A Glorious Bouquet.

Manawatu Herald, 19 August 1897, Page 2

A Glorious Bouquet.

Orchid lovers will be interested in the details of a marvellous bouqutt presented to the Queen by permission at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of the recent state dinner. The detail are given by the Globe. Over 50,000 orchids were grouped together in its composition, some of the spikes being almost priceless, as the names, did our spaoe permit of enumerating them, would oonvince tha reader. The pure white spikes of the Princess of Wales Odontoglossum were prominent, and also the yellow and maroon blooms of Lord Dalhou3ie's Dendrobe. And, to show from what far away lands this goodly company of exquisite orchids were collected, we may mention the spray 3 from Table Mountain, called " Flower of the Gods," Stenoglottis from South Africa, the Moth flowered Denrobe from Australasia and New Guinea, as well as specimens from the East Indies and Guiana. These were most gracefully arranged by the florists in a gilt wicker-work basket in trefoil shape, the three branches of the handles formed a dome with the Royal crown on the top. Beneath this the letters V.EJ. appeared written in hundreds of the blossoms of the orange orchids, which were Millais's favourite. This unique and admirable bouquet stood eight feet high, and measured six feet in dlattietci'*