ORCHIDS 



Cattleya. 



may arise from entirel}- withholding water for an}- length 

 of time. 



If a house can be set apart for Cattle}'as, it will be 

 found that the majority of the kinds may be accom- 

 modated in it. The temperature should range from 55deg. 

 in winter to jodeg. in summer, although in bright, warm 

 weather, the latter temperature is often necessarily 

 exceeded with safet}'. Ventilation should be carefully 

 attended to, as Cattle)'as cannot bear a stuffy atmosphere 

 at any time. With respect to shading, it may be said 

 that as little as possible should be used ; onl}- in bright 

 sunshine should the blinds be down, and these should 

 be of the thinnest material. Sudden changes of tem- 

 perature should be avoided. Partly decaj-ed lea\es as a 

 substitute for peat have come greatl}' into \'ogue, and 

 they are extensivel)- used on the Continent, and b}- some 

 cultivators in England. The leaf-soil should be pressed 

 moderately firm, and the surface covered with freshlj-- 

 chopped sphagnum. While satisfactory results are obtained 

 by this system on the Continent, so much moisture is 

 retained that considerable care has to be given in the 

 application of water. Even with such careful treatment, 

 the writer's experience does not tend to recommend its 

 adoption in the neighbourhood of towns and in smoky 

 districts. Except where otherwise stated, the Cattleyas 

 enumerated require the above temperature. 



The following are now classed by botanists as \-arieties 

 of C. labiata : Dowiana, Eldorado, Luddemanniaua, Mendelii, 

 MossicF, Percivaliaiia, Triaiicei, Warneri, and Warscewiczii 

 {gigas) ; but we think the purpose of this ^\•ork \\\\\ be best 

 met by treating each as distinct species. 



C. Aclandiae (LiiidL). — A lovely, dwarf-growing species, which 

 should be grown upon a block of soft wood, or in a teak 

 basket, and placed at the warm end of the Cattleya-house or 

 stove, where it can receive full light all the day through. 

 When growing, it should be kept constanUy moist at the 

 root. If grown in baskets, very little potting material should 

 be used. The pseudo-bulbs are slender, and usually from 

 5in. to 6in. long, bearing two oval, leathery, dark green leaves, 

 3m. long, and usually a pair of handsome flowers. These are 

 large for the size of the plant, and vary somewhat in colour 

 m different examples. They are about 4in. in diameter, the 

 sepals and petals similar, chocolate-brown, barred with irregular, 



