Price list #955, Page 1 
Esteemed Friend: PT 
The Spring of 1956 may seem a long way off to some people, but t oge of us who |: 
grow Orchids know that 6 months is just a drop in the bucket as time goes; ‘and that, the 
pleasure of watching an orchid grow and develop is just the prelude $6.8 great thrill 
soon to come. So in offering you some extra large spring and early summer bidéoming 
orchids for 1956 I do not feel I am being premature. ire | 
CATTLEYA MENDELII is an exquisite orchid from Columbia, South America. The flowers 
are 6 to 8 inches in size and vary from light to pink with a deep magenta or crimson lobs 
and a lovely large, fringed and frilly lip. They have been very scarce for the past 5 
years, and this is the first time I have had a few to offer. They bloom around Mother's 
day in May. Each plant is very large and vigorous and can be expected to give you 6 or 
more flowers. They will do well up North as they like cool weather. Only $14 for a 
fine plant. 
CATTLEYA GASKELLIANA is to me the "grand-daddy" of all the specie orchids. It is a 
tremendous grower, very prolific and outproduces some of the best hybrids I have seen in 
flower production. Each sheath usually produces 3 to 4 flowers, and they will range 6 
to 8 inches in size. The color varies from pink to rose purple. The throat is striated 
with yellow. Originating in Venezuela. They are good Easter-to-June bloomers. They are 
also known to bloom a second time in the Fall of the year up north, so if you live north 
of the Mason-Dixon line you may get an extra dividend of flowers! Fine, big, vigorous 
Plants certain to produce 6 or 8 flowers are only $14. Smaller ones are $8.50. 
CATTLEYA GIGAS was at one time considered the largest flowering orchid in the world 
as some plants have produced flowers 8 to 10 inches in size! Gigas will do extra good 
up north as it likes a cool climate and a great deal of light. If you live ina hot, dry 
area, where your winters and springs are hot do not get a Gigas. They like a winter and 
Spring temperature of around 65 or cooler to initiate their buds. The sepals and petals 
are rose. The lip is crimson with yellow markings. An exquisite orchid with "eyes" in 
the throat, which has given it the nickname, "the orchid with the eyes." They bloom dur- 
ing July usually. $10 each while they last. 
CATTLEYA MOSSIAE is probably the most popular orchid in the world for a very simple 
reason. It blooms chiefly from Easter to Mother's Day. Commerical flower growers begin 
to force them in November by giving them as much light as possible. They also increase 
the day and night temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees. This speeds up their growth and 
brings them into bloom by Easter. The flowers range from 6 to 8 inches in size. They 
vary from light to deep rose with frilled lip and striated throat. The lip is magenta. 
Very fragrant. Priced $8.50 to $12.00. 
The flowers on all the above plants retail for $5 to $7.50 in a corsage, which should 
give you a good idea of the wonderful values offered on this page. All are extra heavy 
plants and tremendous producers of guality flowers. 
SAMUEL L. PRESNER Box 4550 CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA 
