href="#Page_147">147</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Roezl—Legend of, <a href="#Page_17">17</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Sobralia × Amesiana, <a href="#Page_161">161</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Kienastiana—Story, <a href="#Page_163">163</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Measuresiana, <a href="#Page_161">161</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Sanderae, <a href="#Page_161">161</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Veitchii, <a href="#Page_161">161</a><br /> +<br /> +Spathoglottis × aureo-Veillardii, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Thunia Bensoniae, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>Marshalliana, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Vanda, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer2"> </span>× Miss Joaquim, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"</span><span class="spacer"> </span>Sanderiana—Story, <a href="#Page_71">71</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Zygo-colax leopardinus, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> +<br /> +Zygopetalum × Perrenoudii, <a href="#Page_131">131</a></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<p class="center">THE END</p> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<p class="center"><i>Printed by</i> <span class="smcap">R. & R. Clark, Limited</span>, <i>Edinburgh</i></p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><b>Footnotes:</b></p> + +<p><a name="f1" id="f1" href="#f1.1">[1]</a> It seems not unlikely that scholars may read this and misunderstand. I +am not ignorant that ‘the Ancients’ had frames, probably warmed +green-houses—since they flowered roses at mid-winter—and certainly +conservatories. But these facts do not bear upon the argument.</p> + +<p><a name="f2" id="f2" href="#f2.1">[2]</a> Two or three years ago, however, the Government of New Granada made a +law forbidding such destruction of trees—a measure which has happily +reduced the output of orchids, since the natives are unwilling to climb +for them.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p><b>Transcriber’s Notes:</b></p> + +<p>Other than the correction noted by hover information, printer’s +inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained.</p> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Woodlands Orchids, by Frederick Boyle + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS *** + +***** This file should be named 32205-h.htm or 32205-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/0/32205/ + +Produced by Ben Beasley, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by Biodiversity Heritage Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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