Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-04-19
THE ORCHID CRAZE.
A New Mania That Has Taken Pos.
session Of the East.
[Chicago Times. ]

TChicago Times.
It is a genuine mania. There were a
few cases of it before, but the malady
never became alarming till about six years
ago, when it began to attract public atten-
tion in England Like gout and hay fever,
it is most likely to attack persons of large
means, high social position, and blue blood.
Poor people are never victims of it. A
singular peculiarity about it is that it is
much more likely to attack men than
women. Like hydrophobia, leprosy, and
consumption, it is pronounced incurable.
That it is contagious is admitted by all
who have given attention to the matter.
Some wealthy Americans who were in
London four or five years ago contracted
the disease and brought it to this country.
It is now quite prevalent in New York and
there are a few cases in Boston, and
smaller number in Chicago, st. Louis, and
other Western cities. 1t has for several
years been the custom of hay fever suffer-
ers to hold an annual reunion. The vic
tins of the orchid mania are following
their example. About fifty of them met
in New York not long since, and had
very enjoyable time. They brought with
them about 800 varieties of the plant over
which they have gone daft.
A large proportion of the nobility and
gentry of England are victims of the
orchid craze. All the members of the
Rothschild family, whether living on the
the continent or in Great Britain, are or
child fanciers. Baron SHREDDER, Mr.. Cham
berlain and Sir John Lubbock have very
large collections. Mr.. Sanders, of st. Al
bans, has four acres covered with glass that
are entirely devoted to producing orchids.
Mr. Chamberlain's collection cost him $40,-
600, but it is valued at more than twice
that sum. He has nine glass houses full
of orchids, many of which are exceedingly
rare. They are all Joined together, and are
connected with cOnservatOries and hot
house, in which other flowers are raised.
All the buildings are lighted by electricity,
and are supplied with beautiful birds and
tropical insects. You can pass from the
drawing room of his mansion to mosaic
floored, plate-glass covered promenade, and
walk for several rods among the vegetable
marvels of the tropics. The owner is an
excellent bOtanist and a skillful florist, and
spends most of his leisure among his plants.
The trade in orchids has reached en0r-
nous proportions in England. Larger sums
have been paid for orchid roots than were
ever given for any specimens of live stock.
The most expensive flowers are not always
the finest. The price of plants range in
the order of their scarcity. Some speci-
mems that readily brought 100 guineas ten
years ago can now be bought for few
shillings A single root of a newly discOv-
cred variety will command a fabulous sum.
Every person who is trying to get large
collection will endeavor to obtain it.
Every portion of the tropics is now being
searched by orchid-hunters sent out by the
London importers, who have grown rich in
the business of obtaining rare specimens.
One dealer has sixteen collectors in
various parts of tropical South America,
Africa, Asia and the islands in the Pacific
and Indian oceans. Their salaries and ex-
expenses amount to over 100000 year.
In their travels and explorations they en-
ploy many natives. One of our consuls in
Venezuela reports that the orchid TRADE is
rendering the country prosperous. A poor
man will often obtain more for an orchid
root obtained from swamp or branch OF
tree than he received for hard labor dur
ing dozen years.
Collecting orchids is attended by many
dangers and great losses of property.
Several collectors in the jungles of India
have been devoured by tigers, bitten by
venomous serpents or drowned in bogs.
Quite number have been overturned
while in canoes, and it is presumed that
several have been roasted and eaten by
the cannibles Of Polynesia. Many valu-
able specimens are lost on account of lack
of facilities for transportation. One Lon
don dealer lately received telegram from
Port Said, informing him that 10000
orchid roots had been killed by exposure
| to the surf on the Red Sea or by being
| knocked about during storm. A collector
on one of the PHILIPPINE islands got to-
gether 10000 specimens. which he spread
out on the beach to dry, but an unusually
high tidal wave swept them all into the
sea. Another collector in Peru had all his
roots in sacks on the backs of mules, which
were confscated by party OF soldiers
who declared they had immediate need Of
the animals. The soldiers laughed about
the orchids having any value.
Some things can be said in favor OF the
orchid mania. It is harmless. So far
from inuring the poor in any country, il
benefits them. It furnishes employment
for many people. It encourages the study
of botany, which is the most neglected Of
all the natural sciences. What is of more
consequence to the world, it is the means
of causing many outlandish countries to
be explored.