Part 2

Cattleya gigas and C. Dowiana.—These _Cattleyas_ have been considered to be shy-flowering species, and we have sometimes found them to be so in our own experience, but we are beginning to change our opinion on this subject. No doubt there are some plants that grow and flower more freely than others, but a great deal depends on the conditions in which they are placed and the treatment they receive. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the collection of W. Lee, Esq., of Leatherhead, which in time will be one of the finest to be seen in this country. The Estate is situated in an open part of the country, and the Orchid-houses are built on the side of a hill where they get the full light and sun, while they are sheltered from the driving winds; these houses are, indeed, all that can be desired, the requisitions of the various classes of plants having been well studied. Every accommodation is provided for those kinds, such as _Cattleya gigas_ and _C. Dowiana_, that are difficult to bloom. These two were splendidly in flower, and are most lovely and distinct kinds; the flowers of _C. gigas_ were nearly nine inches in diameter, the sepals and petals of the purest dark rosy colour, and the lip a fine rich dark crimson magenta. _C. Dowiana_ was also very fine and attractive in colour, the sepals and petals being of a nankeen yellow, and the lip of a rich dark purple, elegantly pencilled and striped with lines of gold. We hope at some future time to give our readers a plate of the fine variety of _C. gigas_ above referred to. Both these species are here grown as near the light as possible, and the treatment they receive is, first to induce a vigorous growth, and then to give them a good rest after the growth is completed, at the same time keeping them well exposed to the light, and giving them merely sufficient water to prevent them from shrivelling, a more ample supply of water being given as soon as they show signs of flowering. There was also in this collection another species that is generally considered difficult to grow, namely, _Vanda teres_, of which there were three plants which had been blooming very finely. When cultivated as these are, they well repay all the trouble taken with them. These are grown at one end of the house, without any shade.—B. S. W.

CATTLEYA MENDELII GRANDIFLORA. [Plate 3.] Native of the United States of Columbia.

Epiphytal. _Stems_ oblong, club-shaped, furrowed when mature, twelve to eighteen inches high. _Leaves_ solitary coriaceous, ligulate-oblong, acute, dark green above, paler beneath. _Scape_ three to four-flowered, issuing from a terminal oblong compressed bract, which is three to four inches long, and an inch broad. _Flowers_ very large and exceedingly handsome, measuring eight inches across; _sepals_ an inch wide, lanceolate, recurved, white; _petals_ spreading, clawed, broadly ovate, measuring nearly three inches across, plane towards the base prettily frilled in the anterior portion, the apex recurved, white, with a scarcely perceptible tint of blush near the edge; _lip_ obovate emarginate, three and a quarter inches long, the basal half entire, rolled over the column, the anterior portion expanded and beautifully fringed, about two inches in breadth and rather more in depth, the apical half occupied with a solid blotch of rich magenta rose, passing to white at the frilled edge, the side portions white, the disk and throat of a delicate tint of nankeen yellow, the extreme base white, with numerous divergent lines of magenta rose, a few of which (about two) run out to join the blotch at the tip of the anterior lobe. _Column_ about half as long as the convolute base of the lip, club-shaped, decurved, semiterete, with a rounded keel at the back.

Cattleya Mendelii grandiflora, _supra._

When _Cattleya Mendelii_ was first flowered by S. Mendel, Esq., some few years ago, many botanists were of opinion that it was not sufficiently dissimilar from, but only a variety of, _C. Trianæ_. Since that time it has been flowered in many different collections with but little variation of character, and, as we think, has fully vindicated its right, whether as a species or race, to be regarded as a distinct Orchid of first-rate merit.

