July 5, 1000. 



The Weekly Florists' Review- 



403 



MUtonia VezUIaria Eziubited at a Recent Boston Show by W. N. Cr^. 



Rambler and appear of a deeper shade 

 of color. In the singles, Hiawatha will 

 certainly have a good run. All who have 

 seen it shown pronounce the same opin- 

 ion; it is most remarkable how well the 

 flowers last, and the bright color shows 

 at a distance; it is one which does not 

 require comparisons to distinguish its 

 value, it stands out by itself. 



The ramblers adapt themselves so well 

 to floral decorations that they should 

 always remain popular; yet when they 

 were first grown it was diflScuIt to get 

 florists to use them. I remember that 

 when 1 first recommended them I could 

 not Bell; and it was only on leaving 

 plants on approval that any business was 

 done, but this was quite sufficient. In- 

 stead of having them returned, orders 

 came by wire day after day. There is 

 nothing more difficult than to get a 

 florist to take up a new thing, but if of 

 any value, when once started, it is sure 

 to go; but one thing is certain — our best 

 florists like to keep to such things as 

 are not common in the streets. And it 

 may be with the ramblers, that once they 

 become too plentiful, they will never be 

 of further value for choice work. 



A UNIQUE STORE SUCCUMBS. 



The illustration on page 402 shows 

 the store of the Kapsalis Floral Co., 

 Milwaukee. Mr. Kapsalis built this es- 

 tablishment, completing it about January 

 1, the construction being entirely of large 

 plate glass with iron framework. This 

 place was built alongside of Gimbel 

 Bros.' department store, abutting the 

 river. The entrance was off the west 

 end of Grand avenue bridge, one of the 

 most prominent locations in the city. 

 People crossing the bridge could see the 

 entire display in his store. 



Unfortunately, however, after Mr. 

 Kapsalis had established a fine trade 

 and was doing a large business Gimbel 

 Bros, decided to build on the space and 

 served notice on him to vacate, conse- 

 quently Mr. Kapsalis had to tear down 

 the store on short notice, as he had no 

 lease on the ground. Besides being a 

 unique store, it was one of the most at- 

 tractive of its kind in the country. The 

 photograph was taken shortly before the 

 place waa remove(^ tio-cforp Mr. Kap- 

 salis' stock was reduced considerably. 



Mr. Kapsalis was a heavy buyer in his 

 market and always carried a large stock. 

 At present he is negotiating for space 

 inside Gimbel 's store, but the opportu- 

 nity for business inside is not so favor- 

 able by far as it was at the old stand. 

 Mr. Kapsalis' enterprising nature will 

 not keep him long from making good 

 connections to continue the business. 



MILTONIA VEXILLARIA. 



Miltonia vexillaria is one of the most 

 beautiful orchids in cultivation, but one 

 which is not often found in good con- 

 dition. Commercially it is hardly grown 

 at all and only a few private estates 

 seem able to handle it successfully. 

 There are several large batches in Massa- 

 chusetts and probably it is better grown 

 in that state than elsewhere. 



Miltonia vexillaria was at one time 

 called an odontoglossum. The genus 

 miltonia botanically is quite nearly re- 

 lated to that of odontoglossum, but 

 cultural requirements are a good deal 

 different. 



Our plants are grown in a north house, 

 the floor of which is two feet below the 

 level of the ground. A blind is used for 

 shading during the hot months, but this 

 is not pulled down until the plants have 

 had an hour 's sunning. A minimum 

 temperature of 55 degrees to 58 degrees 

 in winter seems to suit them. A close, 

 stuffy atmosphere is ruinous to Miltonia 

 vexillaria. They love a constant circula- 

 tion of top and bottom air and this 

 should be admitted, even in winter, on 

 ai^ possible occasions. One season we 

 tried the experiment of wintering them 

 on the side stage of a cattleya house. 

 While they looked green and vigorous, 

 they flowered but 8i>arsely. We there- 

 fore hold them in a north house the year 

 around, a particular portion of which 

 appears to be just to their liking. 



Pots or pans may be used to grow 

 them in. We half fill these with broken 

 crocKS and lumpy charcoal. For com- 



post osmunda fern fiber mixed with a 

 little moss is used, lae surface being 

 covered with fresh sphagnum. A good 

 supply of water while growing, and drier 

 conditions later, are essential. We have 

 not used any liquid stimulant with the 

 exception of weak doses of soot Avater 

 during the growing season. This ap- 

 peared to be beneficial. 



We once tried our plants in leaf-mold. 

 One year's trial was sufficient and we 

 were fortunate in not losing the whole 

 batch. In the way of ins^ct pests, 

 thrips is one to be feared. It has a 

 special fondness for this orchid. Over- 

 head syringing, frequent fumigations 

 and sponging with, or di])piiig in, 

 tobacco water will ward it off. If used 

 in house decorations care must be takea 

 not to leave the plants in more than 

 two or three days at a time or they 

 will suffer injury. For dinner-table, 

 mantel and other decorations, this 

 orchid is unexcelled. 



It is unfortunate that very few col- 

 lected plants reach here alive, it being 

 a difficult orchid to sliip. ( ould it be 

 secured in quantity it would be in big 

 demand for June weddings in prefer- 

 ence to the bigger, showier, but less re- 

 fined-looking cattleyas. The flowers are 

 extremely variable in size and color. 

 Some are pure white, but the general 

 shade is from light to deej) rose. 



There are a good number of named 

 forms of M. vexillaria. Hone of the 

 best we have are Fairy (^iieeu. pure 

 white; rubella, 11. E. Milner, stupenda, 

 Amesiana. Joseph Godseff and Leopoldi. 



W. X. C. 



SEASONABLE NOTES. 



Plants in the Field. 



The plants in the field should be mak- 

 ing strong growth by this time and top- 

 ping should be looked after closely. By 

 a strong growth I do not mean a rank, 

 .soft growth, but rather short jointed, 

 well matured, and the eyes developed 

 ready to break as soon as the top of the 

 shoot is taken off. You can top a little 

 closer at this time out of doors than you 



do ill the house early in- the spring, iit 

 fact, you should do so to keep the plants 

 dwarf and shapely. The eyes art more 

 developed in proportion to the j.'rowth 

 and will break more readily. 



Then there is a great difference in 

 varieties. Some will naturally make 

 bushy plants full of shoots, and such 

 need perhaps not more than two stops 

 iluring their entire stay in the field. 

 Mrs. Joost, Flora Hill 'and Crane are 

 fair examples, while White Cloud and 

 ITarlowarden are just the opposite. 

 These latter kinds must be topped close 

 and often to keep them from getting 



