CATTLEYA. 119 



three weeks in perfection. It is a very desirable plant, and 

 ought to be in every collection, however small, as it requires 

 but very little room. It grows best suspended from the roof of 

 the house, on a block of wood, with a httle sphagnum moss, 

 and it requires a good supply of water at the root in the 

 growing season. There are many varieties of this species, 

 and many of them are very beautiful in colour. 



C. maxima. — A magnificent species from Columbia, grow- 

 ing from a foot to eighteen inches high. A distinct growing 

 plant, producing from five to ten flowers on a spike in 

 November and December, and contiauing in perfection three 

 weeks ; sepals and petals bright rose ; lip richly variegated, 

 with dark crimson veins down the centre. Of this species 

 there are many varieties — J. Day, Esq., of Tottenham, and 

 Bishop Sumner, at Famham Castle, both possess a very fine 

 variety of this charming plant. In the latter collection, under 

 the care of Mr. Laurence, as many as thirteen fine flowers are 

 sometimes produced upon a single spike, the usual number 

 being nine and ten. There have been many plants of this 

 imported within the last two years. 



C. MossitE. — This magnificent and free-flowering species is 



a native of La Guayra. It grows a foot or more high, and 



blooms from March to August. The flowers are very large, a 



single one being five or six inches across, in some of the 



varieties still larger, and three or four growing on one spike. 



There are many varieties of this plant, with blossoms of 



various shades of colour, from white and pale pink to crimson 



^ and rose purple. This species makes a noble plant for 



exhibition. I have seen specimens of C. Mossia at the 



Chiswick and Regent's Park shows, with from thirty to forty 



flowers upon a single plant. The flowers will remain in 



perfection for three or four weeks, if kept in a cool place. 



Many of the varieties of this plant here enumerated bloomed 



