450 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



Fig. 222. GYMBIDIUM PALI WELSH. The keeping quali- 

 ties of this species are indicated by these flowers which, 

 grown in Belgium, were shown at the 1921 New York 

 Show in March and again at Boston in April, still in prime 

 condition 



house, or Dendro- 

 bium nobile, which, 

 while requiring a 

 little warmer 

 house, can also 

 stand a lot of 

 abuse and still live 

 and flower. 



I have seen 

 all of the above 

 carried for years, 

 remaining alive 

 and even flowering 

 with absolutely no 

 care other than 

 regular watering, 

 the Cattleyas and 

 Dendrobiums get- 

 ting a little fresh 

 Sphagnum moss 

 now and then, and 

 the Cypripediums 

 an occasional shift. 



What I want to get at is this: The average patron, visiting the 

 establishment of the local florist, expects to find everything there 

 that grows. The mere fact that you can say you have orchids and 

 point your finger to a pan of Cattleyas suspended from a purline, 

 or have a specimen, with or without foliage, in bloom during the 

 Winter or Spring months, is bound to have great weight with a 

 visitor. 



You should be able to show what an orchid plant looks like; 

 it is expected of you if you retail flowers. I don't care how poor or 

 how good the plants are that you carry, so long as you have some 

 even if only a half-dozen. If they die, get more and charge it up to 

 the advertising expense account. 



To make money with orchids you must not only be equipped 

 for it and have the proper facilities to handle the plants, but you 

 must also have a full stock and it will take all of your time to attend 

 to them. In other words, you can't make a side line out of them. 



ORNAMENTAL GRASSES 



The florist should be acquainted with at least a few varieties 

 of hardy grasses for they belong in the home grounds whether 

 planted in groups or singly as specimens; whether along the edge of 

 the pool or water garden, in the rockery, or as a clump in the shrub- 

 bery border. While perhaps not used extensively on small grounds, 



