July 5, 1917. 



The Florists' Review 



19 



SEASONABLE NOTES. 



Fhalsenopsis. 



The beautiful phalaenopsis, or moth 

 orahids, are yearly becoming more pop- 

 ular commercially. They are not of 

 easy culture, like cattleyas, dendrobes 

 or cypripediums, and to do them well 

 a special house is necessary. The Cali- 

 fornia growers succeed specially well 

 with phalsenopsis. They have the ad- 

 vantage of being located 3,000 miles 

 nearer the natural home of the phalse- 

 nopsis, the Philippines, than the large 

 eastern orchid specialists, but the latter 

 are rapidly learning the needs of the 

 moth orchids and extending their cul- 

 ture. 



The best collections of those plants I 

 have seen are growing in houses con- 

 taining a central tank, over which rows 

 of phalsenopsis are hung on iron rods 

 or galvanized piping. Thrips and red 

 spider both trouble phalsenopsis, but 

 with the moisture provided by tanks of 

 water this danger is largely minimized. 

 Careful sponging of the leaves with 

 tepid water helps greatly to keep these 

 pests in check. Phalspnopsis plants neeil 

 considerable shade. The sun would soon 

 burn and disfigure the handsome leaves 

 of Schilleriana or amabilis. They need 

 at all times a brisk, moist heat and 

 there are not a few days and nights 

 even in summer when a little fire lieat 

 will benefit them. Phalaenopsis can be 

 grown successfully in pans, on blocks 

 or in deep, narrow baskets, in a mixture 

 of fresh sphagnum moss and fern root. 



EARLY ^JOWSTORM SWEET PEA. 



The Re\^^ for Juno 21 contained an 

 interesting article with reforonce to 

 George W. Kerr's work in breeding a 

 race of early-flowering Spencers for 

 greenhouse Avork, using Yarrawa as the 

 seed-bearer. The accompanying illus- 

 tration shows the variety Early Snow- 

 storm, of which one and one-half acres 

 were grown at the Floradale farm in 

 California this season. Howard M. 

 Earl, who has charge of the growing op- 

 erations of the Burpee firm, says he 

 considers Early Snowstorm as "un- 

 doubtedly the best of all the early white 

 sweet peas, whether of the Spencer or 

 grandiflora class. ' ' 



SWEET PEA CROPS. 



When should I make my first sowing 

 of sweet peas this fall in order to grow 

 the second crop next spring on the same 

 bed, or is it possible to make one batch 

 produce flowers all winter and until 

 late in the spring? V. R. E. — Iiid. 



I would not advise you to try suc- 

 cessive crops of sweet peas in the same 

 bed without some rotation. If you sow 

 seeds early in September, the plants will 

 start to flower about Christmas and 

 will yield blooms for at least three 

 months. I would suggest that you try 

 a crop of tomatoes or cucumbers after 

 the peas have passed. If you sow sweet 

 peas in July they will start to flower 



Sw^eet Pea Early Snowstorm. 



early in October and Idoom profitably 

 until January. If you want to have a 

 long succession of sweet peas, you 

 should make two sowings, hut do not 

 attempt to run two crops on the same 

 ground, as there would be a long jjap 

 between the crops. C. W. 



SPENCERS FOR CHRISTMAS. 



When should I sow schmIs of Sjienccr 

 sweet peas to have the blooms for 

 Christmas .' S. I^. L. — la. 



Sow the Avinter-flowering typo of 

 Spencer sweet peas early in September 

 for a Christmas crop. C. W. 



POINTERS ON MIGNONETTE. 



IMease give me a few directions for 

 growing mignonette indoors. 



V. R. E.— Ind. 



Seed of mignonette can be sown about 

 August 1, in either solid beds or raised 

 benches. If the latter, there should 

 1)0 no heating pipes below them. Use 

 such soil as suits roses or carnations. 

 Sow small pindies of seeds a foot apart 



oacli way and tliiu out to two or three 

 soodliiigs in each jtatcli. Mignonette 

 needs a low tenii)orature, 4l* to 4o de- 

 grees at night being am])le. The plants 

 need supi)ortiiig with wires, and cross 

 strings or pieces of brush should be 

 jlacod among the plants. Pinch liack 

 the first lot of flowers and lot tlio plants 

 start from the base. Watch for green 

 worms, tlio kind which attack cab- 

 bages. Tliey will need careful hand- 

 picking in early fall. Plants throw 

 stronger spikes when disbudded, and 

 when well established a mulch of old 

 manure, in addition to occasional soak- 

 ings of licjuid manure, will be found 

 beneficial. Avoid heavy fumigation 

 where mignonette is grown, as the foli- 

 age scorches easily. C. W. 



Oneonta, N. Y. — C. W. Peck sees one 

 of the best seasons on record ahead, 

 following the hysteria through which 

 the country has passed. 



Wheaton, 111. — A beginner in the 

 business here is Mrs. J. If. Packer, who 

 recently completed the erection of a 

 house on rural route No. 3. 



