THE FLORIST MANUAL. 



the top of the stems, from two to five 

 flowers on a spike. This variety needs 

 but little rest and should certainly be 

 grown in a basket and suspended in the 

 warmest house. This is another sort 

 that should never be over-potted, and 

 must always be well drained. 



Dendrobium Devonianum is a mag 

 nificent species, and is best grown in a 

 basket. Give abundance of water in 

 the growing season and freely syringe 

 the foliage at least once a day in hot 

 weather, to keep down the thrips, which 

 is particularly partial to this sort. It 

 is by many considered hard to grow, 

 but by following the above directions 

 you can grow it just as well as Wardi- 

 anum. It flowers in May or June, and 

 they last about two weeks in perfec 

 tion. 



Dendrobium densiflorum is another 

 erect-growing species from India, and 

 grows best in a pot, but can be grown 

 in a basket in good fibrous peat and 



Lselia auceps; this can be well 

 grown on a block of hard wood with 

 a little fibrous peat fastened at the 

 back of the plant, which should be 

 firmly fixed on with copper wire. It 

 can also be grown in a suspended bas 

 ket. Use a compost of good, clean peat, 

 charcoal, and live sphagnum moss, and 

 keep well drained. This is a grand 

 species, with long flower spikes, which 

 last a month if kept in a cool house. 

 Give plenty of water during the grow 

 ing season, which is from about April to 

 November. It is a free bloomer and 

 blooms in January and February. It 

 will grow well in a cattleya house, but 

 can be grown considerably cooler. 



Laslia purpurata, a magnificent spe 

 cies from Brazil, in form resembles a 

 cattleya, and requires about the same 

 treatment. It can be grown in either 

 pot or basket, has a grand spike of 

 beautifully marked flowers, with crim 

 son purple lip. Do not over-pot it and 



Freshly Imported Cattleyas. 



but little sphagnum. It blooms in 

 April or May, the large clusters of 

 beautiful yellow flowers being in form 

 like a bunch of grapes. This species 

 requires a long rest after the bulbs 

 are grown, but do not allow the plant 

 to shrivel. The flowers last about a 

 week in perfection. 



LAELIA. Of this genus only two 

 species are useful to the commercial 

 grower. 



watch out for white scale. This spe 

 cies should be in every collection. 



LYCASTE. This genus is of easy cul 

 ture and can be grown best in a cool 

 or intermediate house. Pot in a com 

 post of good, fibrous peat and a little 

 sphagnum and broken charcoal. Give 

 abundance of water during the growing 

 season; in tact, this plant should never 

 be allowed to become too dry at the 

 roots, even during its season of rest. 



The growing season is from about April 

 to October. 



Lycaste Skinnerii, a native of Guate 

 mala, is undoubtedly the best species, 

 blooming freely, as it does, during the 

 winter months, with fine, erect, beau 

 tifully marked flowers of white, rose- 

 color, and crimson, and they last a 

 long time in perfection. Care should 

 be taken to keep the flowers free from 

 damp or they will soon become discol 

 ored or destroyed. 



Lycaste cruenta is a very free flow 

 ering species from Guatemala, blooms 

 about April, and has a very pleasing, 

 aromatic odor. It requires the same 

 treatment as the preceding. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM. This is a grand 

 genus of orchids, probably the most 

 interesting of all. They can all be 

 grown in pots, with .plenty of drainage 

 and abundance of water during their 

 growing season; in fact, they should 

 never be allowed to become dry enough 

 to allow the sphagnum to lose its 

 beautiful, fresh green color, even in 

 winter. They grow well potted in good 

 fibrous peat, with a liberal top dress 

 ing of good, green sphagnum, which 

 should be removed as soon as decayed 

 and replaced by fresh; this sometimes 

 has to be done twice a year. They de 

 light in a cool, moist atmosphere, and 

 plenty of air in summer, and in win 

 ter, when possible. A northern aspect 

 suits many of them, as they do not 

 like the sun, and should in any case 

 be shaded from its direct rays. A good 

 syringing with a fine rose twice a day 

 in summer and once a day in winter 

 on all bright days is very beneficial 

 to them. A temperature of 45 to 50 

 degrees in winter suits them admir 

 ably, with but few exceptions. They 

 should on no account be over-potted, 

 and must be always well drained. They 

 all flower from the side of the bulb. 

 Watch for slugs and snails, as they 

 eat the tender flower spikes very often. 

 Cotton-batting placed about the spikes 

 is a good preventive. They are also 

 subject to thrips if allowed to get dry. 



Odontoglossum Alexandra? (crisp- 

 urn), a most beautiful variety from 

 Bogota, one of the best cool house 

 orchids, has a very graceful spike of 

 pure white flowers, blotched with ir 

 regular cinnamon spots. The plant 

 blooms in fall and early winter. 



Odontoglossum vexillarium (some 

 times called Miltouia vexillarium) ; 

 this grand species grows best in the 

 cattleya house, but should have the 

 direct rays of the sun kept from it. 

 Elevate the plant well on the pot and 

 use only the best fibrous peat and good, 

 clean sphagnum, and plenty of drainage. 

 This species conies from Brazil and 

 blooms freely during summer and 

 autumn under proper treatment. The 

 flowers are large, rosy pink, and very 

 distinct. They last a long time if kept 

 free from damp. 



Odontoglossum cirrhosum, a mag 

 nificent species, that is a native of 

 Ecuador, and produces a very fine spike 

 from twelve to eighteen inches long of 

 beautifully marked flowers, pure white, 

 with heavy cinnamon spots. It grows 



