Decembek 7, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS" MAGAZINE. 



d4i 



CATTLEYAS AND L/ELIO^ 



CATTLEYAS. 



Autumn and Winter-flowering: 



Kinds. 



Those who were privileged to see the 



Orchid Show, held 



Society 



by the Royal 

 at Westminste]' 



recent 



Horticultural 

 could not help admiring the marvellous 

 exhibition^ and appreciating the enterprise 

 of those who initiated the movement which 

 led to a display which even the orchids at 

 the Temple Show could only be favourably 

 compared with. To those of us who can 

 carry our experiences back 25 to 30 years, 

 the display of hybrid cattleyas and allied 

 genera was a revelation. It seems only a 

 i'\v years since the only autumn-flowering 

 .ittleyas consisted of C. Dowiana, C. D. 

 a urea, C. Harrisonite, C. Boweringiana, 

 and C. labiata^ Avith Lselia crispa. Prac- 

 tically the only autumn-flowering hybrids 

 were Lfcelio-cattleya Exoniensis, a few 

 Jiielia Perrini hybrids, and L.-c. Bella. 



To the introduction of C. Boweringiana, 

 the re-introduction of C. labiata, and the 

 cxtensve importations of C. Dowiana aurea, 

 may be traced the origin of nine-tenths of 

 the hybrid cattleyas and Iselio-cattleyaSj 

 which made suich a glorious display in 

 the group of Sir G. Holford and in those 

 of other exhibitors. 



It is more particularly to the cattleyas 

 and allied genera that I am requested to 

 confine these notes. It will perhaps be de- 

 sirable to divide these into two 

 and to refer in a separate 

 bronzy and yellow-flowered forms, as 

 would be impossible to include these in the 

 ^[;ace at my command. 



The first great development in the late- 

 flowering cattleyas was due to the influence 

 of C. Boweringiana, and for general utility 

 and for decorative effect, finely-flowered 

 plants of these hybrids are always appre- 

 ciated. They are too numerous to list, and 

 it must suffice for 



sections, 

 note to the 



it 



purpose to mention 

 ^ nly one or two of the most prominent. In 

 C. Mantini wo have one of the most beau- 

 tiful ami variable hybrids ; C. Portia is one 

 of the freest; C. Wendlandiana, C. Ariel, 

 atid C. AVhiteleya? are good subjects to deal 

 with, and can be relied upon to give a 

 good crop of flowers, where they are grown 

 under favourable atmospheric conditions. 

 Then there are the secondary hybrids, Lselio- 

 <attleya Messina, L.-c. 

 <'^nd others whicli 



f'onsideration. 



Milly^ L.-c. Pero, 

 are always worthy of 



(f^igas 



^ -r — _._ _____ 



X Mondeli), combines 



The larger-flowering kinds, which include 

 the natural hybrid C. Hardyana, are now 

 a host in themselves. One of the finest of 

 these for general use is L.-c. Bella (lal)iata 

 X purpurata). The Ltelia crispa hyl)rids, 

 l^.-c. Xysa, and others, are of good con- 

 stitution, and are always useful, C. Aruiaiu- 

 ^■"Inersense 



^lie good qualities of the parent species, 

 <i"d 18 most useful when flowering in Nov- 

 <^mber and December. Probably the finest 

 ^>tall the large-flowered group is C. Fabia 

 (^^i'Hata X aurea). This hybrid is ex- 

 ^^^edmgly varia])le, and no doubt this may 

 accounted for by the considerable varia- 

 Ji^^n m the forms of C. labiata, which i-auL^^ 

 r^'om pure Avhite to intense purple. "When 

 ^fown vigorously they outclass altogether 

 t»ie forms of C. labiata, both in constitution 

 the fine character of their flowers. In 

 - leetersi (labiata x Hardvana) we ha^e 

 Je rival to C. Fabia. and the varieties of 

 this hybrid that have been derived from 

 white forms of C. labiata are most re- 

 markable. The beautiful crimson lip is a 

 ^^'■ikni?; contrast to the n]ii!rst pure 

 ■^J^]>als and petals. It is tertainlv on.^ of 

 yioriiost desiralile of the more rer/^nt intro- 

 '^^^^tions. T ran onlv refer briefly to the 



^f^eondary crosses from L.-c. CliVe, L.-c. 



white 



Ingrami 



and others, which are not gene- 

 rally so extensively grown as many of the 

 larger-flowered section, but they are well 

 worthy of every consideration. The Lfelia 

 Perrini crosses are easily procurable, and 

 iiseful where small flowers are required. 

 Some of the C. Trianie hybrids are also 

 serviceable for midwinter flowering. C. 



THE SCARLET PLUMBAGOS. 



The plants of Plumbago rosea and its 

 variety coccinea, whicli were exhibited at 

 a recent meeting of the Koyal Horticid- 

 tural So<Mety, illustrattnl a trait in the be- 

 haviour of these beautiful winter-flowering 

 plants whi<'h is not generally studied. 



(AliXATIOX MARY ALLWOOD. 



\ new salmon-red perpetual variety; sweetly elove-scented. A.M., E.H.S., November 19 



Me&srs. Allwood Brother.^, Haywardts Heath. 



Chapman i (Hardyana x Triana^ le- 



seml>le.s some forms at C. Fabia, but flowers 

 ill December and January. The Ladia ele- 

 gans section of hybri<ls, and others, derived 

 iiom the influence of i . Forbesi, C. Harri- 



rallv 



a n<'e 



s(tni:e. and C. Loddigesi, are generauy ap- 

 lUHH'iatixl, and worthv of cultivation." 

 Oakwood Gardens. H. J. Chapman. 



Neither of the two batches exhibited would 

 induce anyone to take up their cultivation. 

 The plants had a decidedly weeily appear- 

 , the flowers apj>ear(Ml to be ii'W in 

 number, ami tliin in colour. Alu>gethei% 

 tlie -peci!n*'ti> cxhiliitvd signally failed to 

 du justice to iheni>elves^ and yet they were 

 really well-grown examples, and carr.ed 



