APRIL, 1903.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 105 
cut away, I naturally asked the reason, and was told ‘‘we get more for the 
flowers with a long stem.” I suggested that it was a good way of ruining 
the plants, but with a shrug of the shoulders came the reply, ‘‘ What does 
that matter if we get more for the flowers than the plant is worth?” And 
from a commercial point of view I had nothing further to say. 
I greatly envied them the free flowering of their Cattleya gigas. The 
moist atmosphere and clear bright weather just suits this species, and 
nearly every new growth was bearing three or more of its large brilliantly 
coloured flowers. The Cattleyas of the labiata section are first favourites 
Fic. 21. CATTLEYA LABIATA: AN EIGHT-FLOWERED SPIKE. 
here, their lovely flowers finding a ready sale in New York. C. labiata, 
aurea, Percivaliana, Trianze, Mendelii, Mossiz, Gaskelliana, and Warneri, 
are all grown in their thousands, as well as Lezlias anceps, autumnalis, 
Perrinii, pumila, purpurata, and tenebrosa, the free flowering qualities of 
which are brought out to a fine degree under the clear sky and moist air of 
the locality. Cattleya labiata is flowered by the hundred, with six and 
seven flowers on a spike, and the photograph here reproduced (fig. 21), 
showing eight flowers on a spike, speaks for itself. This plant is unique and 
constant in throwing up eight flowers, and has been named labiata var. 
