November 6. 1909 



HORTICULTURE 



635 



Treatment of Cattleyas 



Editor HORTICULTURE:— I have 

 a % span house 20 x 50 feet and 13 feet 

 to the ridge. I have this house full 

 of cattleyas of the following varieties: 

 Labiata, Triana;, Percivaliana, Speoio- 

 sissima, Schroderae, Mossiae, Mendelli 

 and gigas in varieties, all this year's 

 importations. When potting 1 gave 

 plenty of drainage. Will they stand 

 plenty of water, as they are breaking 

 away very good and making plenty of 

 new roots? Can I give them full sun- 

 light after a month or so? I am re- 

 moving the shade froiSi the house by 

 degrees. The house runs east and 

 west. Will they stand and and feed 

 now? What is lime of soot and how 

 is it used? How much Nicoticide 

 should I use to fumigate this house 

 ginner and any information you can 

 each time, and how often as a preven- 

 tive for the cattleya fly? I am a be- 

 give me through your valuable col- 

 umns will be highly appreciated by — 

 A SUBSCRIBER. 



Editor of Horticulture : 



In reply to the questions asked 

 (1) by Subscriber, would say the 

 following: Subscriber had bet- 

 ter use the water rather sparing- 

 ly on his cattleyas from now until toward spring 

 when the days begin to get longer and the sun 

 has more power again. It does not pay to try 

 to hurry them along, on account of the winter setting 

 in now. A good watering once a week ought to be 

 enough from now on, using a little weak liquid manure 

 at the same time. It would be foolish to attempt to 

 lay down strict rules as to how often the plants should 

 be watered as each house has its own peculiarities, 

 the plants in one house drying out much faslcv than 

 the plants in an adjoining house. I find the safest 

 way is to wateh your plants and water them as soon as 

 they are thoroughly dry. A little careful attention to 

 this will soon teach "Subscriber" more about watering 

 than anybod}' could tell him who is not thoroughly 

 acquainted with the existing conditions of the house. 

 Never water a cattleya in winter unless it is dry. Cat- 

 tleya gigas and C. speciosissima should be kept a few 

 degrees warmer and a little dryer at the roots than 

 the other species mentioned. This can be accomplished 

 by grouping them together at the warmest end of the 

 house. These two varieties will also stand more sun 

 than the rest of them; indeed they will simply refuse 

 to flower if not given plenty of light at all times. Keep 

 Cattleya Mendelli at the coolest end of the house. C. 

 Schroederi requires to be kept quite dry during winter. 

 If the house is damped down once or twice a day and 

 the plants syringed on all favorable occasions very little 

 other watering will be required during the dull winter 

 months for the three varieties mentioned above. 

 (2) The sooner Subscriber gets off the shading from 

 his houses, the better, as the sun has lost its burning 

 power long ago, at least up this way. Our houses are 

 covered with ground glass, which gives suflBcient shade 



Cattleta gigas 



for cattleyas during summer and far too much of it 

 during winter. (3) I have used lime and soot to a con- 

 siderable extent and find it throws off a beneficial gas 

 which helps to put color and substance into the plants. 

 Air-slaked lime and soot in equal proportion are mixed 

 thoroughly together and strewn thinly under the 

 benches and back of the heating pipes towards night 

 about once a week, if time permits. (4) I doubt if the 

 cattleya-fly can be eradicated by the use of Nicoticide. 

 The safest way is to watch the young growths and to 

 cut off any that come to an abrupt point as that is al- 

 ways a sign that there are larvae in it. New imported 

 cattleyas have plenty of good eyes and they will soon 

 break away again. The time to look out for the fly is 

 as soon as the plants start to grow, or when the young 

 growth is about 1 inch high. If the larvae of the catt- 

 leya-fly are destroyed then there will be no more trouble 

 from them afterwards. Fumigate the house once a 

 month with Nicoticide to keep down insect pests; four 

 ounces of Nicoticide ought to be sufficient. If not both- 

 ered with insects a good fumigation two or three times 

 a year will be advisable to keep the pests out, but to 

 my knowledge there are few, if any greenhouses, and 

 especially orchid houses, that are not infested with some 

 kind of an insect. 



Naugaiuck, Conn. 



(^.^■O^ 



Orchids are a timely topic. Any of our readers, inter- 

 ested in their culture, etc., are invited to send to the of- 

 fice of HORTICULTURE Inquiries concerning any points 

 on which they may desire further light and full replies 

 will be given In these columns. 



