26 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
. injury : and they are not very particular as to the kind of soil 
in which they are planted. This, however, is not the method 
of treating them so as to obtain first-rate flowers. In order to 
do that, the bulbs should be taken up as soon as the stems have 
died down, and kept in a cool and very dry place until the end 
of March, or such time as all chance of frost is over. They 
should then be planted in a compost of loam, mossy earth, and 
a little manure, the ingredients being chopped small,—but not 
sifted, which is a questionable operation in the case of all com¬ 
posts. After this they require little more trouble ; show fine 
flowers ; and multiply so freely, that the produce of one or tv r o 
will, in a very short time, stock a moderate bed or portion of 
border. The bulbs are esculent; and when roasted, the flavour 
of them is hardly distinguishable from that of chestnuts. 
CATTLEYA. 
Cattleya Aucklandia .—This is a very small and handsome 
species : its height is not more than two or three inches, and 
it has a creeping rhigoma ; it belongs to the two-leaved species : 
the flowers are very large in proportion to the size of the plant; 
only one flower on the stem or pseudo-bulb ; the sepals and 
petals are of a pink colour, w r ith the lip beautifully marked with 
crimson ; this does well in a pot; a rest is necessary for it when 
done growing; and, like the others of the genus, a strong moist 
heat when in strong growth. A native of South America. 
Cattleya sitperba .—This is a noble species, and deserves to be 
in every collection ; but it is at present a very scarce plant; and 
is in very few. The habit of this is like Loddigesii, but is more 
thickened in the upper portion of the pseudo-bulb ; it belongs to 
the tint-leaved section of the genus ; the sepals and petals are 
of a bluish purple, with the lips of a brilliant crimson. This has 
been lately introduced by that persevering traveller, Mr. Shom- 
burgh, from Guiana. It requires to be cultivated in a pot, the 
same as is recommended for the other ; this also requires a rest 
when done growing, and heat and moisture when growing. 
Cattleya intermedia is another beautiful species : the sepals 
and petals are of a beautiful pink ; the lip is marked with 
