The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-07-02
HleH-PRlcED ORCHIDS.
Many Perils Are Undergone in Secur-
ing Rare Specimens.

ing Rare Specimens.
1t costs time and money and some
times life to gather some flowers. The
flowers are not the fortune telling
daisies. the silky petaled roses or the
buttercups growing beside the dusty
road In the tall grass. They are the
fragile orchids living in the humid
jungles of the tropics. To find these
men are willing to take journeys OF
two and three years duration and cost
ing much money, besides risking their
lives.
It is said that many enthusiasts have
lost their lives from fatigue and from
diseases caught in the pestilential cli-
mate which so well suits many Of the
richest orchids. Some of the finest
of these queer plants have been found
in swampy jungles and almost impene-
Itrable forests. Weeks are spent float
ing down rivers in South America on
rafts. From these RATS the collectors
gather large numbers OF the orchids,
which hang from the branches of the
trees over the water. The insects which
are attracted to the flowers are in
some instances dangerous to human
life. In such cases the tree is cut
down and towed through the water
until the insects have been washed
off. Sometimes snakes are found in
the trees. Lives have been lost from
attacks by these. or from wild ami
mails. The hundreds of natives who
have been hired by collectors as guides
and porters have added to the num-
Der of those whose lives have been
sacrificed.
The loss of life is not always due to
tropical fevers, the bites Of danger
Gus insects, or the attacks Of reptiles
and animals. Sometimes collector is
killed by native for his money. and
is never heard from again. A collector |
who expects to be gone two or three
years may take with him treasure to
the amount Of from $4,000 to s50,O0O
to cover his expenses. Only a few
years ago London firm sent col
ector to South America. 1t was ex-
pected that his trip would take at least
TWO years, and he carried with him
100000. He never came back out of
the South American forest. 1t was
supposed he had been murdered for
lis money.
Orchids are found in a number Of
lifferent tropical countries. Some Of
he finest are said to come from the
1t is believed that there
'emain in these islands many choice
varieties to be discovered. They are
'ound also in India, Australia, Brazil,
Mexico and other countries.
There are persons who collect or
,hids as others do coins or postage
stamps paying large sums for single
plants. 1t Is said that sum nearly
vice as large as the largest price paid
or tulip bulb in the time Of the
'amous tulip craze, $5,2OO, was paid
n London last year for one plant, and
hat the stock of another is valued at
10000. The highest valued orchid is
,aid to be in the collection Of Sir
Trevor Lawrence Of Dorking, England.
is value has not been tested by sale,
however, as the owner cultivates or
,hids for his own pleasure solely.
diss Gould is said to have paid $4,000
or one plant.
Some orchids are so large that large
cams are required to move them, and
% old that they outrank the lives Of
most men. Baron Aponoya, an Hunga-
ian nobleman, bought from yene-
ueian plant which was said to be-