

HORTICULTURE 



December 9, 1911 



ther bu1 by carefully cutting out all the 



diseased part and < or dressing the injured part 



with sulphur or lime most plants can be saved. Should 

 the disease have gone too far before being noticed it will 

 be best to cut oil' all ihe diseased leaves down to tin- root, 

 treat the wound with sulphur and then hang the plant 

 up out of the way of the hose. Do not water until the 

 plant starts to grow again. In some instances it may be 

 well to remove some of the potting material for the time 

 being. It is astonishing how quickly this disease will 

 spread; from a little spot the size of a pin head it will 

 in a few days spread over and kill the whole plant if left 

 alone, therefore one can not be too careful in this matter. 

 Plants of Phalaanopsis are quite expensive and it pays 

 to take good care of them. If properly treated they will 

 grow better and bigger from year to year, and as they 

 get larger they will also produce larger sprays of flowers 



The use of tepid rain water for watering is generally 

 advised and no doubt is very good where it can be car- 

 ried out, but here they get along on pure cold well 

 water very nicely, never having tasted any rain water 

 since they left the Philippine Islands. During the 

 growing season I take them down whenever I can spare 

 the time and dip them in very weak manure water. This 

 does them lots of good and I only regret that I can 

 not do it oi'iener owing to lack of time. It is quite a 

 job for one man to take down some 500 plants and 

 dip, besides doing all the other regular work. 



All during the growing season (which commences 

 when the plants begin to make new leaves and ends 

 when the last leaf is made up) the plants must have 

 plenty of moisture at the root, giving them a good 

 soaking as soon as they show signs of getting dry. 

 After that the amount of water given should be grad- 



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and it is the flowers we are after. This can not be said 

 of cattleyas and most of the other commercial orchids. 

 Under ordinary treatment they grow a little smaller 

 every year, produce less flowers. It is just the very op- 

 posite with Phalamopsis, here — the older the better. 



Keep insects pests down by the free use of the hose and 

 some good insecticide. Do not smoke with tobacco stems 

 while the plants are in bloom, as it will quickly put 

 the flowers to sleep. Private gardeners who have plenty 

 of time and help can sponge the leaves occasionally with 

 tepid water and take the plants down several times a 

 week and dip those that are dry in tepid rain water of 

 the same temperature as the house; this will be bene- 

 ficial to the plants no doubt; but the average commer- 

 cial florist can't afford to do it. My plants have been 

 sponged once in the seven years they are here and then 

 only because I had a dose of red spider on them which I 

 could not get rid of otherwise. Since that time T use 

 the hose freely and they have been clean ever since. 



ually reduced until the flowers have developed. After 

 these have been cut the plants should be allowd to dry 

 out thoroughly each time before water is again applied. 

 While the plants are in bloom the atmosphere of the 

 house should be kept quite dry to prevent spotting of 

 the flowers. If any should flower out of season, re- 

 move them to dryer quarters. Keep the temperature as 

 near as possible to the following mark : Growing sea- 

 son, night 65 degrees to 70 degrees, day 75 degrees to 

 95 degrees or more, providing the plants are sufficiently 

 shaded. Resting season 65 degrees at night, 70 degrees 

 to 75 degrees during the day. Above all things look 

 out for that fatal rot or it will quickly do them up and 

 make it an unprofitable investment. If all goes right 

 there is no better orchid in the market today. 



Naugatvck, Conn. 



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