156 



THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



Laelia purpurata, a magnificent spe- 

 cies from Brazil, in form resembles a 

 cattleya, and requires about the same 

 treatment It can be grown in either 

 pot or basket, has a grand spike of 

 beautifully marked flowers, with crim- 

 son purple lip. Do not over-pot it and 

 watch out for white scale. This spe- 

 cies should be in every collection. 



LYCASTE. This genus is of easy 

 culture and can be grown best in a 

 cool or intermediate house. Pot in a 

 compost of good, fibrous peat and a 

 little sphagnum and broken charcoal. 

 Give abundance of water during their 

 growing season; in fact, this plant 

 should never be allowed to become too 



ODONTOGLOSSUM. This is a grand 

 genus of orchids, probably the most 

 interesting of all. They can all be 

 grown in pots, with plenty of drainage 

 and abundance of water during their 

 growing season; in fact, they should 

 never be allowed to become dry enough 

 to allow the sphagnum to lose its 

 beautiful, fresh green color, even in 

 winter. They grow well potted in good 

 fibrous peat, with a liberal top dress- 

 ing of good, green sphagnum, which 

 should be removed as soon as decayed 

 and replaced by fresh; this sometimes 

 has to be done twice a year. They de- 

 light in a cool, moist atmospherej and 

 plenty of air in summer, and in win- 



Freshly Imported Cattleyas. 



dry at the roots, even during their sea- 

 son of rest. The growing season is 

 from about April to October. 



i^ycaste Skinnerii, a native of Guate- 

 mala, is undoubtedly the best species, 

 blooming freely, as it does, during the 

 winter months, with fine, erect, beau- 

 tifully marked flowers of white, rose 

 colored, and crimson, ana they last a 

 long time in perfection. Care should 

 be taken to keep the flowers free from 

 damp or they will soon become discol- 

 ored or destroyed. 



Lycaste cruenta is a very free flow- 

 ering species from Guatemala, blooms 

 about April, and has a very pleasing, 

 aromatic odor. It requires the same 

 treatment as the preceding. 



ter, when possible. A northern aspect 

 suits many of them, as they do not 

 like the sun, and should in any case 

 be shaded from its direct rays. A good 

 syringing with a fine rose twice a day 

 in summer and once a day in winter 

 on all bright days is very beneficial 

 to them. A temperature of 45 to 50 

 degrees in winter suits them admir- 

 ably, with but few exceptions. They 

 should on no account be over-potted, 

 and must be always well drained. They 

 all flower from the side of the bulb. 

 Watch for slugs and snails, as they 

 eat the tender flower spike very often. 

 Cotton batting placed about the flower 

 spike is a good preventive. They are 



also subject to thrip if allowed to get 

 dry. 



Odontoglossum /uexandrae (crisp- 

 urn), a most beautiful variety from 

 Bogota, one of the best cool house 

 orchids, has a very graceful spike of 

 pure white flowers, blotched with ir- 

 regular cinnamon spots. The plant 

 blooms in fall and early winter. 



Odontoglossum vexillarium (some- 

 times called Miltonia vexillarium). 

 This grand species grows best in the 

 cattleya house, but should have the 

 direct rays of the sun kept from it. 

 Elevate the plant well on the pot and 

 use only the best fibrous peat and 

 good, clean sphagnum, and plenty of 

 drainage. This species comes from 

 Brazil and blooms freely during sum- 

 mer and autumn under proper treat- 

 ment. The flowers are large, rosy 

 pink, and very distinct. They last a 

 long time if kept free from damp. 



Odontoglossum cirrhosum, a mag- 

 nificent species, that is a native of 

 Ecuador, and produces a very fine 

 spike from 12 to 18 inches long of 

 beautifully marked fi^wers, pure 

 white, with heavy cinnamon spots. It 

 grows best in a cool house and should 

 surely be in every collection. 



Odontoglossum citrosmum. a truly 

 beautiful species that comes from 

 Guatemala, and differs materially from 

 the preceding. It is best grown in a 

 basket, suspended in the cattleya 

 house, as it produces long, drooping 

 flower spikes of pure white ground, 

 with almost invisible lavender spots; 

 blooms in June or July. 



Odontoglossum maculatum, a charm- 

 ing species that also comes from 

 Guatemala, and produces its beautiful, 

 erect spikes of yellow and crimson 

 flowers during the winter. Grow in a 

 pot in the cool house. 



Odontoglossum Phalaenopsis, one of 

 the best of the genus if properly 

 grown, and should be in every collec- 

 tion. It grows best in the cattleya 

 house and should be grown in a pot 

 well drained. This is a very distinct 

 species, with very large, perfectly flat 

 white and crimson flowers, which are 

 produced during the autumn months. 



Odontoglossum grande, a beautiful, 

 free flowering species, that comes from 

 Guatemala and is commonly known as 

 the "Baby Orchid." It grows best in 

 a pot, blooms in autumn and winter, 

 the flowers lasting a very long time. 

 It produces an upright, stiff stem, with 

 from three to five large tiger-striped 

 yellow and brown flowers. It is sub- 

 ject to thrip if allowed to become dry. 

 Should be grown in the cool house. 



Odontoglossum Rossii majus, a sweet 

 little variety from Mexico. It grows 

 best on a block, with a little fibrous 

 peat and abundance of water. It is a 

 very free bloomer, with short spikes 

 of two or three beautifully marked 

 crimson and white flowers. A very 

 suitable variety for boutonnieres. It 

 deserves a place in every collection. 



ONCIDIUM. This interesting genus 

 is perhaps the most useful commer- 



