the stem. Except for experiments in hybridizing, few are the growers who have the patience to grow orchids from seed.

"Look at this marvelous growth," exclaimed the Doctor, with shining eyes, pointing to a flowerless plant that he had tended from its infancy and which was then putting up seven pseudo-bulbs, and as many leaves about eight inches long." "And how long has this been growing, Doctor?"

"Seven years."

It must be a genuine lover who serves for his mistress seven years, and feels that the years were as but a few days for the

love he had to her."

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Yet man feels in a sense a creative spirit when, with awkward fingers, he transfers the pollen of one beautiful flower to the pistils of another with a view to producing a new species. The seed of this crossing ripens in a twelvemonth, and is immediately sown on top of a pot or on a slab of wood. Then the orchid lover waits patiently for the result of this mating. If it be something new and altogether lovely, the good news is sent to other orchid lovers.

A record has been kept of the pedigree and this, with a photograph of the new wonder, is sent to the orchid journals-perhaps across seas to London, where the greatest number of orchids are grown.

The orchid of the greenhouse is subject to various and sundry diseases, to keep up its reputation as a pampered aristocrat. Of these the most injurious are Rot," and "Spot," caused from injudicious watering.

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It has also many enemies, and one staunch friend-the green frog, whose croak is the single humble, homely note in the luxurious abode of these pedigreed pets. While the orchid feeds delicately on moisture and "hot air," the frog enjoys his dinner of red spider, thrips and cockroaches, with mealy bug and borers for breakfast and ants and snails for luncheon. That many of these delicacies are "imported" adds doubtless to the gourmet's satisfaction.

The orchid was first introduced in the greenhouses of England little more than a century ago, the first specimens having been brought from the tropics by returning missionaries and officers. Later, many new and striking kinds were discovered on account of the extravagant sums offered for novelties. Stimulated by these prizes, collectors scoured every part of the tropics, risking and often sacrificing life in the mountains, jungles and feverhaunted swamps in quest of the finest specimens. So great is the danger from wild animals that collectors are often forced to urge their native helpers on at the point of a brace of pistols.

It must not be inferred from this that the orchid is an unusual plant in its own home. On the contrary, it outstrips all others there, taking and holding the best positions; swinging airily from the trunks of lofty trees, which must be felled to secure it, clambering over dripping rocks in shady places, clinging daringly to mountain sides at points a; high as 14,000 feet, and throwing itself with reckless abandon into jungle depths where the foot of man may not go.

Even when good plants were secured it was difficult to pack them properly for transit from the forests to a seaport and for the long sea voyage. It may be guessed how uncongenial was the journey, with its changes of temperature and frequent storms, to these southland dwellers. Little was known of their habits and proper treatment. Growers could but guess and experiment, until intelligent study was given the orchid in its native land. It is related that an accident revealed the wayward bent and disposition of the Stanhopeas. They had been planted in pots over and again only to rot and die. A pot was accidentally broken, but as the plant had steadily refused to grow no attention was paid to it. Then, behold through the cracks the flower spikes forced their way and burst into bloom, growing head downward-which is the Stanhopea's preference-and is not to be trifled with. In the wild freedom of its tropical home, many are the orchid's cunning devices for attracting bees, moths, and butterflies, and so securing fertilization. The matter of natural fertilization is too many-sided for the scope of a magazine article, and it has been well handled by such masters as Darwin and others. But it is so full of interest and poetry that one cannot forbear touching upon it, and I quote from Grant Allen, who has written so charmingly of the Marriage Customs of Plants." He says:

Highest of all the threefold flowers and most wonderful are the great group of orchids. It would be quite impossible for me to give you any account of the infinite devices invented by these plants to secure insect fertilization, and even the flower is so extremely complex that I can hardly undertake to do it. The ovary in orchids is inferior and curiously twisted. It supports six perianth pieces, three of which are sepals, often long and very handsome, while two are petals, often arching like a hood over the center of the flower. The third petal, called the lip, is quite different in shape and appearance from the other two and usually hangs down in a very conspicuous manner. There are no visible stamens to be recognized as such, but the pollen is contained in a pair of tiny bags or sacks close to the stigma. It is united into two sticky, club-shaped lumps usually called the pollen masses. In other words, the orchids have got rid of all their stamens except one, and even that one has united with the stigma.. The spotted orchis has a long tube or spur at the base of its sepals, and this contains abundant honey. The pollen masses are neatly lodged in two