December 12, 1908 



horticulture: 



775 



Cattleya citrina 



Cattleya citrina, or "the Tulip Orchid," as it is often 

 called, is quite distinct from the other members of the 

 genus in appearance and general habit. Its beautiful 

 lemon yellow, sweet scented, waxy flowers as well as 

 their peculiar habit of growing downward always attract 

 attention. The best place to grow this cattleya in is a 

 cool, airy house, such as one would grow primulas, cin- 

 erarias, azaleas and like plants in. In a house of this 

 kind, Cattleya citrina will invariably do better than in 

 a regular cool orchid house. It can be grown either in 

 small pans or on blocks of wood with a little osmunda 

 fibre attached to the block to which the plant is fas- 

 tened with copper wire until the roots take hold of the 

 block. 



The plants require very little water at any time of the 

 year but enjoy a cool moist atmosphere at all times. An 

 occasional dip in weak liquid manure water will help to 

 build up strong pseudo-bulbs and consequently a good 

 •crop of flowers. The plant shown in the picture has 

 for the last five or six years produced two flowers to the 

 bulb, the usual number being one: in addition one of the 

 bulbs made two leads this year. I mention this because 

 the species has the reputation of "going back" after a 

 few years of cultivation. Most orchids will go back 

 after a few years of cultivation if they do not get the 

 proper care and food and this we can not always give 

 them because we do not know what their particular re- 

 quirements are ; but once in a while we hit upon the 

 right cause of treatment for certain species, be it ac- 

 cidental or through experimenting and then the plants 

 will go ahead and grow as well or nearly so as they did 

 in their native home. 



Rose Notes in Season 



Vigilance is the growers' watchword these days. The 

 changeable weather brings all sorts of trouble, and any 

 relaxation in the care of the plants, ventilation, etc., 

 affords one or all an opportunity to get busy. The re- 

 turn of firing is welcomed by the red spider — if not by 

 the grower — and it is amazing how rapidly this pest will 

 populate a house of stock if left to his own sweet will. 

 The presence of red spider is indicated by a scorched ap- 

 pearance of the upper surface of the leaves and is easily 

 detected by the grower who "sees." It is, however, 

 preferable not to wait for the appearance of this sign, 

 but to syringe carefully each plant every time the oper- 

 ation is performed, when there will be no occasion for 

 worry during cloudy weather. 



Keep the plants neatly tied, the better to facilitate 

 syringing and the subsequent drying of the foliage, as 

 well as to encourage, the growth of straight, graceful 

 stems. 



Remove the lateral shoots while they are very small. 

 The strength thus diverted will go to the development of 

 a better and larger flower than if they were permitted to 

 remain until a knife had to be used. 



If there is any mildew on the stock advantage should 

 be taken of the cold nights to paint the pipes with the 

 mixture of sulphur and lime. If we are persistent, a 

 few nights of this treatment will serve to eradicate the 

 pest. 



Green fly can be kept in subjection by fumigating 

 with tobacco or its products, and as this pest multiplies 

 in competition with red spider — or so it seems to me — 

 the house should be fumigated on the occasion of its 

 first appearance and repeated every time a green fly is 

 noticed. 



Watering calls for careful judgment as it is during 

 the winter months that roses are in their most torpid 

 state, root action sluggish and the eyes hard to start. 

 Any check to root action, however slight, will strengthen 

 the natural tendency of the plants to take a rest and 

 when they enter on this condition during the winter 

 it is exceedingly difficult to encourage their return to 

 activity. 



tfn.jZO^ 



Naugatuck, Conn. 



Chrysanthemum Notes 



calvat's certificated novelties 

 At the Paris show last November a large number of 

 new seedling chrysanthemums were awarded certificates. 

 Calvat headed the list with eighteen. To those Amer- 

 ican growers interested in French novelties we quote the 

 names referring them to the raiser's catalogue for de- 

 scriptions in case of need. Melisandre, Mme. Max 

 Chabriel, Mme. Jules Maggi, Miarka, Chrysanthemiste 

 ! iniand, Peintre Bienvetu, Belle Esterelle, Mme. Bachel 

 L'abbe, Souvenir de Mme. Bonnefond, General Sauret, 

 Cecilia Monteil, Achille Fenin, Ferdinand de Bievre, 

 Blanche Delcloque, Mme. Julien Pay, Mme. Jouan, 

 Mme. Chas. Lutaud, Claudius Denis. 



SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



During our rounds this season we have met with many 

 pretty varieties of this popular section and for decora- 

 tive purposes there are probably few flowers more useful 



