st
between the boxes to keep them steady. Paxton is the authority for this
detail, which has its importance. The orchid arriving in such humble
fashion proved to be _Cattleya labiata_; Lindley gave it that
name--there was no need to add _vera_ then. He established a new genus
for it, and thus preserved for all time the memory of Mr. Cattley, a
great horticulturist dwelling at Barnet. There was no ground in
supposing the species rare. A few years afterwards, in fact, Mr.
Gardner, travelling in pursuit of butterflies and birds, sent home
quantities of a Cattleya which he found on the precipitous sides of the
Pedro Bonita range, and also on the Gavea, which our sailors call
"Topsail" Mountain, or "Lord Hood's Nose." These orchids passed as _C.
labiata_ for a while. Paxton congratulated himself and the world in his
_Flower Garden_ that the stock was so greatly increased. Those were the
coaching days, when botanists had not much opportunity for comparison.
It is to be observed, also, that Gardner's Cattleya was the nearest
relative of Swainson's;--it is known at present as _C. labiata Warneri_.
The true species, however, has points unmistakable. Some of its kinsfolk
show a double flower-sheath;--very, very rarely, under exceptional
circumstances. But _Cattleya labiata vera_ never fails, and an
interesting question it is to resolve why this alone should be so
carefully protected. One may cautiously surmise that its habitat is even
damper than others'. In the next place, some plants have their leaves
red underneath, others green, and the flower-sheath always corresponds;
this peculiarity is shared by _C. l. Warneri_ alone. Thirdly--and there
is the grand distinction, the one which gives such extreme value to the
species--it flowers in the late autumn, and thus fills a gap. Those who
possess a plant may have Cattleyas in bloom the whole year round--and
they alone. Accordingly, it makes a section by itself in the
classification of _Reichenbachia_, as the single species that flowers
from the current year's growth, after resting. Section II. contains the
species that flower from the current year's growth before resting.
Section III., those that flower from last year's growth after resting.
All these are many, but _C. l. vera_ stands alone.

[Illustration: CATTLEYA LABIATA.
Reduced to One Sixth.]

We have no need to dwell upon the contest that arose at the introduction
of _Cattleya Mossiae_ in 1840, which grew more and more bitte