would support myriads of cattle. League beyond league stretches the
"Pajadena grass," pasturage unequalled; but "the wild herds that never
knew a fold" are its only denizens. Here, on the mountain slopes, Mr.
Wallace found _Bletia Sherrattiana_, the white form, very rare; another
terrestrial orchid, unnamed and, as is thought, unknown, which sends up
a branching spike two feet to three feet high, bearing ten to twelve
flowers, of rich purple hue, in shape like a Sobralia, three and four
inches across; and yet another of the same family, growing on the rocks,
and "looking like masses of snow on the hill-side." Such descriptions
are thrilling, but these gentlemen receive them placidly; they would
like to know, perhaps, what is the reserve price on such fine things,
and what the chance of growing them to a satisfactory result. Dealers
have a profound distrust of novelties, especially those of terrestrial
genus; and their feeling is shared, for a like reason, by most who have
large collections. Mr. Burbidge estimates roughly that we have fifteen
hundred to two thousand species and varieties of orchid in cultivation;
a startling figure, which almost justifies the belief of those who hold
that no others worth growing will be found in countries already
explored. But beyond question there are six times this number in
existence, which collectors have not taken the trouble to gather. The
chances, therefore, are against any new thing. Many species well known
show slight differences of growth in different localities. Upon the
whole, regular orchidaceans prefer that some one else should try
experiments, and would rather pay a good price, when assured that it is
worth their while, than a few shillings when the only certainty is
trouble and the strong probability is failure. Mr. Wallace has nothing
more to tell of the undiscovered country. The Indians received him with
composure, after he had struck up friendship with an old woman, and for
the four days of his stay made themselves both useful and agreeable in
their fashion.