260 



CATTLEYA 



CATTLEYA 



The Cattleyas are indigenous to the western hemi- 

 sphere only, Central and S. America being the regions 

 where they abound, particularly in the latter, from the 

 different countries of which large quantities are im- 

 ported yearly. During the last few years the collecting 

 and importing of Cattleyas into the U. S. has assumed 

 large proportions, owing to a continually and steadily 

 increased demand, not only by amateurs but also by the 

 trade in general. There are two particular reasons for 

 this increased demand : First, the exquisitely beautiful 

 flowers, combined with size and marvelous colors, and 

 adapted for decorations at all sorts of functions, they be- 

 ing never out of place ; second, their easy culture. Flor- 

 ists and amateurs alike are beginning to realize that, 

 after all, orchids are only plants, and if only treated in a 

 common-sense way they are by far easier to grow than 

 a good many plants, and especially so the Cattleyas, 

 provided some attention is paid to their requirements. 



Cattleyas in general delight in a genial, moist atmos- 

 phere and a temperature ranging all the way from 55 

 to 70. They all require an abundant supply of water, 

 accompanied by a liberal supply of air and light, dur- 

 ing their respective growing seasons. A Cattleya house 

 ^should, if possible, have bottom and top ventilators, 

 which when open produce a current of fresh air impos- 

 sible to obtain or imitate in any other way, and in which 

 these plants delight. The glass should be shaded with 

 a thin coat of naphtha and white lead, enough to pre- 

 vent the sun from burning the plants, for, while they 

 enjoy all the light possible, the full sun in our climate 

 is too strong for them, and they are liable to dry and 

 shrivel, and thus lose their natural luxuriance. The 

 'shading, however, may be removed entirely during the 

 dullest winter months. Cattleyas will grow equally well 

 in baskets, pots, or on boards ; the former are prefera- 

 ble where limited quantities are grown, inasmuch as 

 they are easily managed and may be hung up or taken 

 down or moved from one place to another with the 

 greatest ease. The large blocks or boards are to be rec 

 ornmended where large quantities of plants are grown 

 for cut-flowers, being more economical in every sense 

 of the word. When boards are used, the width ought 

 not to be less than 10 inches, as the plants would very 

 soon grow over the sides of the boards ; the length may 

 be adjusted to suit the house, but should not exceed 5 

 feet anything larger is liable to be too clumsy to han- 

 dle conveniently. 



The best potting material is soft, fibrous peat, with a 

 sprinkling of live sphagnum intermixed. Too much 

 stress cannot be laid on soft peat, as frequently too 

 coarse material is used, resembling amass of wire, with 

 the result that the water benefits the plants but very 

 little, and root-action is slow, if taking place at all. 

 One thing is imperative in the cultivation of Cattleyas, 

 in whatever receptacles they are grown : they must be 

 firm, without going to the extreme of ramming in the 

 stuff too hard. A plant lying loose in a basket or a pot 

 will never grow well, but will gradually dwindle away 

 to nothing. Where boards or large blocks are used, the 

 plants are fastened on by means of galvanized staples, 

 inserting a piece of peat between the staple and the 

 rhizome, so as to keep the staple from burning while 

 new. In this way freshly imported Cattleyas may be 

 fastened on to clean boards or blocks, and by liberal 

 overhead syringing the roots soon appear, when a mix- 

 ture of chopped peat and sphagnum may be shaken in 

 between the plants to cover the roots. In using baskets, 

 it is advisable to use them shallow and less material, 

 the compost thus keeping fresh and sweet for a consid- 

 erable period of time. Cattleyas, as previously men- 

 tioned, enjoy a copious supply of water during their 

 respective growing seasons. In our climate the best 

 method is to use the hose, and water overhead, which, 

 if adhered to, will cause the plants to soon assume a 

 natural green color and luxuriance common to them in 

 their native habitats. Besides, the overhead watering 

 will keep down vermin, such as scales, etc. By the so- 

 called resting season of Cattleyas is generally under- 

 stood the time after the plants have finished the flow- 

 ering bulb, and until they begin to send up the next 

 growth. During this time, when they are, in a sense, 

 dormant, the quantity of water should be diminished, 

 "which causes the new eyes to move slowly and break 



strong. As soon, however, as the new breaks are fairly 

 under way they should be encouraged in the way of 

 moisture, when the new roots will soon appear and the 

 plants go ahead with renewed vigor. If the plants are 

 in baskets, suspended under the roof, they should be 

 taken down at intervals and dipped thoroughly. Hand- 

 in-hand with a copious watering must go a liberal sup- 

 ply of light and air at all times. In order to obtain the 

 best results, the plants should be placed as near to the 

 light as possible say, from 1-3 feet from the glass, 

 according to kinds and to the space available in the 

 house. Kinds such as G ' . Triancei, C. labiata, C. Men- 

 delii, C. Mossice and C. Harrisoniana will grow and 

 flower well in any part or position of the house, pro- 

 vided they have plenty of light and air, but 3 feet is 

 the maximum distance from the glass at which any of 

 the Cattleyas should be placed, to be successfully grown. 

