April 7. 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



453 



DENDROBIUM DOMINIANUM. 



Named in honor of Mr. Dominie who 

 for a lifetime in the grand old estab- 

 lishment of the Veitch's of London, 

 was one of the earliest and most ardent 

 orchid growers and hybridists. D. 

 Dominianum is a garden hybrid, a cross 

 between the grand old standard species 

 D. nobile and that now almost extinct 

 choice variety of D. Linawianum. 

 This hybrid is one of the most beauti- 

 ful varieties of the D. nobile type, very 

 free flowering and a very dainty and 

 delicately colored orchid, one which 

 should be more cultivated than it is. 

 It would make a very profitable 

 florist's orchid not only for cutting 

 purposes but to sell in a pan or crib 

 suspended in the florist's window 

 where it would certainly draw admir- 

 ers and ready purchasers. It is of easy 

 culture requiring the plain and simple 

 treatment of D. nobile, which also, is 

 a most profitable orchid for this pur- 

 pose. 



D. Linawianum in habit of growth 



resembles D, nobile but so distinct as 

 to be easily recognized. Flowers nearly 



white in the centre, sepals and petals 

 being pale rosy lilac; the lip is small, 

 white with two purple blotches in 

 front, wholly purple in the throat. It 

 is a native of China and Japan. 



Another of the smaller flowering 

 commercial orchids and which is very 

 profitable for the florist, not for 

 cutting purposes but as a plant, is 

 Cattleya eitrina. an inexpensive but 

 very interesting showy sweet-scented 

 orchid with its curious and rather 

 unique form and habit of growth. 

 Suspended upon pieces of cork 

 bark or on blocks its glaucous foliage 

 and citron yellow to deep yellow 

 flowers with white fimibriate fringe, 

 throwing a fine large bloom from every 

 growth, then the white pseudo-bulbs, 

 makes this a regular little gem of an 

 orchid for the florist's window. These 

 plants when in bloom are bound to 

 draw the attention of lovers of flowers; 

 they are not expensive and can be 

 sold at reasonable prices and will pay 

 well for growing them. 



H. A. SIEBRECHT. 



The remarkable call for the Crowe- 

 anurn fern in New York City is evi- 

 denced by the fact that John I. Raynor 

 is disposing of three to four thousand 

 a day regularly for Mr. Crowe. 



SEASONABLE PREPARATIONS FOR 

 EASTER TRADE. 



Extracts from a paper read before the De- 

 troit Florists' Club by Hugo Schrocder. 



Though far from being a grower my- 

 self, I want to make a few remarks 

 that I hope will aid him in his prepara- 

 tion for Easter. It is the man who 

 gro>ws the stock who lias to do the 

 most planning; in fact, now is the 

 time to make notes to assist you in 

 your selection of what to grow for 

 1907. 



Lilies should come in for the first 

 consideration. As to the number of 

 blooms on a plant or its height, these 

 have always seemed to me as depend- 

 ing merely on good or bad luck, but 

 plants 2 1-2 to 3 feet high, with from 

 5 to 8 good blooms in different stages, 

 sell best in this locality. It is well to 

 have some planted into 3-4 or azalea 

 puis, say from 3 to 5 plants in a pot, 

 and well seasoned by keeping them 

 rather cool the last week. About 

 twenty-five per cent, of the lilies are 

 sold on Wednesday before Easter; as 

 these are for church use, the tall 

 plants are generally preferred. 



Azaleas are always good sellers; the 

 dwarf varieties, of which Firefly is 

 probably the best, are becoming very 

 popular. In bulbhouse stock we have 

 always found a ready sale for laven- 

 der, pink and white hyacinths (red are 

 a fizzle). In tulips, Murillo is the best 

 with Tournesol a close second, fol- 

 lowed by Vermillion Brilliant and 

 Proserpine. 



American Beauties in pots sold very 

 well last year, as did Crimson Rambler 

 and Baby Rambler. Lilacs, hydran- 

 geas, rhododendrons, daisies, genistas, 

 spiraeas and a variety of other stock 

 always help, for though nine out of 

 every ten people want a lily, if one 

 has no variety to show, the lily will 

 not sell either. Every pot should be 

 washed, and such plants as hyacinths, 

 lilies, etc., properly tied up before 

 leaving the greenhouse. The whole- 

 sale grower who follows this rule will 

 also find a greater demand for his 

 goods in consequence. 



If you have any temporary benches 

 or shelves to build, get them finished 

 so that on Monday or Tuesday before 

 Easter prospective buyers will not 

 have to bring guides along to assist in 

 scaling lumber piles. Palms, rubbers, 

 ferns and other plants which do not 

 meet with so much demand at this 

 time should be set aside to give as 

 much room as possible to blooming 

 plants. While it would be foolish to 

 have all or even half of the Easter 

 stock brought into the store or show- 

 house the first part of Easter week, it 

 is a good plan to have a nice assort- 

 ment on hand early, as very often a 

 customer sees some plant that strikes 

 his fancy and, though he was only 

 looking around, places an order at 

 once. As, no doubt, you will have 

 sumo green hands, mark the price on 

 all plants and baskets in plain figures. 



Pay particular attention to the show 

 windows, changing the display several 

 times during the week. In spare mo- 

 ments get ready a good supply of 

 boxes, paper, tags, twine, etc. Boxes 

 containing violets or cut flowers 

 should be rearranged with the same 

 care during the Easter rush as at 

 other times, wrapping each box, to 

 prevent it from becoming soiled in 



