184 
THE FLORISTS JOURNAL. 
taken not to stimulate it into growth earlier than May ; because, 
if it is brought into action before then, it is very apt to produce 
too weak shoots, which either do not flower at all, or, if they do, 
the blooms are insignificant in size and inferior in colour. After 
it has made one shoot, great care should be taken not to start it, 
so as to make another; as the single shoot is the only way of 
getting it to flower in full perfection. It requires to be potted in 
the same manner as the species previously mentioned. 
Cattleya Guttata .—This is a native of Brazil, and other parts of 
South America. It is a true and well-marked species, with two 
leaves and elongated pseudo-bulbs. It is a lovely plant. The 
sepals and petals are greenish yellow, spotted with dark brown, and 
the lip is pinkish yellow mixed with white. Its flowering season 
is the autumn. It should not be allowed to come into action be¬ 
fore the end of April; and it should not be allowed to make more 
than one shoot in the season ; that is, not more than one from 
each pseudo-bulb. If it is allowed to make more, the flowering 
will be inferior, and the health of the plant will suffer. The best 
mode of treating it is to pot it in the same way as has been 
recommended for the others. 
Cattleya Skinnerii .—This species is a native of Mexico ; was 
introduced into Britain about five years since ; and its first 
flowering in this country was four years ago. It is one of the 
most beautiful of the tw T o-leaved species with which I am ac¬ 
quainted. There are two pretty distinct varieties of it; the one 
with light pink flowers, and the other with dark pink ; but they 
are both very handsome, and well worthy the utmost attention of 
cultivators. The column is very small, and the lip so rolled round 
it, that the column itself is rarely seen ; thus, its flower has not 
much the appearance of that of a Cattleya, being more like those 
of Trieopelia tortalis; but, notwithstanding this, it is a true 
Cattleya in its habit. If it is to be flowered in perfection, it ought 
not to be allowed to make more than one shoot ; neither should 
it be stimulated into growth before May. It flowers at the be¬ 
ginning of the season, and not at the end, as was mentioned by 
some of the others. It answers best in a pot, and requires a 
good dry rest after it has perfected its pseudo-bulbs. From this 
it will be seen that there is a climatal or seasonal distinction be¬ 
tween it and those previously mentioned ; and this agrees with 
the fact of its being a native of a different part of America. 