 A capital illustration of the above is, for instance, C. 

 gigas, which does admirably suspended under the ridge 

 of the house, where it receives the full benefit of air 

 and light, in which position it flowers profusely, while 

 if grown on a bench or stage it rarely flowers. 



The best twelve varieties of Cattleyas for commercial 

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

 lowing: C. Trianaei, flowers Jan.-March; Schrcederiana, 

 fls. March, April ; Mossise, fls. April, May; Mendelii, 

 fls. April, May; Warneri. fls. May, June ; gigas, fls. 

 June, July ; chrysotoxa, fls. June, July ; Gaskelliana, 

 fls. Aug., Sept. ; Harrisoniana, fls. Sept., Oct. ; labiata, 

 fls. Oct., Nov.; Bowringeana, fls. Oct., Nov.; Percival- 

 iana, 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. 



JOHN E. LAGER. 



Index : Aclandiro, 18 ; amethystina, 21 ; amethysto- 

 glossa, 25 ; aurea, 2 ; autumnalis, 16 ; bicolor, 19 ; 

 Bluntei, 6 ; Bogotensis, 1 ; Bowringeana, 16 ; bulbosa, 

 30; Candida, 23 ; Carrierei, 1; Chocoensis, 9; chryso- 

 toxa, 2 ; citrina, 17 ; Dawsonii, 5 ; dolosa, 21 ; Dowi- 

 ana, 2 ; Eldorado, 3 ; Ernesti, 1 ; Forbesii, 22 ; Gas- 

 kelliana, 4; gigas, 12; gloriosa, 1; granulosa, 26; 

 guttata, 24 ; ffarrisonice, 23 ; Harrisoniana, 23 ; Hoi- 

 fordi,3Q; imperialis, 1; intermedia, 21 ; Keteleerii, 25; 

 labiata,!; Lawrenceana, 14; Leeana,\; Lemoniana, 1 ; 

 Leopoldii. 24 ; Loddigesii, 23 ; Luddemanniana, 5 ; 

 luteola, 30 : Massangeana, 1 ; maxima, 13 ; Mendelii, 

 6 ; Morgance, 1 ; Mossise, 7 ; Nalderiana, 1 ; nobilior, 

 31 ; pallida, 1 ; Parthenia, 21 ; Peetersii, 1 ; Perci- 

 valiana, 8; Perrinii, 1 ; Prinzii,25; punctatissima, 21; 

 quadricolor, 9 ; Reineckiana , 7 ; Raezlii, 1 ; Bollis- 

 soni, 1 ; Sanderiana, 12 ; Schilleriana, 29 ; Schofieldi- 

 ana, 27 ; Schroederiana, 9 ; Skinneri, 15 ; speciosis- 

 sima, 5 ; splendens, 28 ; superba, 28 ; Triansei, 9 ; 

 Victoria-Begina, 20; violacea, 28 ; virginalis, 1 ; Wag- 

 neri, 7 ; Walkeriana, 31 ; Wallisii, 3 ; Warneri, 10 ; 

 Warocqueana, 1 ; Warscewiczii, 11. 



The following Amer. trade names belong to Lselia : 

 crispa, lobata, marginata, pumila. See, also, the list 

 of hybrids at the close of Cattleya. For G.aurantiaca, 

 see Epidendrum. 



Of several of the following species, there are named 

 vars. in the Amer. trade, varying in stature, habit, and 

 particularly in the color of the flowers. 



A. Blossoms from a leafy pseudobulb. 



B. fls. membranaceous, not fleshy, 

 c. Number of fls. not more than 5, or rarely 6 : 



pseudobulb 1-leaved. 



1. labiata, Lind. Pseudobulbs 4-8 in. high, com- 

 pressed, from stout creeping rhizomes : leaf-blades 

 broadly ovate or oblong, about 6 in. in length: fls. 2-5, 

 ranging in color from rosy mauve to white ; petals 

 3% in. long, 2% in. wide, ovate-oblong, several times 

 broader than the sepals ; labellum 2%-3% in. long, ex- 

 panded portion 2 in. across, blotched or veined with 

 crimson or magenta-purple, the margin crisped and 

 paler; the posterior part stained with yellow and veined 

 with crimson-purple. Blooms in autumn. B.M. 3998. 

 P.M. 4:121. Gn. 51:1107. G.C. III. 19: 13. R.B. 22:25. 

 A. G. 17:65; 19:811. F.B. 1:8; 2:531. Gng. 2:275. F.E. 

 9:327. A.F. 6:607. Int. in 1818 from the Organ moun- 



