26 



The Florists' Review 



May 14, 1914. 



-1 



of these are the best to grow for their 

 blooming qualities? C. E. H. 



better top- them after they get estab- 

 lished? I have never grown this va- 

 riety before. F. M. 



CLEABING CATTLEYA FLY. 



The cattleya fly has become a serious 

 menace. Orchid growers all over the 

 United States are finding their profits 

 swept away by the depredations of this 

 pest. Some of them, indeed, do not 

 recognize the cause of their trouble, so 

 inconspicuous is the insect. The female 

 of the species rarely is seen. The male 

 is an inoffensive looking little black 

 fly; it doesn't look\as though it would 

 do anybody any harm> But a family of 

 cattleya flies, or a colony of eggs, soon 

 breeds disaster. The trouble lies in 

 that practically everyone is sure to have 

 his experience with the flies sooner or 

 later, for imported plants bring them 

 in'and their presence sometimes is diffi- 

 cult to detect before the stock is badly 

 infested. 



But the cattleya fly is by no means 

 the difficult pest to eradicate that many 

 growers think it is. Some of the big 

 cut flower producers have had their ex- 

 periences with it. "There is record of 

 one man who has nine houses of cat- 

 tleyas whose place was so badly in- 

 fested that he faced ruin. Several others 

 have let the fly get the upper hand be- 

 fore they realized their danger. But 

 at least half a dozen big growers who 

 had bad cases have cleaned their places. 

 G. L. Freeman, whose business is the 

 importing of orchid plants, says it in- 

 variably can be done merely by thor- 

 ough attention. The first thing to do, 

 according to Mr. Freeman and all other 

 cattleya growers, is to cut off tho 

 growths which show the presence of 

 the fly. A swelling indicates its pres- 

 ence. Cut the swelling and you find 

 the cause. The growths must be imme 

 diately removed from the house and 

 burned. Anything else merely means 

 more trouble. Three times a week the 

 house should be thoroughly gone over 

 with one of the nicotine preparations. 

 This may be necessary for several 

 weeks, the infected growths being cut 

 off as rapidly as the swellings are de- 

 tected, and the nicotine treatment being 

 kept up for the benefit of such flies as 

 have escaped f'ormer applications. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Freeman, no grtrwer 

 who finds his plants infested need de- 

 spair; but, having cleaned the houses, 

 eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. 

 If Bob Fitzsimmons couldn't come back 

 the fly can, and does. 



HEAD BOOM FOR EARLY SNOW. 



I have some mum cuttings of Early 

 Snow that are ready to pot up. I want 

 to grow these to single stems, but I 

 have only about four feet of head room. 

 Will they get too tall for this, or had I 



The stock of Early Snow now ready 

 to pot up should not get more than 

 three and one-half feet tall; at least, 

 this variety would not in our soil and 

 under our conditions. C. H, Totty. 



OUTDOOR STOCK FOR IMARKET. 



I am writing to you for advice about 

 the growing of outdoor stock. I live 

 in the extreme south of the state of 

 Illinois. I have had some experience 

 in greenhouse work, but not any in the 

 growing of outdoor stock for the Chi- 

 cago market. From this part of the 

 state quantities of the common daffodils 

 and jonquils are shipped to Chicago. I 

 have about five acres of land that, could 

 be jjsed for the growing of flowers for 

 the market. It seems to me that if the 

 finer varieties of daffodils and jonquils 

 were grown, they would bring a better 

 price. Will you kindly let me know the 

 names of the best sellers among the daf- 

 fodils and jonquils, and also the names 

 of the best peonies? 1 should also like 

 to know the names of any other flowers 

 that could be profitably grown for the 

 market. 



My plot of ground is exposed to the 

 north. I thought that when planted it 

 could be protected somewhat by plant- 

 in<j a hedjje of liincs. What varieties 



The only difficulty you will have in 

 the growing of daffodils for the Chicago 

 market is the fact that at times the 

 market becomes glutted with poor stock. 

 We grow about 200 varieties of narcissi 

 and find that the good varieties are al- 

 ways in demand. They will rexjuire lit- 

 tle protection in your latitude. 



Sir Watkin, Emperor, Empress and 

 Princeps are all good sellers here, in 

 the vicinity of Nashville, Tenn., and 

 are easily grown. The prices of these 

 are not prohibitive, either. Incompara- 

 bilis Stella is cheap and Vfe find it prof- 

 itable. Poetaz Elvira and its compan- 

 i»n, Irene, have been good sellers with 

 us and have done well in the last two 

 years. Glory of Leiden is the best 

 seller, but the bulbs are too expensive. 

 The true Sulphur Phoenix has always 

 proved to be our best money-maker^ 

 with N. poeticus King Edward VII, and 

 the jonquil N. odorus rugulosus, as close 

 seconds. Poeticus King Edward VII is 

 much larger than the older varieties and 

 we have it on 2-foot stems in good 

 soil. All of the poeticus varieties are 

 profitable with us. 



In planting narcissi, get the ground 

 in good condition early and use plenty 

 of cow manure. They should be in 

 ground that is well drained, and deep 

 plowing, of course, adds to the effi- 

 ciency of the drainage. The earlier the 

 planting can be done, the earlier the 

 bulbs will bloom. It is better t-«' have 

 the soil all prepared some time before 

 planting, or be careful that the bulb 

 does not come in too direct contact with 

 the manure. 



If your soil is sandy and free from 

 lime, or almost so, you should find Span- 

 ish irises profitable. They do not usual- 

 ly succeed well in theTbpen in lime soil, 

 though they are profitable here in spite 

 of that handicap. Get named varieties 

 and only good bulbs. Blue, white and 

 yellow are the popular colors. 



In peonies I would recommend Queen 

 Victoria, on account of its long-keeping 

 qualities; also Pa»onia festiva maxima. 



One of the Ways Florists' Supplies Houses Now Cultivate the Qty Trade. 



