200 



GUIDE TO THE CONSERVATORY. 



Cattleya superba — Guiana — 1 836 — Division. 



From the richness of its flowers, it is in point 

 of beauty inferior to none. 



■ Aclandii — Brazil — 1 8 39 — July — Division . 



Sepals and petals green, spotted with dark 

 purplish red ; lip a fine purple ; a new spe- 

 cies. 



The Cattleya is undoubtedly the finest genus of 

 Orchideas. They require a warm moist stove, and 

 may be placed in the most sunny part of the house, 

 taking care to shade them from the sun's most 

 scorching rays during the summer months. They 

 grow freely in fibry peat^ with plenty of sphagnum 

 mixed with it ; if sphagnum should not be found 

 naturally mixed with the peat, (which is preferable,) 

 it must be added. Break the peat into pieces 

 about an inch square ; mix a great portion of pot- 

 sherds amongst the composition ; elevate the plant 

 above the rim of the pot, and give water plentifully 

 while growing, gradually diminishing it previous to 

 the season of rest. It is not advisable to with- 

 hold water from this class altogether, as some 

 cultivators do, to the great injury of the plant, when 

 dormant. 



In potting, give plenty of drainage ; should the 

 pots be large, invert a smaller one inside the larger 

 one, and fill up level with small potsherds. If good 

 drainage should not be given, the plants will soon 



