April, 
90 
ing more of the nature of ^*5 
more resembling El Dorado, e av P 
^vhieh havebeenpronoimced * 
den, -but to us they seem only " 
perba with exceptionally thick 
pseudo-bulbs, and there seems no 
elevating tlie plant to the dignity • P 
only a large, light- 
twelve inches, 
the young 
ing, sends 
growth which, 
out roots 
were taken to 
cies. The flowers are 
colored Cattleya superba. ^ 
Since these two species 
England by a collector of the Messrs. Low, 
several collectors have been up the Amazon 
in search of them but have returned unsu(> 
cessfnl. There seems no reason why such 
natural hybrids should not exist, but until 
we have more evidence we prefer to consider 
the matter as questionable. 
CATTLEYA LUTEOLA. 
This plant, long known and with many 
synonyms and rare in cultivation, though 
not showy, is one of the most charming of 
Cattleyas. It is of dwarf, compact growth, 
the pseudo-bulb and single leaf seldom ex¬ 
ceeding six inches in height; but though in¬ 
dividual plants are small it can sometimes 
be found in great flat masses. "We remem¬ 
ber some years since, when living on the 
Middle Amazon, having a plant brought us 
as laro-e as an iiuiueuse door mat | it had 
been peeled oft’ the tmnk of a great tree like 
a sheet of moss. It was a puzzle what to do 
with such a plant, but finally we nailed it on 
to the back door of the house where it had 
shade and free air, and for months it was 
bright with its pretty yellow fiowers, 
The leaves are single, very dark-green and 
coriaceous; the flowers are produced on 
short peduncles and vary in number from 
one to eleven. The sepals and petals are of 
a rich primrose-yellow; the lip of the same 
color or veined more or less ufith deep red. 
The flowers measure two to two and a half 
inches in diameter and have a faint but not 
very agreeable perfume; they last in per¬ 
fection man}- weeks. 
This species is a most profuse bloomer, 
every pseudo-bulb giving flowers. Often 
the flower spathe will dry and give no flower 
at the usual season of bloom, but sooner or 
later the flower spike will come, thus much 
prolonging the blooming season if one has 
many plants. It blooms from December to 
April. 
Catlleya luteola is found only on that 
part of the Amazon known as the Solinioes, 
being the five hundred miles between Ma- 
naOs and Tell’e; it does not occur on the 
river Negro. It is a native of the varzea 
lands of both banks of the JSoliinoes, but, 
unlike CaUleya superha, it loves the shade 
and is found deeper in the woods, fj-cquently 
on the trunks of the trees, but never in the 
dark swamps. It is of the easiest culture 
and is a very bright, attractive plant. 
CATTEEVA EL UOltALO. 
This beautiful species comes from the 
river Negro. For richness and delicacy of 
color, beauty of fonn a;id exquisite Snir- 
grance, as well as for dui-ation of /lower, it 
leaves nothing to be desired. The varieties 
are innumerable, in fact scarce any two 
plants are alike in flower, and one may hiive 
as many varieties as he has jilants. 
TTie pseudo-bulbs are either long or club- 
shaped ; the leaves one, rarely two, broad, 
dark-green and coriaceous; the length of 
pseudo-bulb and leaf varies from nine to 
thb 
and matures the bulb. 
mg, - „ ,.p,ts for some months when 
The plant then t ests species 
is from December t 
naturally grows | j.gsts during 
season. msv-white, the 
In the type the ^ petals, 
sepals generally white 
the flower not ‘ ' ^ and with 
throat; the fragrance is that 
poetJs. Flowers one to «®''; 
spike, measuring four to five inches m ch 
ameter. In varieties the sepals peta s 
vary to very deep rose, the Up may be lose 
or verv heavily tipped with purple of eveiy 
shade; the blotch on the lip varies greatly 
in size and in color, from pale yellow to in¬ 
tense orange; the lip itself varies much in 
size and expansion. 
CATTl.EYA EL EOKADO ALBA. 
This variety resembles in growth the spe¬ 
cies and is fomid with both long and club- 
shaped pseudo-bulbs; when out of flower it 
is imdistiuguishable. Flowers one to four 
on the spike, measuring five to six inches in 
diameter; sepals usuall}- much narrower 
than the petals, both pure lustrous white. 
Lip pure white with deep orange blotch 
tipped with deep purple and fringed. It 
difl’ers from Catlleya Wallisii in having nar¬ 
rower sepals, a smaller flower, h.aving pur¬ 
ple on the lip and being of far larger habit. 
Blooms at the same time as the species. It 
seems to have no special habitat, but is found 
groiriug in the same localities as the species. 
In a hundred plants of El Dorado perhaps ten 
may prove to be of this variety. 
