MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 427 



After a good growth is begun they need an abundance of water 

 applied to the roots. Bone flour is said to have a good effect upon the 

 blossoms. When hot weather approaches it is wise to protect the 

 roots by covering them with lawn rakings. If one wishes an abun- 

 dance of continuous bloom no pods must be allowed to form. Cut 

 the blossoms every day, and lo ! a veritable widow's cruise for inex- 

 haustibility. 



The rules for the hot-house culture are not generally known, but 

 the city florist who it successful in this line is generously rewarded, 

 for the blossoms at Eastertide brings one dollar and fifty cents per 

 dozen stems. One winter "your humble writer" experimented with 

 growing them in a bow-window just off the sitting room. Instead of 

 the floral beauties fondly anticipated a rank growth of vines was the 

 result. 



The varieties commonly grown are the Adonis, rosy pink : Blanch 

 Ferry, pink and white ; Boreatton, dark wine color; Cardinal, intense 

 crimson scarlet ; Queen of England, pure white ; Mrs. Gladstone, soft 

 pink, and Primrose, pale yellow. 



Miss Crowley, Greene county. 



The Strange Beauty of Orchids. 



Collecting orchids is an especially interesting branch of flori- 

 culture. The orchid has a weird beauty all its own. Its strange shape,, 

 its fantastic method of growth (clinging to the rock on lofty mountain 

 sides, and to the branches of trees in tropical countries), the fact that 

 it is gathered in these countries often at great risk of life — these cir- 

 cumstances serve to enhance the interest that orchids would awaken 

 of themselves, even if they were not difficult to procure. Then, too, 

 orchids are not difficult to cultivate, a cool house answering the re- 

 quirments of temperature — as they mostly come from the mountain 

 lands of the tropics, and watering anjd cleaning being all they need in 

 the way of care. Moreover, as above stated, it is an easy matter to 

 have bloom all the year round with orchids. This is due to the great 

 number of varieties and the long-flowering period of some varieties, 

 the flowers on Cattleya triance and Cypripedium insigne, for instance 

 lasting through the autumn and winter, so that with only these two 

 varieties bloom could be maintained throughout these seasons. And 

 such bloom ! No one who has ever seen a group of flowering Cattleyas 

 can ever forget them. They are in appearance the most superb of all 

 orchids. 



