180 ORCHIDS : HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



anceps Williamsii and L. anceps Stella, as the latter is given as a synonym of 

 the former in " Veitch's Manual ?" 



REPLY. You have hit upon the right position for successfully growing 

 C. citrina, and your experience proves that it can be grown for many years 

 without deteriorating. I have seen it do well for many years when suspended 

 in a Cattleya house, but that has been in the country, where the air is clear and 

 the maximum amount of light is obtained during winter. It is the darkness of 

 winter, especially in large commercial districts, that is such a drawback to many 

 of our Orchids ; and those from Mexico, of which C. citrina is one, suffer more 

 than any, and that is why they are so difficult to cultivate in large centres like 

 Birmingham, where the absence of sunshine is much more prolonged than in 

 the country owing to the atmosphere being so charged with smoke, and 

 sulphurous fogs frequently occur which slowly but surely kill many trees and 

 shrubs with a much hardier constitution than an Orchid. There are so many 

 varieties of white Laelia anceps, all more or less distinct and pretty, and a 

 number of different names have from time to time been given to them. 

 Scarcely two can be found exactly alike, still not distinct enough to be named 

 as separate varieties. L. anceps Williamsii and L. anceps Stella are, I believe, 

 very close together in appearance, the former having no colour on the lip and 

 the latter only a slight suffusion of pink. The pure white form, which has not 

 even any chocolate markings in the throat, is the most rare and expensive at 

 present. There are short bulb and long bulb varieties, the latter bearing much 

 longer and larger spikes of flowers. 



A. B., LEDBURY, says : I have several Cattleya G-askelliana which have 

 made their growth and formed their sheath, but show no signs of forming 

 their spikes. Should I rest them now or keep them growing. I have one 

 plant which has made its growth but no sheath ; should I rest this or let it go 

 on with next year's growth ? 



REPLY. This question is answered in the reply to "H. B. E., Bristol." 

 Generally speaking, a Cattleya having formed a sheath will flower, although 

 sometimes failing to do so. Sometimes they will put>h a spike without a sheath, 

 and C Trianae, C. Mendelii, and C. Mossiae often produce flowers without a 

 sheath, and on that account if the last new bulb is minus a sheath, care should 

 be taken when cleaning the plants not to touch that particular point from which 

 the spike should issue. In the case of C. Gaskelliana, should the spikes not push 

 directly the pseudobulb is completed they will not do so, and the plant should 

 not be kept wet and growing. 



A. B., EYE, asks : I send you leaves of a Cattleya Eldorado which have 

 gone wrong in my little forcing house. About ten days ago I noticed something 

 was the matter with it Can you kindly inform me what you consider the 

 cause of it, and what I am to do to stay others from being similarly affected. 

 If other plants get it what can I do to cure them ? 



REPLY. The pseudobulbs and leaves have all the appearance of the 

 Cattleya disease [see answer to C. L. B., Staffordshire], although in this case 

 they seem to have died and speedily become quite rotten, which leads me to 

 suppose the plant has by some means received a severe check from cold, by 