The subject of our plate is a gigantic variety of the _Cattleya Mendelii_, which has just flowered in our own collection. It proves to be in every way larger, and altogether superior, to the old type, the flowers having much more substance, and being of better form, which results from the greater width of the lip and petals. The sepals and petals are white, the latter being very broad and of good substance, while the lip is broad and well fringed, pure white in its upper part, with a large bright magenta patch at the front part, and the throat is orange, with reddish crimson veins, which stand out in fine contrast against the pure white of the remaining portions of the flower. It produces as many as four flowers on a spike, each flower measuring over eight inches across, and the flowers are thrown well up above the foliage, and thus produce the grandest appearance we have as yet seen in any _Cattleya_.

_Cattleya Mendelii_ succeeds well in a compost of peat, with the addition of a little sphagnum moss, and requires good drainage. We have found it to do best in pots, with the plant well elevated above the rim, but it can be grown with success either on a block or in a basket suspended from the roof of the house. The temperature of the Cattleya-house suits it best.

This is a grand plant for exhibition or decorative purposes, as the pure white and magenta of its flowers are exceedingly effective amongst the other species of _Cattleya_ which flower at the same time of year. The flowering season is May and June, after which time _C. Mendelii_ begins to make its growth. It should then receive a moderate supply of water—not too much, as an over bountiful supply is apt to cause the young growths to rot. After the annual growths are completed the plants should be gradually dried off, only giving them sufficient water to keep them from shrivelling.

The species of _Cattleya_ are all subject to white scale and thrips. These insect pests may, however, be easily removed by careful sponging, either with water or a little insecticide; they should be cleaned off as soon as discovered, as if allowed to establish themselves they disfigure the leaves and bulbs, and so spoil the appearance of the plants. Cleanliness and good cultivation are the chief points to be considered in the successful keeping of _Cattleyas_.

Vanda Lowii, &c.—One often hears that _Vanda Lowii_ does not bloom until it attains a large size. This, however, is erroneous, for we have flowered it when not more than two feet high; and we have also seen a plant of about the same size in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., with a flower spike some four or five feet long, in full beauty, with its two bright orange-yellow flowers at the base, the rest of the blossoms being of a bright brownish-crimson colour. This was a most extraordinary spike for so small a plant. When the specimens attain a larger size they often produce six of these long spikes, which extend to seven feet in length. We have one now showing this number of spikes, but the plant is fully five feet high. We were glad to see in this collection a grand mass of _Epidendrum nemorale majus_, which is figured in the first series of Warner’s _Select Orchidaceous Plants_, but we never expected to see such a specimen as that in the collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, which must have been three or four feet across, and had eighteen spikes of its beautiful rosy and mauve-coloured flowers. This plant was well worth going to see, as were many others: indeed, the fame of this collection is so widely spread that it is almost needless to comment upon it; suffice it to say, that it is the finest and best kept collection we know of. At the time of our visit we were pleased to see some fine plants of _Cattleya superba_ with their splendid deep rose and crimson flowers; this is one of the most distinct and beautiful of all _Cattleyas_, and had been grown in the East India House, suspended from the roof.—B. S. W.

EPIDENDRUM VITELLINUM MAJUS. [Plate 4.] Native of Mexico.

Epiphytal. _Pseudobulbs_ ovate, clustered, two-leaved. _Leaves_ oblong-ligulate, acute, sheathing at the base. _Scape_ erect, six to nine inches high, racemose, many-flowered, longer than the leaves. _Flowers_ brilliant orange-scarlet, nearly two inches across, much larger than the typical form; _sepals_ spreading; _petals_ flat, elliptic, somewhat broader than the sepals, spreading, lanceolate, acute; _lip_ clawed, linear, abruptly acute, with a bifoveate (two-holed) callosity below the middle, deep yellow passing to orange-scarlet at the tip. _Column_ parallel with and nearly half the length of the lip, to which it is adnate towards the base, the anther-bed marginate in front.

Epidendrum vitellinum majus, _of gardens_.

