THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[August, 1912. 



L/ELIA ALBIDA. 



IT would be difficult to find a more useful 

 winter flowernig species of Orchid than 

 Laelia albida ; m fact, history states that 

 it was the first white-flowering Laelia to be 

 discovered The plant is comparatively 

 small-growing, the roundish pseudo-bulbs are 

 smooth when in the young stage, but become 

 ribbed as age creeps upon them, and they 

 bear one, or a pair ot narrow green leaves of 

 a leathery texture. 



The scape is produced from the top of 

 the bulb, as in all other species of Lslia, and 

 bears from four to eight long-lasting flowers 

 which are delicately fragrant with the odour 

 of primroses. The sepals and petals are 

 wax-white, the latter slightly recurved at the 

 tips, the lip is of a soft rosy hue, streaked 

 with yellow around the three lamellae or 

 crests, whilst the inside of the lateral lobes 

 is often veined with reddish-pink. 



It is regrettable that this elegant Mexican 

 Orchid is so little seen in present day col- 

 lections ; possibly the difficulty experienced 

 in its cultivation had much to do with its 

 decline in popularity. This difficulty was due 

 to insufficient knowledge of the climatic con- 

 ditions of its natural home. The plants, on 

 arrival m this country, were generally placed 

 in a hot moisture-laden atmosphere, more 

 suitable for Javan and Bornean Orchids than 

 for those from Mexico, and little, if any, sun 

 was allowed to reach the plants ; no wonder 

 that failure so often occurred. 



The very remarkable specimen, of which 

 we give an illustration, was grown by Mr. J. 

 Smith, when Orchid grower to the Right Hon. 

 Joseph Chamberlain, at Highbury, Birming- 

 ham. The plant is a grand example of 

 cultural skill and amply proves that the treat- 

 ment accorded it was correct in all details. 

 There are few present-day Orchid amateurs 

 who have had the pleasure of seeing such 

 a superb specimen ; they will, therefore, be 

 interested in the method of culture adopted 

 by Mr. Smith. 



The plant was grown in a rather low span- 

 roofed house with its sides facing north and 



south, and containing a central path with 

 staging on each side. No shading, either by 

 means of blinds or whitewash on the giass, 

 was used, but during the summer months 

 sheets of tissue paper were placed for a short 

 time during the middle part of the day over 

 those plants most exposed to the sun. 



The staging and floor were frequently 

 syringed and damped down, and the utmost 

 use was made of the top and bottom ven- 

 tilators, both being regulated to suit the 

 weather conditions at the time prevailing. 

 The top ventilators were entirely closed for 

 about an hour each afternoon in order to 

 accumulate the heat of the sun, they being 

 afterwards opened and left in that condition 

 throughout the night. During the winter and 

 at other times when the plant was in a dor- 

 mant condition, ventilation was given when 

 the weather permitted it. Only sufficient 

 water was given to prevent shrivelling of the 

 pseudo-bulbs, and the floor was damped down 

 when extra fire heat was used on the few 

 occasions when .sharp frost prevailed. 



Laelia albida bella is a variety with larger 

 flowers, and the spikes are somewhat stronger. 

 The sepals and petals are creamy- white, 

 tipped with rosy-lilac, and the lip is yellow, 

 with a broad band of magenta around the 

 middle lobe, and an orange-yellow throat. 



L. albida Marianas is a pretty variety in 

 which the sepals and petals are flesh-coloured, 

 changing to salmon ; the lip is mauve with 

 buff-coloured stripes. 



L. albida Stobartiana has the tips of the 

 sepals and petals blotched with purple. It is 

 an old variety, and was named in honour of 

 Mr. W. C. Stobart, of Darlington. 



L. albida sulphurea is distinguished by 

 having sulphur-coloured sepals and petals, 

 and an orange-tinted crest. 



In former days the cultivation of this 

 species was frequently attemj^ted by fastening 

 the plants on a block of wood in imitation of 

 their native habit. Success was never 

 achieved, the chief reason being the lack of 

 moisture in the dead wood. 



