54 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[December, 191 5. 



Lalio-Catileya Thais. 



Ly^:LIO-CATTLEYA THAIS. 



SEVEN years was at one time considered 

 the shortest period in which a Cattleya 

 could be raised from seed and brought 

 to the flowering stage. But a better know- 

 ledge of the essential conditions of cultivation 

 has proved that this weary period of waiting 

 can be much reduced. Of course, the species 

 included in the parentage have no small 

 influence, and while, on the one hand, we see 

 very slow progress in Sophronitis hybrids, 

 there is, on the other, a comparatively rapid 

 growth to be witnessed when species of the 

 long-bulbed section are used, as, for example, 

 C. Bowringiana and C. Harrisoniana. 



The above photograph shows Laelio- 

 Cattleya Thais, a new hybrid, flowering for 

 the first time in the collection of Mr. W. H. 



St. Quintin, Scampston Hall, Rillington, 

 York. Mr. F. C. Puddle, who cultivates 

 these plants with conspicuous success, states 

 that the seed was sown in March, igi2, and 

 the first plant flowered in October 1915, thus 

 covering the short period of 3 years and 



7 months. The flowering bulb measures 



8 inches in height, not including the leaves, 

 while the new growth already exceeds it in 

 size and bids fair to assume considerable 

 proportions. 



The parents of L.-C. Thais are L.-C. 

 Faustina (L.-C. bletchleyensis x C. Bowring- 

 iana) and C. aurea. Although the new 

 growth is doubtless attracting much of the 

 plant's vigour, the flowers are of a very 

 promising nature, all the segments being 

 proportionately broad and of bright purple 

 colour, the lip much darker. The two-leaved 



