leaving a cheque for seventy guineas behind. I may remark that
Cypripeds are easy to cultivate. They are also quick to increase. Messrs.
Veitch hurried their specimen along, and divided it as fast as was safe.
To say that the morsels fetched their weight in gold would be the reverse
of exaggeration--mere bathos.

Importers sat up. They were not without a hint to direct their search in
this case. The treasure had arrived amongst a quantity of Cyp. insigne.
Therefore it must be a native of the Himalayan region--Assam, Darjeeling,
or Sikkim, no doubt. There are plenty of persons along that frontier able
and willing to hunt up a new plant. A good many of them probably received
commissions to find Cypripedium Spicerianum.

At St. Albans they were more deliberate. It is not exactly usual for
ladies residing at Wimbledon to receive consignments of orchids. When such
an event happens, one may conclude that they have relatives or intimate
friends in the district where those orchids grow; it will hardly be waste
of time anyhow to inquire. A discreet investigation proved that this
lady's son was a tea-planter, with large estates on the confines of
Bhutan. With the address in his pocket Mr. Forstermann, a collector of
renown, started by next mail.

Orchids must be classed with _ferae naturae_ in which a landowner has no
property. But it is not to be supposed that a man of business will tell
the casual inquirer where to pick up, on his own estate, weeds worth
seventy guineas each. Forstermann did not expect it. Leaving his baggage
at the dak bungalow, he strolled afoot to the large and handsome mansion
indicated. Mr. Spicer was sitting in the verandah, and in the pleasant,
easy way usual with men who very rarely see a white stranger of
respectable appearance, he shouted:

'Are you looking for me, sir? Come up!'

Forstermann went up, took an arm-chair and a cheroot, accepted a
comforting glass, and sketched his experiences of the road before
declaring even his name. Then he announced himself as an aspirant
tea-planter, desirous to gain some practical knowledge of the business
before risking his very small capital. In short, could Mr. Spicer give him
a 'job'?

'I'm afraid not,' said Mr. Spicer. 'We have quite as many men in your
position as we can find work for. But anyhow you can look round and talk
to our people and see whether the life is likely to suit you. Meantime,
you're very welcome to stay here as my guest. If you've br