[97 J 



L^LIO-CATTLEYA (HYBRIDA) THE HON. MRS. ASTOR o\ 



A hybrid raised from Cattleya Gaskelliana crossed with the pollen of Laelia xanthina, which combines well the characters of the two parents. It 

 approaches most nearly to the pollen parent, both in form and colour, as the annexed figure shows. The flowers measure nearly 5 inches across, the sepals 

 and petals being of a clear light yellow, and the expanded part of the lip beautifully suffused with light pink. The throat is golden yellow, with a number of 

 short crimson lines in front and some rather lighter ones below on the disc. The tube of the lip is light yellow outside. Although most like Laelia xanthina, 

 the colour of the lip, with its undulations and those of the petals all show the influence of the mother plant. 



L^lio-Cattleya (hybrida) The Hon. Mrs. Astor, O'Brien in Gard. Chron., 1894, i., pp. 230, 231, fig. 24; Orchid Review, II., p. in. 



The beautiful hybrid here figured was raised by Mr. Maynard, in the establishment of Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, and received a First-class 

 Certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society on February 13, 1894, on the occasion of its flowering for the first time. It is certainly a very charming 

 thing, and of a colour not at all common in the group at present. It is very probable that it will improve as the plant becomes stronger, which is the case 

 with most other hybrids, as they have rarely attained their full strength at the first time of blooming. It flowered when five and a half years old. It is 

 dedicated to the Hon. Mrs. Astor, of Cliveden, a lady who takes great interest in gardening. R. A. R. 



Our analytical drawings represent the 1 



from front and side, and the pollii 



This may truly be called a valuable addition to the showy, yellow-flowered orchids, for of that colour are its neat and 

 beautiful flowers principally composed. It inherits, too, the free habit of growth of Cattleya labiata Gaskelliana, which is 

 another important fact in its favour, and which probably accounts for its flowering in so short a time after the seeds were 

 sown. But even with hybrids obtained by intercrossing two species one of which is a difficult plant to grow, or in some 

 cases species both of which are what is called " bad doers," the home-raised seedlings of such crosses are nearly in every 

 case easy to grow and flower, and this desirable feature would give a good reason for the work of the hybridist even 

 were the subjects evolved much inferior in beauty to what they actually are. 



We cannot, however, impress too strongly upon hybridists the necessity of crossing orchids flowering at one and 

 the same period, for the hybrids thus obtained will have specially vigorous growth and develop perfect flowers. This is 

 owing to their having one and the same period of rest. Quite otherwise is it with crosses obtained from plants flowering 

 at different seasons of the year ; it often happens that an imported orchid flowers out of season, and so the pollen may 

 be had ; one of the parents in that case may want to rest— say, in January, whereas the resting season of the other 

 is, perhaps, July, and in every case where such crosses have been obtained we have found the result to be extremely 

 unsatisfactory, the plants growing badly notwithstanding the greatest care, and the flowers produced being more often 

 malformed and imperfect. 



