Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-11
ORCHIDS.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


with the shionable weddings and
elaborate pre-Lsntal social events comes
an increased demand for orchids This
year the florists And it more taxing
than ever. for IN fashionable society
the orchid Is the f1uer de luxe beside
which the longest stemmed American
beauty or the stra ggliest chrysanthemum
paies into mediocrity The cost Of or
chids renders them prollibitive to any
but American millionaires, and there is
little prospect Of them becoming cheap
er when the demand Is so in excess OF the
supply. A single bouquet Of orchids re-
Gently sent to New York actress cost
81 600, while sc,5ao is not an unusual
price to pay for an orchid table decora-
ton for q small dinner or luncheon. When
it comes to decorating a ballroom or
residence a. good sized fortune secures
comparatively small effect.
While orchid growing has made rapid
strides within the past decade, American
orchid culture Is in its
Use in infancy as compared
n.. with England and the
OecoidIioAs' European nations. De-
spite this there Is q greater general
Familiarity with the flowers In America
than in Europe. and In no other country
in the world are they used so lavishly
for decorations. The English culture them
with care and pride themselves upon their
scientific development. but few English
hostesses would presume to use them
upon their table or for their own adorn-
ment.
While nearly all orchids are impora-
tons at the beginning. there are few, II
any, of the imported plants sold except
ing to scientific collectors or for breed
ing. Only the hybirds are hardy enough
to be valuable for the florists trade. The
hybridization of orchids Is an Intricate
but rapidly developing science. Often
two orchids from widely separated local
tiles are combined by hybridization and
a plant developed which is suitable to
the climate of the greenhouses OF the
Tie orchid is undoubtedly the most
irregular flower that grows. The many
biotches which cause the high value of
some varieties are. in reality. the result
of irregular distribution and assimilation.
Perhaps in its perfect state the flower
has but one color, and 5000 blooms may
have occurred to have developed the won.
derful blotclles.
* Il
Va AALotV Iha1& q S~StN1S iiiCAA SaofS
riskcd their lives and encountered the
most deadly dangers in
Lives orchid hunting. There is
nit, not, and cannot be, any
~s10neo' other quest quite so per-
ilous. The Tarest blossoms are found III
the most inaccessible places, generally in
tropical junsIes. where poisonous snakes
and insects cause the white man prac-
S,. ~, 81 1T
no enters them, even II he Is not con-
fronted with the additional terror of
fierce savages.
Leon Humboldt, a French collector, at
a recent banquet, stated that he had met
and dined with six orchid hunters IN
Madagascar. and within four years four
OF them were dead. Within six years
Humboldt was the only survivor. 4 Lon.
don orchid Arm recently admitted tnat
five of their men were killed by spies
in tho western Iinalayan. mountains
within as many months.
Last year two hunters from New York, |
after Incredible hardship. pushed their
est. There they came upon a good-sized
hut containing $50 alligator skins and
thousands OF dead orchids. There we're
three human skeletons and some rusty
rifles and tools From between the ribs |
Of one skeleton grew an orchid of rare
beauty. The Indications were that these
three collectors had been murdered by
natives before they were able to get their
specimens ready for transportation.
Frequently orchid collectors have neen
lleld prisoners for years by savage tribes.
George Banault, a Frencl1man. went in
quest of rare white orchid only to be
found at the top Of the Andes mountains.
He vas captured by a rebel tribe Of Co
ioalbia IND ans and held captive for
four years. During this time he lost the
largest part OF his collection, although
he was fortunate in being able to pre-
serve his rarest plants.
Most orchids are air plants and COM |
monty grow on branches of trees or on
tall cliffs In the tropics the most deadly
snakes are frequently found on trees. An
American orchid hunter last year ordered
one OF his native guides in Brazil to
climb a tree to secure a rare plant. The !
boy protested that 1t was snake !
tree" but the American. believing the ma
tive was shamming. insisted. The boy
was starting to descend when black, |
sword-like object shot out, striking him
on the arm. He fell to the ground. dying |
in commissions few minutes later, |
the plant which had cost human life. |
:: =:
The story ot the 'lost orchid" has been
frequently referred to as fiction, al
though the plot really OK
THE Lost listed. More. than sixty !
o,,., years ago an apothecary |
S1e"A~' named Fairrec in Liverpool |
received a rare orchid from Assam |
which was pronounced OF great value, |
and under the name OF Cyeripedium |
Tairreenum became we'll known to scien- |
lists. A number OF plants were raised
from il, but within few years all had |,
died and the species became extinct. Be
cause it has been considered SO desirable |
for Adjudication purposes every possible |
means for its discovery was considered. |
and for for.y-six years orchid hunters !!
devoted their time and iisked their lives |
in its quest. At Least sixteen YES We. e !,
lost in search OF the lost o4chid' and |,
$4,000 was offered by the London E2rti- |
culture Society for its rediscovery. Dur
ing the Russo-Japanese war. l. L. Sea-
bright Of the British army discovered |
the species again at the top of a PEI
ilous cliff in Tibet. 200 feet above sea
level Mr.. Seabright secured 173 plants. !
I,o ca oil tn, I 20.