338 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
wards and travel downwards, as in the photo. I have many with a great 
deal of root action, and I attribute it to keeping the Cattleya house well 
damped down three-or four times a day. I never give my Cattleyas much 
water at thé root, but try to give them plenty in the atmosphere of the 
house. Plenty of moisture and bottom ventilation are the best things I can 
find in growing Cattleyas.”” Weave had occasion to speak of the ex- 
cellenée of the results obtained in this collection on more than one occasion, 
and refer our readers to the account given at, page 291 of our second yolume, 
It was there pointed out that “ very little top air is admitted at any time, 
but the bottom ventilators are almost always open. The larger plants are 
grown on stone benches, in’ which a number of circular holes are cut. 
Underneath are water tanks and the hot water pipes, so that the air which 
is continually coming in becomes warm and moist before reaching the 
plants.” To prevent misapprehension, it should be added that the pipes 
are not in the water, but above it, and near the ventilators. There can be 
no doubt that healthy root action is one great secret of success in the culture 
of all classes of Orchids—as, indeed, of all kinds of plants—and those who 
think: their method of culture open to improvement cannot do better than 
embody the above hints in their practice. 
Respecting the history of this handsome hybrid, we may add that it was 
raised in the establishment of Messrs. F. Sander & Co., of St. Albans, its” 
parents being Cattleya Gaskelliana @ and C. Dowiana aurea 3, and that 
it received a First-class Certificate on October 24th, 1893, from the Royal 
Horticultural Society. The flowers are of good size and substance, and 
distinctly combine the characters of the two parents, though those of the 
seed parent come out the most conspicuously. The sepals and petals ate 
of a light rose-pink shade, the latter being slightly veined with white, and 
the lip rich dark velyet crimson in front, with a white fringed margin, and 
a deep orange throat conspicuously veined with brown along the disc. The 
golden veining of the pollen parent is very distinct on the exterior of the 
side lobes. The flowers rep din the photograph were kindly sent 
after they had been open three weeks, and measured 6% inches in diamete! 
across the petals, which organs were 2} inches in diameter, and the front 
lobe of the lip nearly as broad. As might naturally be expected, there is 
certain general resemblance to some forms of C. x Hardyana, though, of 
course, the two hybrids are thoroughly distinct. : 
‘There cabs three other hybrids between C. Dowiana aurea and speci 
Aer ae 8 and, as might be expected, there is a strong all 
em. They are C. x Fabia, C. x Kienastiana, 4” 
C. x Empress Frederick, the second parent being, respectively, C- Jabiata, 
C. Lueddemanniana and C. Mossize. 
oe oe ed 
