www.fantasticorangetree.com The Fantastic Orange Tree
This mechanical piece was preceded by several magic effects which motivated its introduction onto the stage. I borrowed a handkerchief from a lady. I rolled it into a ball, which I placed beside an egg, a lemon, and an orange arranged on my table. I then magically made all the objects pass within one another, and when they were finally all
nested within the orange, I used the fruit to create a magical liqueur. To do so, I pressed the orange between my hands and reduced its size, displaying its various stages from time to time, and I eventually reduced it to a powder which I poured into a flask containing spirits of wine. My assistant then brought onstage an orange tree without blossoms or fruit. I poured a bit of the elixir that I had just prepared into a tiny vase, set it on fire, and placed it beneath the plant, and as the fumes reached the leaves, one could see flowers blossoming on the tree. Upon a wave of my wand, these flowers were replaced by oranges, which I handed out to the spectators. A single orange remained on the tree; I commanded it to open itself into four parts, revealing within the borrowed handkerchief. Two butterflies, flapping their wings, grasped the top corners and unfolded it as they rose into the air. This effect was my creation. Robert Houdin
