THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[December 26. 
194 
appeal - after all tlie other Cattleyas are out of bloom— j 
generally in August, or early in September. 42s. 
C. labiata atropurpurea (Dark Purple Variety) ; 
La Guayra.—This is a handsome variety, approaching, 
in appearance of the plant, to Cattleya crisp a, but the 
flowers are those of C. labiata, with the sepals and 
petals of a paler rose, whilst the lip is nearly all over of 
a deep purple. 63s. 
There are two more varieties of Cattleya labiata that 
have lately flowered — one is named C. labiata picta, 
and it bloomed in the orchid house of J. Blandy, Esq., 
of High Grove house, near Reading. The other is named 
C. labiata alba; it bloomed last summer in the stove 
of the Duke of Northumberland, at Syon House. Both 
are referred to and described at pages 108 and 109 of 
this present volume of The Cottage Gardener. As 
they are in the hands of private individuals, they cannot ! 
as yet be purchased. 
C. Loddigesii (Mr. Loddige's).—Sepals and petals of 
a pale rose, tinged with lilac, and thinly spotted with ! 
dark reddish spots; lip light rose outside, and inside j 
streaked and marked with yellow. The pseudo-bulbs are ' 
like C. Harrisonii, but stouter and shorter. A very free 
flowering pretty species. 42s. 
C. Mossle (Mr. Moss’s); La Guayra.—It is difficult j 
to distinguish this lino species from C. labiata, yet there j 
are marks by which the practised eye can distinguish it j 
■ readily. These marks have been described as, “ An 
elongated branching stem, bearing many deeply furrowed 
pseudo-bulbs, bearing flowers with much broader sepals 
and petals, which latter are clawed at the base; the 
colours are more varied, and there is a difference in the 
markings and size of the plates of the lip.” There are 
also, as in the case of C. labiata, several varieties of 
C. Mossice. One named superba is a truly splendid 
flower, with bright colours. We can scarcely consider, 
however, that C. Mossice is more than a splendid variety 
of C. labiata. 21s. 
C. Skinnerii (Mr. Skinner’s C.); Guatimala.—A self 
coloured flower of a rich rosy purple; the sepals are much 
narrower than those of C. labiata, but the petals are 
broader and undulated at the edges. Mr. Skinner once 
told me that, when wandering in the forests of Guati¬ 
mala, he saw a long branch of a tree, upon which the 
sun was shining, completely covered with this plant, in 
full flower. It must have been a splendid sight. He 
further observes, “ This plant inhabits the hot damp j 
coasts ; it is always found on very high trees, and most ’ 
difficult to get at, except after a storm that may have 
chanced to throw down some of the lai-gest forest-trees.” 
He suggests further, in regard to its culture, that “it | 
should be well watered daily, to represent the heavy ! 
dews and rains, which latter are from May to November, j 
I should recommend, on whatever you may grow this j 
plant, it may not imbibe too much of the extra moisture, 
as its habitat being on branches of high and large trees, 
seldom having any lichen—the heavy rains do not lay. 
This flower does not seek too much shade, but rather 
exposed places. Climate 80° to 85°, and sometimes 95°, 
during the day.” 21s. to 42s. 
Culture. —The grand difficulty is to obtain good peat 
for these. It should be composed chiefly of fibre, such 
as the roots of grasses and ferns. Break the turf into 
pieces with the hand, and sift out the earthy part; this 
earthy part will suit to mix with sand to grow ferns or 
heaths in. This will form the principal body of the com¬ 
post. Chop some sphagnum pretty small, and sift the 
; dust out of it, add some pieces of charcoal about the 
j size of pigeon eggs, and some broken potsherds. This 
I will form an open compost, through which the super- 
! abundant water during the growing season, will easily 
pass, which is a very important point, for 
Drainage is more important in this family of plants, j 
than in any other tribe of orchids in pots. The pots i 
should be wider at the top than ordinary, and the drain¬ 
age should fill these pots at least two-thirds, or even 
more would be desirable. Cover the drainage with a 
thin layer of moss, and place upon that the compost up 
to the rim of the pot, or a little higher. Then place the 
plant upon the compost, and fill up among the roots with 
it, finishing by leaving the plant upon a cone in the 
centre, elevated above the rim of the pot. It will be 
necessary then to use sticks to steady the plant. 
Arrange the stems or pseudo-bulbs at as equal distances 
as possible, so as to give room to each, and to allow the 
young shoots to have a full amount of air and light. 
Summer Culture .—They ought in summer to have 
plenty of water, but so given as not to lodge in the young 
shoots. Remember Mr. Skinner’s words above on that 
point. In very hot weather they will bear an occasional 
syringing in the morning, when the sun is likely to con¬ 
tinue in bis glory all the day. Druing this season the 
heat may be, in the day 75° without sun ; with sun, 85°; 
then give air. In the night the heat should fall to 65° 
or 70 u . 
Winter Culture .—As soon as the annual growths are 
perfected, cease watering at the root entirely, and allow 
the heat to decline to 65° by day, and 55° by night. The 
air of the house should also be sensibly drier. We have 
often pressed the necessity of a rest for orchids, which is 
quite as necessary for them as for peach or apple-trees, 
to induce a state of fruitfulness in flowers. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
The dull foggy weather we have had lately, has had 
the effect of causing a considerable quantity of mouldir 
ness to appear on the leaves of plants in frames and pits. 
There is no remedy for this but constant removal of the 
leaves so affected, and giving as much air and as little 
water as possible. These are two essential points easily 
applied. We have so often given direction how to give, 
air, that we need not repeat them. Should frost sud¬ 
denly come upon us again, which is more than pro¬ 
bable, all our readers must be wide awake, especially 
in the evening of a fine clear day, with the thermometer 
falling. Cover all Auriculas, Polyanthuses, Carnations , 
Cinerarias, &c., securely from the power of frost. Re¬ 
member, one night's frost will defeat a whole years care 
and attention ! T. Appleby. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
The principal operations at present to be attended to 
in this department are, the making of new and the turn¬ 
ing of old walks, where necessary, during open weather, 
putting the edgings in order, manuring and trenching 
as required, and the protecting of all tender things with 
dust, &c., as previously directed. Our remarks on 
drainage, too, in a former number, must not be for¬ 
gotten, particularly with regard to the examination of 
drains placed in the vicinity of trees or hedges. We 
find it necessary to open some of our main drains every 
year, for although the bricks are laid in roman cement, 
and plastered inside with the same, and all the joints of 
the pipes are most carefully put together, yet roots will 
find their way through the smallest crack or crevice, 
and the fibres will so increase in growth, if the finest 
thread once penetrates, as very speedily to choke up the 
drain entirely. 
The seed bags and drawers should now also be looked 
over, and if any old seed is left of any particular kinds 
worth growing again, date and place them by them¬ 
selves. Clear out the drawers, &c., and cast away old 
useless seed of all kinds. Look over the memorandums 
made during the past season, and get the next season’s 
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