THE FLORISTS MANUAL. 



J65 



Dendrobium Thyrsiflorum. 



Phalaenopsis Schilleriana is a mag 

 nificent species from Manila, has large 

 branching spikes during winter and 

 spring of beautiful mauve flowers edged 

 with white, with reddish brown spotted 

 lip. 



Phalaenopsis amabilis, a beautiful 

 species also from Manila, is certainly 

 the queen of this genus; blooms at all 

 times of the year and lasts a long time 

 in perfection. It has long, graceful 

 spikes of pure white flowers, lip spot 

 ted with pink. This is one of the best 

 for market purposes and requires the 

 same treatment as Schilleriana. 



Phalaenopsis grandiflora, a beautiful 

 species, that comes from Java and re 

 sembles amabilis in every way except, 

 that the lip of the flower is marked 

 with lemon yellow instead of pink. This 

 plant grows well on a rack with sphag 

 num moss at the back and is a very 

 prolific bloomer. 



VANDA. This beautiful genus re 

 quires a temperature of 60 to 65 de 

 grees at night and delights in the sun, 

 unless very strong, and then a light 

 shading for an hour or two will be 

 sufficient. All the species will grow in 

 pots, well drained, and potted in clean,, 

 fresh sphagnum and broken charcoal,, 

 with plenty of moisture about them, and 

 lots of water at the roots in summer, 

 but be very careful in winter, unless 

 the pot is very full of roots and grow 

 ing freely. Give a little air when pos 

 sible in &quot;winter and plenty in summer. 

 Some species bloom twice and even three 

 times a year. The flowers have a de 

 lightful odor and last about a month 

 if kept dry. All vandas are subject to 

 scale, and should be kept free from these 

 pests, or the plant will soon be ruined. 

 Vanda cserulea, the beautiful blue 



though many are not productive enough 

 to warrant them a place in the com 

 mercial list. They all require a high 

 temperature, not less than 65 degrees 

 during winter, but 70 degrees is even 

 better. They delight in light, heat, and 

 moisture, and should be lightly sprayed 

 once a day during hot weather; 

 ventilate freely when it is possible, as 

 they delight in pure air, but by no 

 means place them in a draught. They 

 grow best in perforated pots, or baskets, 

 well drained with good, clean potsherds 

 or broken charcoal, or both, with a lib 

 eral top dressing of good, live sphag 

 num, which should be removed as soon 

 as decay begins and replaced by fresh. 

 As phalaenopsis delights in cleanliness, 

 great care is necessary in potting this 

 genus, particularly Schilleriana and 

 amabilis, as they root freely and cling 

 firmly to the pot or basket in which 

 they are grown, and cannot be removed 

 without the aid of a knife, and this 

 is ;i very delicate operation, often re- 

 suiting in serious injury to the plants. 

 A good plan is to place the plant, pot 

 and all, into larger size and fill up with 

 charcoal and fresh sphagnum, and not 

 disturb the roots at all. These plants 

 should be suspended, if possible, as they 

 love the light, but must be shaded from 

 the direct sun, or the leaves will burn; 

 arid never allow them to suffer for want 

 of water. 



Group of Vc ntJa Caeru 1 a. 



