The Washington herald., 1914-04-12
Rich Men Spend Fabulous Sums Collecting Rare Specimens.
While Scientists Sacrifice Lives in Tropical Forests in
Search Of Varieties as Yet Unknown.

Chnmbcrlin, the British statesman. al
ways had an orchid on the lapel OF MS
coat when he appeared In the House OF
Parliament He has his own collection
II is true. but even at that the flowers
must have cost him a good. big retaii
sum. II cOSts me 50 cents year 10
maintain an average orchid plant II the
plant is old 1t may have 80 blooms That
Is the outside limit. The average plant
produces from four to eight flowers Car
nations nine inches apart represent an
expense OF 6 cents each at the opening
Of the season. Roses cost more: Il cents
at least Orchids often stand the grower
from $50 to 81 apiece at the start OF the
blooming period.
II should say that an expert florist
could make from 5 per cent to ID per
cent a year growing orchids There are
ups and downs in the business as there
are in all other kinds OF money-making
efforts. Orchids with which / began my
experiments twenty years ago are stiil
alive and fruitful. The vitality Of orchids,
considering their sustenance. is marvel
Gus and that is one advantage on their
side as commercial proposition. And
the possibility of finding a rare plant
gives to the pleasure of orchid-growing
the mild excitement OF discovery and
speculation.
Plant sold for $1,000.
An albIno orchid, pure white. was sold
In this country to an Englishman for
5000. He cut II in two and went home
In one ship with half of IL, while a man
followed him on another ship with the
remaining half He didn't mean to risk
the whole plant in a single vessel. The
odontoglossum crispum, whose flowers
are white, with red or chocolate spots
he Iina nd he
base. are worth a great deal OF money.
When the white GROUND Is blotched with
purple and deep red the plant producing
the flower will sell for 1900. and per-
haps for 5000
Nearly sixty years ago. Sir Hugh
Low discovered a beautiful orchid IN
Borneo He :oOk II to England. where
II went into the famous collection of ].
Day. 1t did not bloom until 1861. When
II did bloom II caused a sensation. The
sepal was white. striped with Grim
son. The petals. six inches long. were
pale yellow and dull crimson, while the
lip was rose colored. Mr.. Day named
the orchid after Stone, his gardner.
few plants were successfully propagated
and the finest OF them brought 8, 900 each
at auction.
once there was a lost orchid. Bo-
II was known as the cypripe
dunn fairricanum. getting its name from
Mr.. Farrie. of Liverpool. II was about
eight inches high when in bloom, with
small flowers, rose purple in color on a
white background. The petals, pale
green. with purple veins. were shaped
like a mans mustache. There were a
few plants in the collections Of wealthy
EngIishmen but no one knew where
they came from. This was away back in
1857.
Down Went the Price TO IS.
In 1906. the same plant was exhibited
at the Calcutta gardens and later a
few plants reached England. The orchid
had been rediscovered in a river valley
OF Tibet by c. 5. Searisht. a British
explorer. The first Of these orchids sold
for 1900 each. They can be bought
now for s. Supply and demand as a
law of trade. governs the price of or
chids as it controls the price OF every
thing else
Many of the rarest. and. therefore.
the highest-priced orchids would not be
saiable in florists shops because they
are not appreciated by the average flow
er buyer. The big. snowy blooms are
the ones which attract popular attention.
though plain white ones are always in