CATTLEVA EL EOEAIIO SPLENDENS. 
This magnificent and rare variety difTers 
from the species in being of stronger 
growth and usually has club-shaped pseudo¬ 
bulbs ; the foliage is very tliick and dark- 
green. The /lowers, which are of great sub¬ 
stance, measure six to seven inches in diame¬ 
ter. Petals very broad with sep.'ils nearly of 
equal size, both clear rose; lip rosy, fringed, 
with deep oi-ange throat, wliicli color some¬ 
times extends to the tip; potiils, sepals and 
lip often tijjped with rich imi ple, but in this 
the ])lants vary much. Flowers one to six- 
on the si)ike, often lasting a month in perfec¬ 
tion. Found in same localities as the spe¬ 
cies. In a hundred plants of JU Dorado as. 
taken from the woods one is fortunate if he 
finds two of this variety. 
CATTI.EVA WALLISII. 
Plant far smaller in all its parts than Cul- 
lleya El Dorado-, the pseiido-bnlh is nsuallv 
very short and chih-shaped, hut the plants 
vary much in this resiiect. Leaf rather lorn-- 
and narrow. Flowers one to three on the 
spike e,xpanding six inches in diameter- se¬ 
pals and petals almost e,,ual, very broad; 
hj. not I ringed, j,ure white with intense 
orange throat; rarely the whole lip is dee,, 
orange with only a narrow e.ilge of pure 
wliito; find jx'tjilH l)ur(!, wliHio 
sjieeies Is the most beautiful and 
the Amazonian Cattleyas, and the 
true species is very i-arely met with. It is ,i 
native of the river Negro, usually on the 
higher laud which even in extraordinary- 
rises of the river is not overflowed, though 
we have met with it in the same localities 
as CaUleya El Dorado. 
This species even in Para brings a very 
high price and we know of only a very few 
plants. The blooming season of this spe- 
cies and of all the varieties of All Dorado is 
from December to April, /ind in mode of 
o-rowth they all resemble that species. 
Edwakd S. Rand Jn. 
Para, Brazil. 
GABDENS NEAB LONDON. 
After a few enjoyable rambles around 
London among good gardens, writes a cor¬ 
respondent of the London Garden I am 
pleased to see how the light is spreading, 
and bow rich and tasteful the gardens of 
to-day liave become. It is especially satis¬ 
fying to see the deep and earnest interest 
now being taken in the finer phases of 
flower gardening, as at Wisley, Golder’s 
Hill, or at Bickley, and more especially in 
the wider grasp which ladies particularly, 
and amateurs generally, are taking of the 
hardy flower question. The old twiddly- 
twh-ly bedding arrangement is being sup¬ 
planted by a little of breadth and repose, 
and liere and . there one may find real cul¬ 
ture in the garden. The wild gardens at 
Wisley and Miss .Jekyll’s dainty pleasaunce 
at Munstead are far before the sacred car¬ 
pet bedding of our time. 
Our garden flora was never so rich nor so 
varied as now; and although we have as yet 
much to learn, much has already been done. 
I am almost ashamed to say it, but one must 
needs speak out the bitter truth, that all this 
advance is due to the taste and enterprise of 
amateurs rather than to the exertions of 
their gardeners. Even although the proph¬ 
et has been amongst us these twenty 
years or more, there are not ten gardeners 
in a hundred who know even the A B C of 
hardy flowers and their proper eultivation. 
This 
rarest of 
BANANA CULTUBE IN HONDUBAS. 
Honduras is rapidly assuming import¬ 
ance among the larger countries in Central 
America. According to the Commercial Ad¬ 
vertiser, it has increased fifty per cent, in 
population in the last ten years. 'I'he lands 
outside of the main towns are being bought 
from the government by citizens of the 
United States and by Germans. T'ho object 
of these new settlers is to establish Banana 
plantations. The, soil of Central America is 
peculiarly adapted to the growth of this 
fruit, which can bo raised at what would 
seem to he a ridiculous expense. The market 
for Bananas in New York is good, and the sale 
of them pays a prolit of about twenty per 
cent. T'he purchase of these lands has net¬ 
ted the government about .§1,500,000 tluring 
the last year, and as it owns about 1 , 000,000 
of acres, there Is a fair prospect of its nii- 
riehing itself within the ensuing five years. 
Dahlias, especially the single varieties, 
are easily grown from seed sown in li.gbt, 
rlcli soli in a gentle lu)l.-bed. When tbo 
young plants are about two inohes higb, 
transplant singly Into small pots, keep in n 
cold frame, harden them oil' gradually' a''‘ 
transplant to the open 
end of May. 
g,' 
i-ound towards the 