The original form of _Epidendrum vitellinum_, of which a good though pale-coloured figure will be found in the _Botanical Register_ for 1840 (t. 35), is one of the most brilliant of the _Epidendreæ_, on account of its remarkable fiery colour, which makes it invaluable for contrasting with other subjects, both in the Orchid-house, in the jardinière, or in the bouquet. The same colour, or something near it, occurs in a few other Orchids, which are equally valuable from a decorative point of view, as for example in _Lælia cinnabarina_, _Lælia harpophylla_, and _Ada aurantiaca_, all of them being plants, which, under favourable conditions, yield a brilliant effect. The subject of our plate has the advantage of producing larger and more showy flowers than its type, and to this extent is the more desirable of the two for the house-stage, or exhibition table.

Until within the last few years this plant was very rare, but having been imported in large quantities it is now to be found in every collection, however limited its pretensions. The bright colour of its orange-scarlet flowers, produced in considerable numbers on upright spikes, renders it a most striking and distinct species. We have known the flowers to last as long as twelve weeks in perfection; in fact, we have on several occasions exhibited a plant of it at as many as six different successive exhibitions. Mixed with other Orchids it has a most telling effect; and a well-flowered specimen once seen by a novice is likely to produce a lasting impression. In the Broomfield collection it is used very largely in association with Odontoglossums, and the effect of the orange-scarlet flowers amongst the numerous spikes of _Odontoglossum Alexandræ_, and other species, is charming.

We have found this _Epidendrum_ to do well in the Odontoglossum-house in a compost of peat and sphagnum moss. It does equally well in a pot or in a basket, and should receive a fair supply of water while growing. The plant seems to revel in a good amount of sunlight, but it must be kept from the burning rays of the sun by a slight shading, too much sunshine being apt to make the foliage become blotched and sickly-looking.

The variety _majus_ blooms at a different time of the year from the original species, which has the flowers much smaller, and which blooms in August and September from the young growths; whereas the variety _majus_ flowers from the tips of the bulbs of the previous year’s growth. There are several forms of the plant, some with flowers much larger and brighter than others; indeed, the one here figured is not so large as some that were flowered years ago, which may be due to the fact that they were old-established plants. We remember the late Mrs. Lawrence, of Ealing Park, exhibiting a remarkably strong specimen at one of the Chiswick shows, thirty-five years since, a perfect blaze of flower. S. Brunton, Esq., also exhibited a grand plant of a good variety a few years back; and C. W. Lea, Esq., Parkfield, Worcester, had a wonderful example in bloom, last year. These several plants were all part of the early importations.

The Manchester Show of Orchids, June, 1881.—The display of Orchids at the Manchester Exhibition was a very fine one, and no Orchid grower should have missed the sight. The specimens were truly marvellous, especially the sixteen plants shown by R. Dodgson, Esq., of Blackburn, amongst which were a _Vanda suavis_ with about a dozen flower-spikes; _Lælia purpurata_ and _Cattleya Warneri_, both wonderful specimens, as also was _Masdevallia Harryana_; _Cypripedium barbatum superbum_ which had a hundred blooms upon it, and was not made up for the occasion, but had been grown on from a single plant; and _Dendrobium Wardianum_ which was a magnificent plant. Great credit is due to Mr. Osman for his talent, in successfully cultivating so fine a collection. G. Hardy, Esq., of Timperley, exhibited some wonderful plants, especially of _Cattleyas_, _Lælias_, _Dendrobium thyrsiflorum_, _Oncidium Marshallianum_, _Odontoglossum vexillarium_, &c. R. F. Ainsworth, Esq., M.D., also exhibited some fine specimens, especially _Vanda suavis_, _Aërides Fieldingii_, and _A. Schröderii_; these three are most extraordinary plants, and have been grown in the collection for eighteen years, which is a sufficient proof of what can be done by perseverance, and, moreover, gives one an idea how well Orchids can be grown and exhibited for many successive years. We have known these three specimens to be shown at the Manchester exhibitions and elsewhere for the past ten or fifteen years, and they are now in the finest possible condition, as they have always been, under the successful management of Mr. Mitchell. There were besides, other exhibitors whose specimens were well worthy of note.—B. S. W.

