106 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



DECEMBER 29. 1898. 



temperature during their growing sea- 

 son, with plenty of water, but several 

 species, such as Wardianum, nobile, 

 Devonianum, etc., should be moved to 

 a cool house as soon as they have 

 stopped growing, and left there until 

 their flower buds are well advanced, 

 when they may go into a little warm- 

 er house to flower. If this treatment 

 is followed up you will be seldom, if 

 ever, disappointed in the results of 

 your labors. Watch for the thrip on 

 these plants, as they soon destroy 

 them if allowed to remain. 

 Dendrobium Wardianum, a beautiful 



and produces its beautiful, large flow- 

 ers of pure white, with yellow blotched 

 lip on the top of the stems, from two 

 to five flowers on a spike. This va- 

 riety needs but little rest and should 

 certainly be grown in a basket and 

 suspended in the warmest house. This 

 is another sort that should never be 

 over-potted, and must always be well 

 drained. 



Dendrobium Devonianum is a mag- 

 nificent species, and is best grown in a 

 basket. Give abundance of water in 

 the growing season and freely syringe 

 the foliage at least once a day in hot 



Laelia ' Anceps. 



species from Assam, is perhaps the 

 best. It is a very strong grower and 

 good bloomer if above instructions are 

 followed, but be sure you do not over- 

 pot this species, as nothing is more 

 injurious to it. It blooms in early 

 spring and lasts a long time if kept 

 cool and dry. It should be grown in 

 a basket, suspended. 



Dendrobium nobile is a well known 

 old species from India, requiring the 

 same treatment as Wardianum. but 

 can. if necessity requires, be grown 

 cooler and kept back, or forced into 

 flower, as desired by the grower, at 

 any time from December to May. 



Dendrobium formosum giganteum, a 

 beautiful variety, differs somewhat 

 from the preceding, as it is evergreen 



weather, to keep down the thrip, which 

 is particularly partial to this sort. It 

 is by many considered hard to grow, 

 but by following the above directions 

 you can grow it just as well as Wardi- 

 anum. It flowers in May or June, and 

 they last about two weeks in perfec- 

 tion. 



Dendrobium densiflorum is another 

 erect-growing species from India, and 

 grows best in a pot. but can be grown 

 in a basket in good, flbrous peat and 

 but little sphagnum. It blooms in 

 April or May, the large clusters of 

 beautiful yellow flowers being in form 

 like a bunch of grapes. This species 

 requires a long rest after the bulbs 

 are grown, but do not allow the plant 



to shrivel. The flowers last about a 

 week in perfection. 



LAELIA.— Of this genus only two 

 species are useful to the commercial 

 grower. 



Laelia anceps. This can be well 

 grown on a block of hard wood with 

 a little fibrous peat fastened at the 

 back of the plant, which should be 

 firmly nxed on with copper wire. It 

 can also be grown in a suspended bas- 

 ket. Use a compost of good, clean 

 peat, charcoal, and live sphagnum 

 moss, and keep well drained. This is 

 a grand species, with long flower 

 spikes, which last a month if kept in 

 a cool house. Give pienty of water 

 during the growing season, which is 

 from about April to November. It is 

 a free bloomer and blooms in January 

 and February. It will grow well in a 

 cattleya house, but can be grown con- 

 siderably cooler. 



Laelia purpurata, a magnificent spe- 

 cies from Brazil, in form resembles a 

 cattleya, and requires about the same 

 treatment. It can be grown in either 

 pot or basket, has a grand spike of 

 beautifully marked flowers, with crim- 

 son purple lip. Do not over-pot it and 

 watch out for white scale. This spe- 

 cies should be in every collection. 



LYCASTE.— This genus is of easy 

 culture and can be grown best in a 

 cool or intermediate house. Pot in a 

 compost of good, fibrous peat and a 

 little sphagnum and broken charcoal. 

 Give abundance of water during their 

 growing season; in fact, this plant 

 should never be allowed to become too 

 dry at the roots even during their sea- 

 son of rest. The growing season is 

 from about April to October. 



ijycaste Skinnerii, a native of Guate- 

 mala, is undoubtedly the best species, 

 blooming freely, as it does, during the 

 winter months, with fine, erect, beau- 

 tifully marked flowers of white, rose 

 colored, and crimson, and they last a 

 long time in perfection. Care should 

 be taken to keep the fiowers free from 

 damp or they will soon become discol- 

 ored or destroyed. 



Lycaste cruenta is a very free flow- 

 ering species from Guaiemala. blooms 

 about April, and has a very pleasing, 

 aromatic odor. It requires the same 

 treatment as the preceding. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM.— This is a grand 

 genus of orchids, probably the most 

 interesting of all. They can all be 

 grown in pots, with plenty of drainage 

 and abundance of water during their 

 growing season; in fact, they should 

 never be allowed to become dry enough 

 to allow the sphagnum to lose its 

 beautiful, fresh green color, even in 

 winter. They grow well potted in good 

 fibrous peat, with a liberal top dress- 

 ing of good, green sphagnum, which 

 should be removed as soon as decayed 

 and renlaced by fresh; this sometimes 

 has to be done twice a year. They de- 

 light in a cool, moist atmosphere, and 

 plenty of air in summer, and in win- 

 ter, when possible. A northern aspect 

 suits many of them, as they do not 

 like the sun. and should in any case 

 be shaded from its direct rays. A good 



