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endure so long in bloom. The foliage, moreover, of this Lycaste is so handsome and elegant that even when not in 
bloom the plant is highly ornamental. 
The best known home of this Lycaste is in Guatemala, in Central America, and the first sight Mr. Skinner 
obtained of it was among the decorations of an altar in one of the churches during the festive season. He soon discovered 
its native habitat and it was not long before living plants reached Europe. It was first illustrated in Mr. Bateman’s 
superb work “The Orchidaceze of Mexico and Guatemala,” wherein it is described as ‘the facile princeps of the 
Maxillarias,” for at that time it was placed in the genus Maxillaria. There is certainly nothing so beautiful among the 
cultivated Lycastes, though some of the finer Maxillarias, and especially the new M. Sanderiana, rival it. There is, 
perhaps, no other Orchid so variable as Lycaste Skinneri, for out of a hundred imported plants not two could be 
found having blooms identical in colour, size or form. Hence there are numberless named varieties at the present time 
differing more or less from each other. Some of the most distinct are those called delicatissima, rosea, purpurata, roseo- 
purpurea, and nigro-rubra, names that are expressive of the colours, while others, such as gloriosa, superba, amabilis, are 
names applied to certain forms remarkable either for distinct colouring or size and shape of their flowers. There is, 
however, no other variety so distinct, so rare, nor so chastely beautiful as that generally known as alba, but sometimes 
called virginalis, which is represented in our plate. The flower of this lovely white Lycaste looks as if it were 
chiselled out of spotless marble, so handsome is its form, and the faint dash of yellow on the lip seems to emphasize the 
purity of the rest of the blossom. The variety illustrated shows one of the finest forms but there are others inferior which, 
though pure white, have thin and narrow sepals and petals. The finest form of the alba variety always commands high 
prices as it is well known that it can never become plentiful. Although L. Skinneri is largely grown everywhere we 
predict that in the future it will become even more popular, and will probably be cultivated as a market plant as it can be 
imported and sold so cheaply. The other flower shown in our plate represents a highly coloured variety, and between the 
deepest tinted and the pure white there is every intermediate shade. 
There is not a more easily managed Orchid than this Lycaste ; in fact it is one of those that an experienced grower 
invariably advises a beginner to start with. A few simple directions only are necessary to ensure successful culture. The 
winter temperature should range between 55 deg. and 60 deg. F., but in summer the plants may be placed in open- 
air frames having a northern exposure. During the growing season, the plants must receive an abundance of water, 
but after the new growths are fully developed water must be given sparingly until the flower buds show themselves, 
when more water will be required. By subjecting the plants to a good resting period sound and well ripened bulbs will 
be obtained, which will produce as many as twenty or thirty flowers each. The plants should be repotted in July before 
commencing active growth. The best compost consists of rough thoroughly decayed leaf mould, mixed with about a 
third part of dry pulverised sheep or cow manure. After repotting the plants should be kept close and slightly moistened 
only until signs of activity appear. It flowers during the late winter months and continues several weeks in perfection. 
Drawn by permission of Baron J. H. W. von Schreeder from plants in the Dell collection, Egham, near Windsor. 
