MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 117 
remarkable growth and at the present time is flowering 
luxuriantly, over fifty tall spikes of abundant yellow flowers 
being in various stages of development. The cockroaches 
which infest the old range of greenhouses (fortunately soon 
to be replaced) are exceedingly partial to the young spikes 
of Oncidium, and unless the precaution is taken of spraying 
the plants with a poison, the pests gnaw the tender tips, thus 
destroying the flower spikes for the season. During April to 
September, 98 species of orchids flowered, some of which pro- 
duced an abundance of blossoms. 
FLOWERING PLANTS FOR ST. LOUIS 
Gardeners in and about St. Louis have long known that 
but little dependence can be placed upon the directions for 
procuring continuous bloom in a garden when such direc- 
tions are based upon European, eastern, or northern condi- 
tions.’ It is unfortunate that most of the best books on 
gardening have their origin either in foreign countries or 
have the limiting phrase, “periods of bloom are indicated 
in and about New York City.” Because the weather condi- 
tions in St. Louis are entirely different from those in the 
Kast, all gardening schemes emanating from the latter source 
must be taken subject to trial. The trial will very often 
prove disastrous, but from the experiments one or two plants 
will prove to have been able to withstand the peculiar 
climatic conditions that occasionally make St. Louis a rather 
trying place for flower culture. owever, there are many 
lants that grow to perfection in this locality that can 
ardly exist at all in the East, and if care is taken to make 
use of the advantages that the climate does possess, flourish- 
ing gardens will result. 
Of course, by proper preparation and by transforming the 
garden into an infirmary, a few gentians, a little arbutus, or 
some of the native orchids that delight in the cool, moisture- 
laden air of the northern woods, may with diligent care be 
coaxed into bloom, but it would be a pity to try to bring 
up such weaklings when there are so many plants that enjoy 
and thrive on the heat and sunshine of our local climate. 
Under certain conditions many exotic plants may be im- 
ported to this locality and, because they flourish so well, 
many gardens are resplendent with foliage plants from the 
tropics to the exclusion of indigenous material. Tropical 
gardens could be provided for, but the use of tropical foliage 
plants, i. e., coleus, caladiums een ears), cannas, castor- 
rat aopaeg etc., is pacioe except in formal planta- 
tions or distinctly tropical gardens, and hence this article 
