688 



CATTLEYA 



CATTLEYA 



plants show unusual vigor and in consequence of 

 this, many have practised the use of fertilizers in ex- 

 ceedingly dilute proportions in all the water used on 

 the plants, and some have had surprising results. The 

 temptation, however, is always present to feel that if a 

 little is good, more would be better, and herein lies the 

 danger. When plant-foods are used in solution, they 

 should be considered only as sufficient to make the dif- 

 ference between rain-water and that which comes out 

 of a pipe. 



The best twelve varieties of cattleyas for commercial 

 purposes, and, indeed, for amateurs also, are the fol- 

 lowing: C. Trianse, fls. Jan.-March; C. Schroederse, 

 fls. March, Apr.; C. Mossias, fls. April, May; C. Men- 

 delii, fls. Apr., May; C. Warneri, fls. May, June; C. 

 gigas, fls. June, July; C. aurea, fls. June, July; C. 

 Gaskelliana, fls. Aug., Sept.; C. Harrisoniana, fls. Sept., 

 Oct.; C. labiata, fls. Oct., Nov.; C. Bowringeana, fls. 

 Oct., Nov.; C. Percivaliana, fls. Dec. 



With a number of plants of each of the above kinds, 

 it will be seen that it is possible to have a succession of 

 flowers from one end of the year to the other. 



E. O. ORPET and JOHN E. LAGER. 



The following American trade names belong to 

 Laelia: C. crispa, C. lobala, C. marginata, C. pumila. See, 

 also, the list of hybrids at the close of Cattleya. For C. 

 aurantiaca, see Epidendrum. 



The cattleyas enter into various generic hybrids: 

 consult, for example, _Brassocattlselia, Brassocattleya, 

 Brasso-Lsdia-Cattleya, Epicattleya, Lsdiocattleya. 



Of several of the following species, there are named 

 varieties in the American trade, varying in stature, 

 habit and particularly in the color of the flowers. 



INDEX. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 

 A. Infl. terminal. 



B. Lateral lobes of lip small or wanting, 



the column exposed. 

 C. Peduncles 1-2-fld., from a very 

 short spathe or naked: pseudo- 

 bulb fusiform, short 1. Aclandias 



CO. Peduncles many-fid., from a large 



spathe: pseudobulbs long 2. bicolor 



BB. Lateral lobes of lip large. 



c. Corners recurved, exposing column. 3. dolosa 

 cc. Corners not recurved, concealing 



column. 



D. Pseudobulbs 1-lvd. 

 E. Plants large: pseudobulbs fusi- 

 form or clavate: fls. large. 

 F. Sepals and petals yellow; lip 

 ample, rich purple, beauti- 

 fully veined and reticulated 



with gold 4. Dowiana 



FF. Sepals and petals not yellow. 

 O. Petals about twice as broad 

 as the sepals which are 

 markedly undulate. 

 H. Tube narrowly cylindric, 



the limb not striped o. Lawrenceana 



HH. Tube cylindric-funnelform, 

 the limb bordered with 

 white and streaked with 

 darker color, with a 



median yellow line 6. maxima 



GO. Petals 8 times or more as 

 broad as the sepals ivhich 

 are not undulate or but 

 slightly so. 



H. Lip with a large orange 

 blotch in the center, sur- 

 rounded by circles of 

 white and purple in 



order 7. Eldorado 



HH. Lip with other color ar- 

 rangement. 



I. The lip about as wide as 



or wider than the petals. 



3. Tube of lip yellow; 



sepals and petals 



white 8. Rex 



JJ. Tube white or colored 



other than yellow. 

 K. Border of limb white, 

 the center bright pur- 

 ple variegated with 



violet 9. Mossiae 



KK. Limb without white 



border. 



L. Throat with a yellow 

 or white eye on 



each side 10. Luddeman- 



LL. Throat without eye. [niana 



M. Color of tube white, 

 or the same as 

 petals; limb pur- 

 ple-crimson .... 11. Mendelii 

 MM. Color of tube and 

 limb bright pur- 

 ple; throat with 



2 yellow spots. . . 12. Warscewiczii 

 n. The lip narrower than 



petals. 



j. Limb much shorter than 

 the tube, the margin 

 relatively but little 



crisped 13. Trianas 



JJ. Limb about as long as 

 the tube, the margin , 

 much crisped. 

 K. Throat with a golden 



eye on each side. . . . 14. labiata 

 KK. Throat without eye. 

 L. Margin of limb dif- 

 ferent in color from 

 the center. 



M. Petals longer than 

 the sepals and 

 lip; fls. 4^-5 in. 

 across 15. Percivaliana 