MASDEVALLIA SHUTTLEWORTHII. [Plate 5.] Native of the United States of Colombia.

Epiphytal. _Rhizome_ slender, slowly creeping. _Leaves_ crowded, petiolate, the petiole with a sheathing scale at the base, the blade about equalling the petiole, two to three inches long, elliptic-oblong, acute, pale green, obscurely three to five-nerved. _Scapes_ numerous, slender, as long as or longer than the petioles, green, with an ovate acuminate appressed bract at the top. _Flowers_ yellowish, tinted with rose, rather large for the size of the plant; the perianth tube very short and swollen at the base; _dorsal sepal_ of a pale yellowish red, indistinctly dotted with pale rosy red spots, and marked with from five to seven (or nine according to Reichenbach) longitudinal wine-coloured nerves, fully an inch long, sub-erect, concave or somewhat hooded, obovate, suddenly contracted into a tail two or three times its own length, the tail green below and becoming orange-yellow towards the tip; _lateral sepals_ obliquely ovate, spreading, and decurved, thickly studded with deep red spots, and tapering off into a tail similar to that of the dorsal sepal; _petals_ small, linear-oblong or ligulate, bilobed at the apex; _lip_ very small, broadly oblong, recurved at the tip, with two keels or ridges running down the centre. _Column_ short, three-toothed at the apex.

Masdevallia Shuttleworthii, _Reichenbach fil._ in _Gardeners’ Chronicle_, N.S. iii., 170; _Hooker fil._, _Botanical Magazine_, t. 6372.

Of this interesting plant, one of a popular genus inhabiting the cool temperate humid regions of Northern and Western South America, Professor Reichenbach, by whom it was dedicated to Mr. Shuttleworth, one of Mr. W. Bull’s collectors, remarks that it is “rather a nice thing amongst _Masdevallias_ of the second order of beauty.” It was first flowered in 1878 by W. H. Punchard, Esq., of Poulett Lodge, Twickenham. Our figure was prepared from a plant which has bloomed in our own collection recently. We find it to be a very free-blooming species.

The _Masdevallias_ comprise many interesting species and varieties, some of very remarkable structure, and others with colours of extraordinary richness and brilliancy. Our present subject is not one of the most showy, but it may be ranked with the more curious of the species, and is certainly of a distinct and pleasing character, as is well represented in our Plate. The plant was discovered by Mr. Shuttleworth, when travelling for Mr. Bull, and by him it was first transmitted to Europe. Since then we have received it from the same country through our own collector, Mr. Carder. The _Masdevallias_ are plentiful in their native habitats, but the difficulty of obtaining them in this country lies in the risks attending importation, which are mainly attributable to the fact that they have no thick fleshy bulbs to support them during their journey. We have heard of thousands of plants of this particular species having been sent off, but of these comparatively few have been received alive, so that unless some more successful means of introducing them into England can be found, it will always remain a rare plant.

_Masdevallia Shuttleworthii_ is of free-blooming habit, and the flowers last a long time in perfection. It generally blossoms during the spring and summer months. The plants require but little room, as the foliage is of neat growth, and the whole height of the plant does not exceed from six to eight inches. The leaves are of a dark green colour and firm texture. The flower-scapes proceed from the young growth, and attain the height of about eight inches, the more conspicuous spreading long-tailed sepals being of a pleasing yellowish rose colour thickly marked with wine-red spots, while the petals and lip are small and inconspicuous.

We find the plants grow well when potted in small pots or pans suspended from the roof, and filled with peat and sphagnum moss; but they require thorough drainage, since they need a liberal supply of water during summer. In the autumn and winter months they do not require so full a supply, but they must have sufficient to keep them moist. They thrive best in the same house with the _Odontoglots_, where they obtain shade, and are kept cool. None of the _Masdevallias_ like heat, and most of them require the same kind of treatment. The house in which they are grown should have a north aspect, so that they may not get too much sun-heat, as this causes the leaves to become spotted, to the great disfigurement of the plant.

