August 13, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



201 



Profitable Orchids for the Cut 

 Flower Market 



WHAT WE HAVE 



The Natural Order of Orchideae contain over 5000 

 spooies, not including the vast number of natural and 

 artiiicially raised hybrids and their variations. But how 

 many out of this grand total do we find grown in any 

 quantity for the cut flower market ? One can almost 

 count the genera wliich are represented in quantity in 

 the flower markets of the larger cities on the fingers 

 of one hand, and these are: first, the Cattleyas, about 

 nine species (six of the large flowered and three of the 

 small flowered, long bulbed section) ; second, Dendrobi- 

 ums, the two species D. formosum giganteum and D. 

 rhala:>nopsis Scliroederianum ; third, Oncidiums, the two 

 species 0. verueosum and 0. splendidum; fourth, Laalias, 

 three species, L. anceps, L. autumnalis and L. puTpurata; 

 fifth, Cypripedium, the one representative, C. insigne; 

 sixth, Vanda, also with one species, namely, V. coerulea. 

 This gives a total of six genera and 18 species, half of 

 the species being represented by the genus Cattleya 

 alone. Of cotirse. there are a good many more which 

 one will find occasionally in the market, but the above 

 list includes about all we are apt to find in quantity at 

 their flowering seasons, and as a. rule, there is a ready 

 sale for all good stock coming in. 



CATTLEYAS 



C'attle;\as are imjiorted in immense quantities an- 

 nually, and as some of the varieties can be bought com- 

 j'aratively cheap at wholesale it is hardly any wonder 

 that they should be so well represented. Again they 

 are among the easiest orchids to grow and flower, at 

 least long enough until they have well paid for the 

 investment. Tlieir large, gaudy flowers will appeal to 

 the ueneral puljlic quicker than those of most other 

 orchids. 



Bv growing a good quantity of the following varieties 

 one will have flowers to cut and sell at all seasons of 

 the vear: Cattleya labiata flowers from September to 

 the end of November, the bulk of them through October, 

 when prices usually take a big drop owing to the im- 

 mense quantity of this variety grown. After C. labiata 

 comes r. Triaufe, which is at its best during January 

 and Februarv, although some flowers will appear from 

 late November into the early part of March, the early 

 birds fetching the best prices, as a rule, owing to the 

 scarcitv of stood flowers between the two crops. C. 

 Percivalliana" helps to bridge over this lap, but their 

 flowers, although beautiful in color, are small and are 

 therefore not so much in demand. Cattleya Trians is 

 followed up in quick succession by C. Schroederffi, C. 

 Mossiie, C. Mendelii, C. Gaskelliana and C. gigas. The 

 flowering season of the last named can be extended from 

 May until early November by keeping some of the 

 plants drv and cool after they show their flowering- 

 sheaths. 1 had quite a bunch of C. gigas, together 

 with some earlv C. Trianse, and, of course, C. labiata, 

 at the fall exhibition of the N. Y. Hort. Society last 

 November. The bulk of C. gigas flower with me dur- 

 ing August. Cattleya Harrisonia? comes in very handy 

 in^late^ummer, C." Skinneri for Easter and C. Bow- 

 lintriana in the fall. The two last mentioned are not 

 <Town to any extent owing to the small size of their 

 flowers, although these are produced in abundance. C. 

 Dowiana, C. speciosissima, C. Gaskelliana and C. 

 maxima are four good varieties, too, but plants of the 



first two arc expensive and they are shy bloomers be- 

 sides, especially C. speciosissima; however, if given 

 plenty of sun and grown in baskets suspended from 

 the roof of a warm house they will flower quite freely, 

 sometimes twice a year, and the plants will grow well 

 for a good many years. Their flowers are hard to beat 

 for size, color, shape and substance. 



CTJLTDRIi: OF CATTLEYAS 



Newly imported plants of Cattleyas should be potted 

 as soon after arrival as possible, using pots just large 

 enough to accommodate them for two or three seasons. 

 Unless specimens are wanted it will be best to cut the 

 larger pieces up; leaving from three to five bulbs to 

 each piece and when potting put three or fotir of these 

 pieces into each pot. A 6 or 7-inch pot will be large 

 enoutrh in most instances and smaller pots can be used 

 for smaller plants. Fill the pots with clean crocks tip 

 to within about two inches of the rim, then put in one 

 piece after the other, the leading eye facing the center 

 of the pot and even with the surface of the compost 

 when finished, packing the compost — which consists of 

 clean, fresh osmunda fibre chopped up roughly — firmly 

 about the base of each piece until the pot is full up to 

 the rim and a trifle higher in the center. If necessary 

 drive in a stick to tie the bulbs to as it is very im- 

 portant to have the plants stand firm, otherwise the 

 voting roots will get broken when syringing the plants, 

 and these will suffer in consequence. Keep the plants 

 well shaded and the atmosphere of the house miost by 

 frequent damping down the walks beneath the benches 

 and between the pots, syringing the plants lightly as 

 you go along. Keep this up until the new roots have 

 taken a good hold of the compost. After that give 

 more air^ reduce the shade, giving just enough to 

 prevent the leaves from getting scorched. From now on 

 water the plants at the roots occasionally, increasing the 

 amount as the bulbs reach maturity. Wlien the bulbs 

 have matured reduce the amount of water and during 

 the dull winter months very little will be required, a 

 good watering once a week being sufficient, whereas in 

 their growing season they will require water frequently 

 and thev should be syringed every bright day. Cattleya 

 gigas, C. speciossissima and C. Harrisoniae require more 

 light 'and less water at the roots at all seasons of the 

 year than most of the other Cattleyas. 



A temperature of 60 to 65 deg. at night during win- 

 ter, with a corresponding rise of from 5 to 10 deg. 

 through the dav will suit the three last named; the 

 others'' will do better if kept some 5 or 8 deg. cooler. 

 Fiftv deg. at nisht in winter will do no harm if the 

 plants ar'e kept drv at the roots. Keep your eyes open 

 for the appearance of the Cattleya fly as soon as new 

 imported plants start to grow. If any of the young 

 srowths come to an aln-u])t point when about an inch 

 fong you can make \\]> vour mind there are some larvas 

 of the fly feeding in them. Cut them ofE promptly and 

 burn them and there will be no trouble from the fly 

 afterwards. New imported plants of Cattleyas have 

 ])lenty of good eyes to break from again, and these 

 more dormant eye's are not so liable to be infested. 



A continuation of tliese valuable orchid notes will ap- 

 pear next week, when Mr. Pope will give practical in- 

 formation on the culture ot Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, Cy 

 pripediums, Ccelogynes and Calanthes. 



