50 STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



immediately after, the shoots begin to push out. This species is easily 

 divided. New growths sometimes push out not only from the base of 

 last year's pseudo-bulb, but also from those of the two previous seasons. 



Cypripedium, the "ladies' slippers," are terrestrial and mostly ever- 

 green (our native species being herbaceous). The evergreen kinds need 

 copious supplies of water while growing, and even during the resting 

 season they should not be allowed to get dry. They may be grown 

 largely in peat and sphagnum. C. insigne, the one most frequently met 

 with, is best grown cool. It should be kept outdoors during Summer, 

 and to retard the flowering period may be kept in well-aired frames 

 until there is danger from frost. C. Spicerianum requires a warm tem- 

 perature, flowering in early Spring. 



Dendrobium nobile is one of the oldest and easiest grown of the den- 

 drobes. D. formosum giganteum is an evergreen and requires heat. D. 

 Phalsenopsis is one of the finest for cutting, giving long stems without 

 injuring the plant. 



Laelia anceps makes its growth from April onward. It is an abun- 

 dant bloomer, but on account of its resemblance to some of the Cattleyas, 

 and having smaller flowers, it is not so popular. Flowers in November 

 and December. 



Odontoglossum With the exception of O. citrosmum the species of 

 this noble genus have a struggle for existence in this latitude. Further 

 North they succeed better. O. Alexandras is one of the most popular. 



Oncidium varicosutn and O. v. Rogersii Both bear large panicles of 

 pale yellow flowers. Both are natives of Brazil, blooming during early 

 Winter. 



PALMS This order furnishes the most important of our decorative 

 plants. Out of the large number of known species, comparatively few 

 are in cultivation, and of these a very limited number is grown by the 

 florist for this special line of work. Those kinds which are raised in 

 quantity are selected partly because they are easily and quickly grown. 

 Seeds are obtainable in large quantities, and because the plants are 

 exceedingly ornamental, and, as a rule, stand rough uwage, to a certain 

 extent, without showing bad effects. Palms may be divided into two 

 sections those with pinnate or feathered leaves and those with palmate 

 or fan-shaped leaves. Latania, Livistona, Chamaerops, Rhapis, Corypha, 

 Licuala and Thrinax are familiar examples of the section having'fan- 

 shaped leaves; while the feather-leaved section is represented by Kentia, 

 Phoenix, Areca, Arenga, Cocos and Seaforthia. The commercial kinds 

 are grown in very large quantities by several firms, and so cheaply are 

 they offered that it does not pay to raise the seedlings in small quanti- 

 ties. For collections rather lengthy lists of species are offered by several 

 European seedsmen. The seeds should be covered to about twice their 

 thickness in sandy soil and kept fairly moist and warm until they ger- 

 minate. The drainage in the seed pan should be of such a nature that 

 the roots can be easily removed from it, as very little is gained by pot- 

 ting in a very young stage. In this section of the country nearly all of 

 the species make rapid growth out-of-doors during the Summer after 



