96 



THE CANADIAN II O UT [ P IM. T l' R TST 



April, KiM 



Lady's Slipper or Showy Orchid 



that the cold air of winter is warmed be- 

 fore it reaches the plants. 



Third : A method of watering must be 

 followed which is not too far removed 

 from Nature's method of supplying water 

 to these plants. 



As one writer says, "common sense" is 

 necessary for success in growing orchids. 

 And what common sense does is to recog- 

 nize that orchids are wonderful and 

 "to be desired" plants, which can be 

 grown quite easily if we provide for them 

 a few simple conditions. In other words 

 as Mr. Ellis says, we must appreciate the 

 fact that the habitat from which they 

 come is quite different to what it is in 

 the case of most flowers. 



TREAT ORCHIOS RiiASONABLY 



Orchids come from damp, swampy 

 places, where the air is humid, the tem- 

 perature never cold, and the soil a partic- 

 ular type. They grow on dead trees and 

 the like, — in many cases at least, and 

 their roots never feed in ordinary soil. 

 In practice we find that jjeat will answer 

 as the best material in which they will 

 thrive. With regard to water, they like 

 it with the chill off, in fact they must 

 have it so, they can't stand the cold bath. 

 And then, if a nice warm balmy atmos- 

 phere is supplied they will blossom as 

 if they felt all the better for the change. 

 In fact they like to be tamed if they are 

 not poorly treated, or "herded with the 

 common herd of plants." They soon for- 

 get their native haunts, especially those 

 varieties which have been reared under 

 strange conditions. Many of the children 

 of the older races, the hybrids, are most 

 beautiful, in fact so beautiful that one 

 feels like acknowledging that perhaps 

 they are the very angels and goddesses 

 of the flower world. 



POINTS IN ORCJIID CtTI/TURE 



Orchids need very little attention. 



Orchids are generally free from insects. 



Orchids need re-potting only about 

 once in three years. 



Orchids do not need to be trimmed up, 

 or fussed over like other plants. 



Orchids have healthy and lairly attrac- 

 tive leaves when not in bloom. 



"Orchids,' says Mr. Ellis, "are easier 

 to grow than fuchsias, begonias or ger- 

 aniums. 



ESSENTIALS 'TO SUOOEBft 



A correct temperature; from fifty-five 

 to seventy degrees in summer, and from 

 forty-five to seventy-five degrees in win- 

 ter. 



Shade from the strong rays of the 

 summer sun. 



Abundant moisture, especially in sum- 

 mer, in winter, watering with tepid 

 water twice or three times a week is 

 sufficient. 



.Abundant fresh air secured by a good 

 \entUation system. 



When these four conditions are pro- 

 vided for orchids, a general condition ap- 

 proximating that which exists in their 

 native haunts is secured. Success is then 

 practically certain. 



Never take a chance during cold snaps 

 in winter. Watch the temperature. Any 

 temperature below forty-five degrees is 

 fatal, even for one night. 



For watering, Mr. Ellis has an at- 

 tachment to the kitchen heater, similar to 

 those used in bathrooms. He warms 

 the water by the turn of a tap. This is 

 an ideal plan. 



The floor, or part of the floor, of the 

 greenhouse should be earth. This will 

 keep the air humid. 



Pots, cribs, or baskets may be used 

 in which to grow orchids. If pots are 

 used they must be well drained. 



Soil is seldom used ; in its stead, peat, 

 moss, or fern-fibre are used. 



Excessive heat and drought are both 

 to be carefully avoided. 



The night temperature for orchids 

 should be about ten degrees lower than 

 the day temperature. 



VARIETIES FOR THE BEGINNER 



In the matter of varieties, Mr. Ellis 

 grows only those which will bloom in 

 winter. Of these he has tried about fifty 

 different varieties. The following are 

 recommended by him : 



First best six — Cattleya Trianae or 

 Labiata, Cattleya Schroderae, Oncidium 

 variocosum Rogersii, Odontoglossum 

 grande, Laelia Anceps, Cypridedium in- 

 signe. 



Second best six— Cypripedium nitens, 

 Laelia autemnale, Oncidium Forbesii, 

 Vanda coerulea, Lycaste Skinneri, Laelia 

 praestans. 



To enrich the lawn and cause a more 

 luxuriant growth, there is nothing bet- 

 ter than raw bone meal evenly strewn 

 over the surface at the rate of ten pounds 

 to three hundred square feet. Or one of 

 the many patent lawn enrichers may be 

 used in the same manner. A brisk go- 

 ing over with a sharp steel rake should 

 follow application of enricher or bone. 



Planting Roses and the Time 



Jas M. BrywD, ToroDto, Oit. 



Ihe planting of roses should always be 

 deferred until the soil is in a proper 

 condition to receive the plants. There 

 is no greater mistake than planting roses 

 in wet .soil. The soil to be in proper 

 condition for planting should be dry and 

 free. The best time to plant roses which 

 have been raised or grown in Canada, is 

 the last week in October, and for import- 

 ed roses the second week in April. With 

 good culture roses may be planted safely 

 up till the middle of June. Care must be 

 taken not to plant loo deeply. By plac- 

 ing the union or callus three inches below 

 ground you will be about right. For 

 dwarf roses see that the roots do not 

 cross or coil around. This is most im- 

 portant. Be particular also to see that 

 no manure comes in contact with the 

 roots directly, and always firm the soil 

 by treading it down with the feet, but 

 leave a rough surface. 



The best soil is a strong holding ar- 

 gillaceous loam, so tenacious as to al- 

 most touch clay in some of its more in- 

 viting forms. Not a few soils that are 

 called clay when wet, turn into strong 

 loam when dry. Though such loams are 

 on the whole most favorable for the per- 

 fect cultivation of roses it must not be 

 a.'^serted that they cannot be grown on 

 cihers. I have seen prize roses grown on 

 soil so light that it could be driven and 

 drifted like sand during a protracted 

 drought, and also on sheer peat. The 

 natural quality of rose soils is often of 

 less vial importance than might at first 

 sight appear, inasmuch as in many cases 

 the soil is the mere dish, shell or basin 

 to hold the materials which are freely 

 given to roses to feed upon. While say- 

 ing this much, so that nobody may des- 

 pair of growing fair roses with soils such 

 as they have, or can make with the ma- 

 terials within reach, it should be added 

 that no loam can be too good or too rich 

 for roses. In selecting a site for a rose 

 border or rose garden, the cultivator 

 should endeavor to marry the three S's, 

 namely, sun, shade and shelter to air. 



Making Garden Paths 



JohQ Call, In|lew*od 

 With the necessary materials at hand, 

 it is a simple matter to make a firm, 

 sound pathway anywhere. The first 

 thing to be done is to peg out the site 

 at the width desired, and the next to 

 dig out a V-shaped trench along the 

 whole length. Then, if the soil is of a 

 light and porous description, it is only 

 necessary to place a -quantity of rubble, 

 composed of broken bricks and large 

 clinkers in the bottom, then a thickness 

 of coarse gravel, and finally enough fine 

 binding gravel to bring the surface up 

 to the required height when well rolled 



