Chapter VI: Part 6

Mr. Sander, the importer, has been no doubt deceived, and has suffered great loss through importing a large quantity of plants, of which many have had to be destroyed owing to their not being worth cultivating, since the bad forms cost as much to import as the good ones; while the collectors, when they do not see them in bloom, do not suspect that such inferior forms can exist amongst the good ones. We have seen other fine varieties, but none better than the one we have illustrated, and which we received from the superb collection of R. P. Percival, Esq., of Birkdale, Southport, after whom it is named. We received the flowers two years before we ventured to submit the drawing to our readers, and to vouch for its accuracy. We trust there may prove to be enough of the better forms imported to supply all who may desire to possess the plant in its true character.

_Cattleya labiata Percivaliana_ is, like _labiata_ itself, an evergreen plant, with clavate stems, ten inches in height, bearing dark green foliage, much resembling that of _C. Mossiæ_. It is a plant of compact-growing habit, having the sepals and petals suffused with a delicate magenta-rose colour, while the lip is of an intense magenta, marginated broadly with pale rosy purple, the throat being deep orange, veined with brownish purple; the flowers have a most peculiar odour, similar to that of _Lælia autumnalis_, by which they can be at once identified. This _Cattleya_ blooms during the winter months, at the same time as _C. Trianæ_, and lasts in bloom for two or three weeks.

Mr. Beddoes, the gardener at Birkdale, grows this plant in the same house with _Cattleya Trianæ_, of which Mr. Percival has a remarkably fine collection. The house in which they are grown, is a good-sized one, and is so built and glazed that there is plenty of light admitted. It is also a well ventilated structure, so that plenty of water may be used about the house in their growing season, when the temperature is right both inside and outside the house. This a most important item in the successful cultivation of Orchids, as well as of other plants. Mr. Percival has evidently studied this point, and good results have followed, as will have been seen by those who have had the pleasure of visiting his collection, while those who have not seen it should try to do so, and judge for themselves. We find rough fibrous peat to suit this plant, which must have sufficient drainage, and must be grown fully exposed to light at all times. Mr. Sander informs us that the plants are found growing on rocks in the full sun, so that they are likely to require an abundance of light and a good season of rest.

Transcriber’s Notes

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.

—Silently corrected a few palpable typos, and merged errata into the
text.

—Added arabic page numbers to non-plate pages.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.

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Volume 1
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