Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
ORCHID IN A Skull
Grim Origin of Flower Exhib-
tied in London.
SPLENDID PLANT DISPLAY
Private japanese Gardens Are the
Latest Luxury.
HUNTING BLOOMS AMID PERIL
Rare Specimens Sought in Primeval
Forests Where Strange DAN
gers Abound.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star


LONDON, July 10, 1910
The Royal Horticultural Society's sum-
mer show, which opened at Holland Park
Kensington. July 5, Is distinguished by
two features-a large Japanese garden
of rare design, which has been built by
Messrs. James Carter & Co., and ar
exceptionally fine display of orchids.
The garden is "a realistic bit of chrys
anthemum land. A couple of lakes have
been constructed in the gardens. spanned
by a moss-lined bridge and encircled by
clumps of real Japanese iris, interspersed
with dwarf trees hundreds of years old
and other quaint and beautiful specimens
of the gardeners art specially imported
from the island kingdom.
A silver cascade trickles from among
rocky boulders and falls unsteady into
the lake. while from the trees above
comes the tinkling of many wind bells. -
The Japanese garden is becoming a
fashion among well-to-do people in
the London district. Harold Beale, or
behalf Of Messrs. Carter, has just COM
pleted the construction Of three for pri-
Vate owners.
1.-The japanese garden is an artistic
luxury" he told an Evening News repre-
sentative, "for anything up to 10000
may be spent on building it..
Two great banks Of orchids monopolize
the largest of the tents, and include many
recent finds not previously exhibited.
Salt Baths for an Orchid.
One Of these has a grim history. 1t is
shown by Messrs. Sander & Sons.
1T was discovered in New Guinea -
said Mr.. Godseff, manager Of that firm,
who has had half century's experience
with orchids. The natives of New
Guinea. the Papuans, do not inter their
dead; they place them on shelving rocks.
Our collector, who was exploring the
country, found the orchids had rooted in
the skeletons OF these departed natives.
One specimen had taken complete posses
sion of a skull, and it's beautiful pink
petals projected through the sockets of
the eyes
He sent this extraordinary plant to US,
and we sold 1t, skull included, to a great
financier and member of the house of
lords. Under similar gruesome conditions
were found the specimens of the same
class of orchid which we are showing
here"
Another extraordinary exhibit is the
Elephant Moth orchid. 1t was found in
the Philippine Islands, thriving close to
the Seashore, where 1t was constantly
saturated with the spray from the waves.
When 1t arrived in London it was ascer-
sary to its well being, and, therefore, it's
surroundings were sprinkled with salt and
it was given frequent baths of salt water.
Into the Unknown.
Orchid hunting" said Mr.. Godseff, lis
sometimes a perilous profession. Some
of the remotest parts of the earth are
visited in search of new plants.
The collector and his retinue, which
sometimes numbers forty or fifty persons,
have frequently to hew their way through
dense primeval forests never before trod
by human feet.
'lAll manner of dangers are run I'm en-
collector may be away for two or three
years. and he lives as best he may. One
of our explorers, M. MicholitZ, has more
than once been reduced to eating GER
tain species of large snake. He informs
me that it is not at all unpalatable.
The principal countries from which
new orchids are now coming are the
United States of Colombia-not British
Columbia, be it understood-Brazil, the
East Indies, the Philippines, Borneo
New Guinea and Burma.
Orchid cultivation often proves a lu-
crative business. A friend of mine re-
Gently paid els for a hundred orchids.
From them he grew two or three excep-
tionally fine varieties which he sold for
ESQ.
MY firm has paid as much as s1,65O
for one orchid, and / have offered a
grower $4,000 for three plants. but he
made no deal