July 11, 1914 



HOETICULTUEE 



39 



Dendrobium Falconer! 



Euphorbia corallata 



Dendrobium Falconeei 



Dendrobium Falc-oneri has been known to science 

 since 1847, so there is nothing new about it, but as it 

 is one of those orchids which are somewhat difficult to 

 cultivate for many years in succession, it may be in- 

 ti'iestiiiiT to <ome to laiow under what conditions the 

 jlant illustrated, grows and flowers here. 



As will be noticed by the picture, this dendrobe is of 

 a straggling habit, throwing out numerous side branches, 

 which in time produce aerial roots from their base. The 

 main stems of the plant are fastened to the sticks in- 

 serted in the pan for this purpose and to these the 

 aerial roots will cling for support. 



The sticks used in this case are branches of the 

 liquidaniber or sweet gum tree cut while in a growing 

 state; they will last a number of years and on account 

 of their peculiar cork-like eruptions of the bark are well 

 suited for the purpose, although not exactly necessary. 



This plant grows in full sun all the year round in a 

 house with a southern exposure where the night tem- 

 perature in winter is kept at 56 to 58 degrees, with an 

 increase of 10 to 15 degrees during the day with sun 

 heat or 5 degrees in cloudy weather. The plant is syr- 

 inged two or three times on liright days during summer. 



The flowers of this beautiful dendrobe are remark- 

 ably large in comparison to the thin knotty pseudo-bulbs, 

 deliciously fragrant and of exquisite coloring. The 

 sepals and petals are white, tipped with purple, the lip 

 is of the same color with tlie addition of a large, deep 

 maroon blotch bordered with cjrange yellow in the center. 

 The plant blooms in May or June and lasts about a 

 week in good condition. 



Nauffatuch, Conn. 



Euphorbia coboixata 



Of the genus Euphorbia, comprising over 500 species, 

 the hardy herbaceous section is the least known. We 

 readily recall among the many representatives of the 

 cactus-like milkworts, conspicuous specimens of Euphor- 

 bia Caput-Medusae, E. mammillaria, E. mauritanica 

 or E. imbricata in succtilent plant collections of the 

 botanical gardens of Europe. We find ourselves thor- 

 oughly familiar with the winter-flowering tropical Eu- 

 phorbia splendens distinguished by bare, dark, thorny 

 stems, small leaves near the top and clusters of bright 

 red blossoms and perhaps also the species Euphorbia 

 atropurpurea and E. fulgens. As a matter of fact there 

 is no lack of general appreciation of the effective value 

 of the annual Euphorbia variegata, the so-called Snow 

 of the Mountain, and frequently too E. heterophyla. 

 But to the majority of our horticulturists Euphorbia 

 cvparissias and E. polychroma, two very handsome yel- 

 low-flowering perennial border species, remain still un- 

 discovered. I believe it is time for us now to avail our- 

 selves of the possibilities they offer for effective use. 

 The same may be said of the creeping kinds, Euphorbia 

 capitulata and E. ilyrsinites, two mountain species from 

 the Mediterranean Sea; -both being very attractive rock- 

 garden plants, in flower during May. 



The herbaceous milkwort, however, which in my 

 opinion merits our foremost attention is our native 

 species Euphorbia eorollata. The "Flowering Spurge," 

 as this herb is called, attains a height of from 2 to 3 

 feet, bearing its terminal tmibels of white blossoms 

 gracefully on long thin stalks. The clump depicted by 

 our illustration, a reproduction of a photo taken last 

 season at the Dreer Xurseries in Eiverton, X. J., gives 

 an idea of the nat iral habit of growth of this plant 

 when left without the support of staking. Euphorbia 

 eorollata is a very handsome midsummer-flowering 

 nerennial of which we have by no means an over-abund- 

 ance at our disposal. It is well adapted for the mixed 

 border and may also be used to best advantage for 

 natural plantations or mid flower gardens. Accord- 

 ing to my observation, drought does not seem to 

 affect it seriously: on the contrary, a high and ratlier 

 dry situation appears to be required for perfect de- 

 velopment. 



-^6cAyQyod-SScM^ 



Ulenside, Pa. 



