d here yesterday from Alba Gumara and received
your much honoured letter of November 11, 1895. I shall despatch
to-morrow thirty boxes, twelve of which contain the finest of all the
aureas, the Monte Coromee form, and eighteen cases contain the grand
Sanderiana type, all collected from the spot where these grow mixed,
and I shall clear them all out. They are now nearly extinguished in
this spot, and this will surely be the last season. I have finished
all along the Rio Dagua, where there are no plants left; the last
days I remained in that spot the people brought in two or three
plants a day and some came back without a single plant. I left my boy
with the Senor Altados to explore while I despatched the boxes and
get funds, when I shall return for the var. papilio which Altados
promised to secure for me, and go on up to the spot called the Parama
San Sausa. In the boxes containing the aureas you will find about 300
seedlings which have not flowered; these are from a grove of trees
where no plants have previously been gathered from, and where the
finest Sanderianas and aureas grow intermingled in one family. These
Cattleyas only flower once in a year--that is, from March to the end
of July, and both kinds together. Some of the flowers measure upwards
of 10 inches--and on a spike you can have nine flowers. I cannot wait
in that fearful region longer than the flowering time; the awfully
wild aspect of everything and scarcity of wholesome food and help
for the work is simply maddening. If I shall find the other orchids
you want I do not know. My boy is gone with Altados for the Oncidium.
You may believe me that many more of these fine Cattleyas do not
exist, and I can, after all, perhaps not find so good as may be in
those you will now receive.

In the last years I have seen these plants in bloom, when I was so
ill with fever, and in no other place can you get such a fine type.

The plants that I planted when I was taken ill no one found; no one
has been here, and the plants had grown well and some of them very
much rooted.

Trusting that all will arrive in good order, I remain, gentlemen,
your very obedient servant,

CARL JOHANNSEN.

CATTLEYA MENDELII

The next division is styled the Mendelii house; more than three hundred
large examples of this sp