72 



THE GARDENERS MONTHLY 



[March, 



grown specimens from July until October. The 

 flowers are of a vivid scarlet color, the single 

 flowers being over an inch and a half in length, 

 and as the large panicles are thrown up well 

 above the foliage they render the plant re- 

 markably attractive. The flowers last for a 

 considerable time. 



Propagation is effected by cuttings of the young 

 wood, and if the young plants are repotted as 

 often as necessary and liberally treated, they 

 will form flowering plants in the course of a year. 



It is a plant of easy culture, and in the mixed 

 border is peculiarly attractive ; when grown 

 for this purpose it can be planted out in good 

 rich soil about the tenth of May, or when all 

 danger of frost is over. Water freely in dry 

 weather, and on the approach of frost take the 

 plants up carefully, pot them, and place in a 

 greenhouse having a temperature of 50° or 55°. 

 When they have ceased flowering the plants can 

 be placed under the stage if the room is desired 

 for other purposes. While in a dormant state 

 give but little water. 



If grown as a pot plant it must be given an 

 abundance of room for its roots, good drainage, 

 an abundant supply of water during its sea- 

 eon of growth, and a compost of two-thirds 

 well rotted sods and one-third manure well 

 mixed. During the summer season plunge the 

 pot in a sunny position, give it a watering of 

 liquid manure water once a week, and it will 

 produce its scarlet panicles in such beauty as to 

 surprise all who are so fortunate as to behold it. 



When the plant is grown in the greenhouse 

 during the winter season it is unfortunately very 

 subject to the scale, mealy bug and red spider, 

 so that great care will be necessary to keep these 

 pests in check. 



large plants of Coelogyne have been undisturbed 

 for four years, and have now bulbs three inches 

 long and very strong flower spikes. Good drain- 

 age is essential, as the plant after growth has 

 fairly commenced, can hardly get too much 

 water. My plants are set on benches covered 

 with an inch of sand, and are watered thoroughly 

 twice a day from the time the new growth shows 

 until in September, when the flower spikes ap- 

 pear prominently from the base of the bulbs ; then 

 the supply of water is reduced somewhat as the 

 plant goes gradually to rest, until now (Decem- 

 ber) the plants get a watering once a week if in 

 pots and an occasional light syringing over the 

 leaves besides. Those on blocks will require 

 dipping about twice a week if there is considera- 

 ble moss on the blocks, which there should be. 

 The plants should never get entirely dry or the 

 bulbs allowed to shrivel much. One plant in ten 

 inch pan is now showing thirty flower spikes, 

 (very strong) and ought to give one hundred and 

 fifty flowers. Last year it had eighty-four flowers 

 which lasted five weeks in bloom. Five plants 

 were taken ofi" last spring, each of which will 

 bloom in February. The Coelogyne is not partic- 

 ular as to temperature, though in warm houses 

 it will bloom earlier. My little orchid house 

 14x14 is ventilated under the benches, with slight 

 roof ventilation. The door and ventilators are 

 generally kept open night and day in summer 

 except in storms. The roof is whitewashed 

 which gets off" in October and is renewed in 

 March. In this house are grown one hundred 

 and fifty orchids all in the best of health, and 

 some in flower at all times. The attention given 

 is less than is required by a general collection of 

 plants, and the results far more satisfactory. 



CCELOCYNE CRISTATA. 



BY F. W. WOODWARD, EAU CLAIRE, WIS. 



" G. C." asks in December number for a few 

 notes on the culture of Coelogyne cristata. This 

 plant with me is one of the easiest of all orchids 

 to grow and flower, now that its wants are under- 

 stood. It will grow well either in pots or upon 

 blocks with sphagnum moss. If in pots it grows 

 very luxuriantly in moss alone, without the 

 addition of peat which is an injury to any orchid 

 in my opinion. At least orchids have never 

 grown well for any length of time in a potting 

 material of which peat formed a portion, even 

 the pure Jersey article. While in moss some 



GREENHOUSES HEATED BY STEAM. 



BY AUGUST D. .MYLIUS, FLORIST, DETROIT, MICH. 



Mr. Fowler's article about steam-heating for 

 greenhouses in December number, is in the 

 right direction. It is throwing money away to 

 pay two dollars for what can be bought for 

 seventy-five cents. I saw how steam worked last 

 winter in greenhouses, and I never saw healthier 

 roses and plants of every description than those 

 grown with its aid. I made up my mind then 

 after noting how well everything did with steam, 

 that I would not build another house without it. 

 I took out hot water boiler and flues, and put a 

 ten horse power boiler in to heat four houses, 

 each twenty-two feet by sixty. Now to heat this 



