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THE FLOWER GROWERS GUIDE. 



LiELio-CATTLEYA. — A genus founded for the reception of bigeneric hybrids between 

 Cattleya and Leelia, and containing many lovely and rare forms. These will not be 

 detailed in the present work, as most of them are too rare and expensive for general 

 cultivation as yet. Most of them were raised by Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Limited, 

 Chelsea, and may be found in the principal trade collections. L.-C. Digbyana-Trianse 

 (Fig. 59) will convey an idea of the remarkable beauty of some of the bigeneric hybrids. 

 Other bigeneric orchid hybrids are classed by botanists in Sophro-Cattleya Epi-Lselia, 

 Zygo-Colax and others, the names of which are sufficiently descriptive of their origin. 

 (See Hybridising, Vol. I.) 



ltcaste. — Very ornamental and useful cool-house orchids, that should find a place 

 in all collections. They are all of the easiest culture, thriving in pots of peat fibre, loam, 

 and chopped sphagnum moss, over good drainage. The flowers of most of the species last 

 a very long time in good condition, and this without detriment to the plants, provided 

 they are healthy. Apply water freely all the year yound. The following species are 

 highly worthy of cultivation : — L. aromatica, very free, the flowers yellow and 

 delicately scented; Mexico, 1828 (c). L. Deppei, petals white, sepals green, lip yellow 

 and crimson ; Mexico, 1828 (<?). L. Harrisoniae, a beautiful and fragrant old species, 

 with whitish outer segments, and a purple and yellow lip; Brazil, 1828 (c). L. plana, 

 sepals and petals red, lip white with crimson spots; Bolivia, 1840 (i) ; and L. Skinneri, 

 the best known of all, and the handsomest; flowers of various tints of rose, the lip 

 prettily spotted with crimson (Fig. 60). L. S. alba is pure white, with the exception of 

 a yellow stain on the lip; Guatemala, 1842 (c). 



MASDLVALLIA. 



A genus of structurally interesting and very beautiful orchids, which may be roughly 

 divided into three sections : the showy -flowered kinds, such as M. amabilis, M. Harryana 

 and M. Yeitchi ; the Chimaera section of wonderfully quaint and singular forms ; and 

 the smaller-flowered group, such as M. triaristella, and M. tridactylites. In 

 an amateur's collection all may be grown, as they are of easy culture, the first 

 set being best in small pots of peat fibre and moss, the others in baskets suspended 

 from the roof. Cleanliness, both of leaves and roots, is of the utmost importance, and no 

 season of rest, such as many orchids like, is necessary. Water must be given them most 

 freely when growth is the most active, and in winter only enough to keep the compost 



