April 3. 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



45& 



HARDY CYPRIPEDIUMS 



The increased hot-house space for the cultivation of 

 tropical and subtropical orchids as cutflowers for the 

 markets is evidence of our advance as growers. Indeed 

 the large volume of what liardly more than ten years 

 ago was considered a choice and rare material begins to 

 tax the enterprising distributors severely and the prices 

 have gone down furtlior than we like to see them. Wlien 

 looking at the hardy herbaceous class we find conditions 

 reversed. The most beautiful species of cypripediums 

 alxiund in tlie mount-iiin recesses of our northern and 

 western districts and are common in the woodlands of 

 the plains, but extremely rare in our gardens. I admired 

 the beautiful blossoms of Cypripedium acaule on the 

 'Tanite-ledEres of Mt. Desert Island in Maine and thev 

 certainly are not less charming when we meet them m 

 the flat sandy sections of New Jersey. Certainly we 

 have sometimes tried them in what we considered the 

 improved condition and sheltered atmosphere of our 

 gardens but if they did not at once take kindly to our 

 treatment we simply discarded them. Placed by nature 

 before our very door it seems a comparatively easy 

 matter to ascertain the reason why we are failing. If 

 we knew the mocassin flower to be a denizen of the 

 Trans-Baikal Region or Kamschatka I am .sure we 

 would most willingly go into scientific research and not 

 rest until we had solved the cultural problems. Nichol- 

 son's Dictionar}' of Gardening says of Cypripedium 

 acaule : "an extremely rare species of great hardihood." 

 The German Gartenbau Lexikon describes it as "one of 

 the showiest representatives of hardy orchids," and our 

 picture of a flowering clump taken in its natural state 

 on a granite-ledge of Brown Mountain near Northeast 

 Harbor, Maine, testifies to its Ijeauty. I think after all 

 it seems worth while to investigate the natural condi- 

 tions under which our native lady slippers thrive. Per- 

 hapKS we may find means and ways to succeed ; at any 

 rate they should not remain a rarity in our gardens. As 

 a rule we see them grow in partial sliade, their long 

 stringy roots running nearly horizontally about 3 to 4 

 inches under ground. The soil is invariably peaty or 

 leaf-mouldy and frequently rocky. It is surprising how 

 well they transplant even when advanced in bud and 

 flower providing the work is done with proper care. 

 There is no doubt that under conditions similar to 

 nature's we can grow liardy cypripediums. The best of 

 opportunities to enjoy the beauty of floral gems of this 

 kind is offered, of course, in tlie advanced type of the 

 modern rockgarden. 



Cypripedium acaule varies in color from white to 

 deep rosy carmine; the small sepals and petals being 



Cypripedium speetabile 



of brown greenish tint. By far the stateliest hardy 

 species is our native Cypripedium speetabile. Attaining 

 a height of from 2 to 3 feet it prefers moist situations 

 and a soil rich in humus. The moisture, however, should 

 not be stagnant. The extraordinarily large pouch is 

 usually bright carmine pink while sepals and petals 

 aiipear pure white. Of the much smaller foreigners of 

 similar shades I mention Cypripedium guttatum and 

 C. macranthum. Distinguished by yellow labeUums are 

 our Cypripedium pubescens, the European species C. 

 calceoius, C. parviflorum and Wilson's new Chinese in- 

 troduction C. luteum. 



The three American mocassin flowers — acaule, pubes- 

 cens and especially spectabilis — represent jewels in 

 nature's great floral treasury. We may be justly proud 

 of our cultural success as growers of orchids under 

 slass. but so far we have neglected the beautiful species 

 of our own land. I believe it is time for some of us 

 to give them that amount of study and attention which 

 is neceFsar\- for a more frequent and effective use in our 



Glenside, Fa. 



DISGRACEFUL EXPRESS SERVICE. 

 Editor of Hortkilti hk. 



Before an advanco in rates is 

 granted the express companies, should 

 we not have some guarantee of decent 

 service? On Saturday, March 27, I re- 

 ceived a box from Providence, contain- 

 ing 150 roses. The roses were tied in 

 the box, and nearly six inclies spare 

 room at the end. The brown box car- 

 ried a white label. II) inches Ions and 

 6 inches wide, distinctly printed in 

 black, stating perishable contents and 

 requesting care. On opening the box. 

 the roses were pressed hard against 



the end, and 19 broken short. You can 

 imagine the condition of the ends of 

 the unbroken roses. The box had evi- 

 dently come from Providence, stand- 

 ing on end all the way. I have had the 

 same experience several times. I am 

 told I can collect damages. I cannot 

 get pay for the time required to collect, 

 or for my fits of temper, and if one 

 needs the flowers for immediate use, 

 he cannot get paid for inconvenience 

 or loss of orders. 



When waiting at depot, I have seen 

 large wooden boxes, from a well- 

 known grower, and containing Ameri- 



can Beauties, lily of the valley and 

 longiflorum lilies, thrown from the ex- 

 I)ress car to the platform, the top 

 boxes rolling over the sides of the 

 heap. The boxes were for transship- 

 ment for a point 2(10 miles distant. Is 

 such treatment of flowers much better 

 than robbery? Perhaps Mr. Gude, of 

 Washington, may be interested in 

 these comments. 



I use the electric express all I can, 

 finding them more careful and much 

 cheaper. 



Frank Bi'Ffixton. 



Fall River, Mass. 



