December 11, 1909 



H O R T 1 C U L T U R E 



825. 



the pace for the rest of the country, begins to s how a new 

 complexion. Not only rich orchids in many species, 

 luscious gardenias, and prim camellias but lancifolium 

 lilies, ericas, bouvardias, wall flowers, daisies, pansies, 

 antirrhinums and mignonette, together with half a score 

 of new roses, now occupy places of honor in every Fifth 

 Avenue show case and find favor among aristocratic buy- 

 ers. The "old-fashioned" gardener can now see the 

 dawning of the day he has longed for and he may rest 

 assured that the present demonstration is but the begin- 

 ning of what is to come. 



The increasing appreciation for promis- 

 Opportunity cuous small flowers will, we hope, prove 



a boon to many growers who, with small, 

 old fashioned houses, have found themselves unable to 

 compete successfully in highly specialized products 

 against the vast modern-equipped ranges of glass houses 

 which are constantly going up. This varied auxiliary 

 material which now seems to have a fair chance in sight 

 has no need for glass palaces ; neither have the majority 

 of the flowering plants for which a good regular mar- 

 ket has now been established. Azaleas, ardesias, Lor- 

 raine begonias, primroses, cyclamens, poinsettias, ericas, 

 small ferns and very many other things now grown or 

 that will yet be grown for the holiday trade, do famous- 

 ly in antiquated structures — some of them undoubtedly 

 better and more lasting than if more luxuriously housed. 

 We call attention to these gradual tendencies in the 

 commercial florist's business because they indicate a 

 wider sphere and enhanced opportunity and because it 

 is wise to observe and draw conclusions as to the future 

 trend, from the centres where floral whims and fash- 

 ions have their source. He prospers most who keeps a 

 sharp outlook, not alone to learn what others are doing 

 but with a purpose to utilize the knowledge thus ob- 

 tained in determining the direction of general move- 

 ments and development in the immediate future. 



Treatment of Newly Imported 

 Orchids 



When a cultivator receives orchids direct from their 

 native countr}', which may be hundreds or thousands of 

 miles distant they should be unpacked, and all decayed 

 growths, pseudo-bulbs and roots removed with a knife, 

 and those that are sound and uninjured sponged with a 

 mild insecticide or soapy water : as scale insects and 

 others, besides cockroaches are pretty sure to be present 

 on them. Having been cleansed, place them on sphag- 

 num or wood moss in the glass house and afford shade 

 from bright sunshine, and lightly syringe them with 

 tepid water. Some orchidists after cleansing the plants 

 hang them on rods or to the staging with the heads up- 

 wards, and use the syringe once daily besides keeping 

 the air in the house in a moist state by sprinkling the 

 floor and walls. This kind of treatment may be per- 



_ s i Ete d i jyfor ten days or a little longer, the application, 

 of water to the plants direct being very sparing. An- 

 other method and a good one is to place the plants on 

 the top of suitably sized clean pots filled with clean. 

 crocks, sprinkling the plants and crocks once a day, un- 

 til they begin to grow at the ends of tlie roots. With 

 this method of restoration there is less fear of decay 

 occurring, and the plants break freely. When the plants 



^have fairly started to grow a small quantity of sphag- 

 num or rough orchid peat, and pieces of charcoal may be 

 laid on tlie crocks for the roots to cling to. Hanging the 

 plants with the heart growths downwards is the better 

 plan with Phalaenopsis, Aerides, Saccolabiums, Angrae- 

 cums, etc., as by this means water cannot lodge in the 

 breaks. When symptoms of growth are evident, those 

 plants which come from hot climates, such as the Philip- 

 pines, Burmah, India, etc., should be put into the warm- 

 est house unless they are natives of the mountains of 

 those countries. Growth having become active the 

 plants should be placed in suitable mixtures, consisting 

 of sphagnum, peat, and charcoal (this last for the sake 

 of its moisture-holding property) in pots having 

 perforated sides, on wood blocks) in baskets made of soft 

 earthenware or in copper wire baskets. 



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French Gardening 



There is now a boom in the French system of inten- 

 sive culture on this side. Several important experi- 

 ments have been made in this method of raising produce 

 by the use of hot-beds and the bell-glasses (cloches). 

 Interest in the subject has been further stimulated by 

 the publication of several books describing the commer- 

 cial possibilities this method of growing offers. The sys- 

 tem has been successfully put into practice by Misses 

 Jones and Peers, at Thatcham in Berkshire, under the 

 guidance of a French expert. It is contended by the 

 advocates of this French system that it is possible to 

 raise the crops of early vegetables and salads which are 

 imported in such large quantities from the market gar- 

 dens in the environs of Paris. Similar gardens have 

 been constructed at Maryland in Essex, and Evesham in 

 Worcestershire. One of the largest gardens of the kind 

 is being now prepared in the Thames Valley. In Eng- 

 land the bell glasses have for many years been utilized 

 in private establishments, but it is only in recent times 

 that its use has been adopted on an extensive scale by 

 commercial growers in this country. Some four yeara 

 ago, a party of market growers from Evesham paid a 

 visit to the market gardens in the suburbs of Paris, and 

 were impressed with the advantages of the French plan 

 of raising heavy crops from a small area of land. Ott 

 their return to England one or two of the more enter- 

 prising of the party determined to introduce the system 

 to this country. Others followed the example, and then 

 the popular Press had sensational articles on the poten- 

 tialities of "The Golden Soil," attractive but somewhat 

 misleading to the unpractical. The new gardening has- 

 evidently come to stay. 



W. H. Adsett. 



London. 