Insects become a nuisance if allowed to accumulate on the plants. The thrips, which is one of their greatest insect enemies, constantly attacks them, and must be subdued by cleansing them frequently and thoroughly with a sponge and warm soft water.

The propagation of _Masdevallias_ is effected by dividing the plants, leaving a few old bulbs with a leading one in front. They are the easiest of all Orchids to increase, and are best divided up occasionally, as when the plants get too large they do not flower so freely. The most suitable time to perform this operation is just as they commence to make their growth. They should at first be put into small pots, and shifted into larger ones as they increase in size, and develope abundance of roots.

Lælia Philbrickiana.—This new Hybrid was exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society, South Kensington, by the Messrs. Veitch and Sons. It was raised between _Cattleya Aclandiæ_ and _Lælia elegans_, partaking of the dwarf habit of _C. Aclandiæ_. The plant grows about eight inches high, and produces its leaves in pairs, of a dark green colour, about four inches in length; from between these the flower-sheaths proceed. The sepals and petals are of a glossy purplish crimson-brown, spotted with darker spots; the lip is of a bright crimson, the basal part purple and white. It blooms in June and July, and will be a very useful addition to our collections.—B. S. W.

CATTLEYA MORGANÆ. [Plate 6.] Native of the United States of Colombia.

Epiphytal. _Stems_ short, oblong or somewhat clavate, furrowed when mature, attaining with the leaves about eighteen inches in height. _Leaves_ solitary, coriaceous, ligulate-oblong, acute, of a light green colour. _Scape_ three to four-flowered, issuing from a terminal oblong compressed bract, which is about two and a half inches long. _Flowers_ large and pleasing on account of their delicate colouring, about six inches across when expanded; _sepals_ lanceolate, entire, three-fourths of an inch broad and about three inches long, recurved at the tip, white; _petals_ spreading, clawed, broadly ovate, fully two inches across, the margin entire at the base and much undulated in the anterior portion, white; _lip_ obovate, emarginate, about three inches long, the basal portion entire and rolled over the column, the anterior portion moderately expanded and beautifully frilled, white, like the rest of the flower, with a small blotch of pale magenta near the apex, but not quite extending to the margin, and stained on the disk with an obcordate blotch of clear yellow, passing into orange-yellow in the throat, the deeper portion being veined with yellow lines. _Column_ concealed by the convolute base of the lip.

Cattleya Morganæ, _supra_.

One of the most chaste and charming of the summer-flowering _Cattleyas_, and quite distinct in aspect from all others in cultivation. We have great pleasure in dedicating it to Mrs. M. Morgan, of New York, who is a great admirer of this noble class of Orchidaceous plants, and, moreover, has a fine and valuable collection of them. The first specimen we bloomed produced ten flower spikes, and was exhibited at the Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society’s Show in June, 1879; the plant was the admiration of all who saw it, and was on that occasion awarded a First Class Certificate on account of its distinct and pleasing character.

_Cattleya Morganæ_ belongs to the same section of the genus as _C. Mendelii_, of which section there are many races or varieties, all of which are beautiful and rich in the colouring of the lip, some having the sepals and petals white, while in others they are of a rosy hue, more or less intense. The plant now before us grows about eighteen inches in height, and has light green foliage with a somewhat drooping habit. It produces its flowers freely, as many as four together on the spike. The sepals and petals are pure white; and the lip is white with a light magenta blotch near the apex, its throat orange colour, the incurved base white, and the edge beautifully fringed. The flowers are produced in May and June, and last from five to six weeks in perfection. It makes a fine subject for decorative purposes, since its pure white flowers form a charming contrast with the high-coloured varieties of other species of _Cattleya_, of which there are many that come into bloom at about the same time.