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.
PL. 6. CATTLEYA MORGANÆ
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.