Mr. Mau was sent back by next mail to
secure every fragment he could find. Meantime, those in hand were
established, and Mr. Brymer, M.P., bought one--Mr. Brymer is
immortalized by the Dendrobe which bears his name. The new Cattleya
proved kindly, and just before Mr. Mau returned with some thousands of
its like Mr. Brymer's purchase broke into bloom. That must have been
another glorious moment for Mr. Sander, when the great bud unfolded,
displaying sepals and petals of the rosiest, freshest, softest pink,
eleven inches across; and a crimson labellum exquisitely shown up by a
broad patch of white on either side of the throat. Mr. Brymer was good
enough to lend his specimen for the purpose of advertisement, and
Messrs. Stevens enthusiastically fixed a green baize partition across
their rooms as a background for the wondrous novelty. What excitement
reigned there on the great day is not to be described. I have heard that
over 2000l. was taken in the room.
Most of the Cattleyas with which the public is familiar--_Mossiae_,
_Trianae_, _Mendellii_, and so forth--have white varieties; but an
example absolutely pure is so uncommon that it fetches a long price.
Loveliest of these is _C. Skinneri alba_. For generations, if not for
ages, the people of Costa Rica have been gathering every morsel they can
find, and planting it upon the roofs of their mud-built churches.
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