ORCHIDS EARN DOLLARS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25993, 22 December 1949, Page 5

ORCHIDS EARN DOLLARS

AUSTRALIAN BLOOMS SOLD TO U.S. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 16. Australian growers are finding a ready market for their choicest flowers in the United States, where interest was recently stimulated by the success of Australian orchids and carnations at the Los Angeles world flower show. A leading Sydney orchid grower, Mr A. Shead, said that the overseas trade would become so big that few flowers would be left for the Australian market. He had received thousands of inquiries from buyers in America, Belgium, and France, and the Sydney representative of a large American firm was negotiating to buy 100,000 Australian blooms to send to the United States.

Mr Shead said he had brought out a catalogue of his orchids in September to stimulate oversea interest. He had sent 2800 copies to America and other countries, and hoped to distribute 7000 more. “Hundreds of letters have come from American actors, growers, millionaires, flower firms, and agents inquiring about the possibility of importing Australian orchids and flowers,” he added. “In America they consider Australian flowers twice as good as American.” Three weeks ago thieves raided Mr Shead’s nursery, and stole, orchid bulbs and plants which he valued at £6OOO. He offered £2OO reward for the arrest of the thieves and the recovery of the orchids, but they have not been traced. Mr Shead believes than an attempt will be made to smuggle them out of Australia.