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The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



April 11, 1907. 



carry the visitors who come into the city 

 for the day. There is probably no other 

 city in the United States where anything 

 like so great public interest has been 

 awakened in any exhibition of blooming 

 plants, and to the benevolence of Henry 

 Phipps the trade in Pittsburg, and in 

 the cities whence Pittsburg draws its 

 supplies, owes a grateful memory, for 

 it could not be otherwise than that such 

 a display, attracting such great num- 

 bers of people, would have a far-reach- 

 ing, stimulating effect upon the florists' 

 business. 



ROBERT PYLE. 



Robert Pyle, whose portrait appears 

 in this issue, is president of the Conard 



& Jones Co., growers of roses, canna 

 lilies and hardy shrubs at West Grove, 

 Pa. Mr. Pyle started his business ca- 

 reer about 1894, as assistant superintend- 

 ent at Swarthmore College, performing 

 the duties of the superintendent for 

 eighteen months while his superior was 

 ill and during his convalescence. When 

 the Conard & Jones Co. was formed in 

 1897, Mr. Pyle was offered the position 

 of secretary, which he held until chosen 

 president on the death of the late Alfred 

 F. Conard. Mr. Pyle's thorough knowl- 

 edge of every department of the com- 

 pany's rapidly increasing business, com- 

 bined with his broad views and enthu- 

 siasm in his work, qualify him to an 

 unusual degree for his new position. 



Phil. 



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SEASONABLE 



SUGGESTIONS 



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Cattleyas. 



The present is a suitable time to 

 overhaul those two popular fall and win- 

 ter blooming varieties, Cattleya labiata 

 and C. Trianae, probably the two most 

 useful florists' cattleyas. Even in the 

 smaller cities there is a growing call for 

 orchid flowers and growers who a few 

 years ago turned up their noses at the 

 idea of growing orchids now find it nec- 

 essary and profitable to hang a few 

 around. The all too prevalent idea that 

 orchids are hard subjects to grow and 

 need a specialist to care for them is an 

 exploded fallacy, for many of the finest 

 specimens grown and exhibited are from 

 the hands of men who spent no. course in 

 their culture. Any man who can grow 

 roses, violets or carnations need have no 

 fears about trying his hand at orchids. 

 A large collection may need some fuss- 

 ing over, but a few of the standard sorts 

 will be found very accommodating in 

 their wants and will not resent a little 

 neglect nearly so speedily as other plants. 



A good compost for cattleyas is one 

 of osmunda fern fiber mixed with a 

 little sphagnum moss. Some growers use 

 leaves, but these are not so good as the 

 fern fiber. Throw away the rougher 

 particles and use squares of the more 

 fibrous material, from which the fine, 

 dusty material has been shaken. Pots, 

 pans or baskets make equally good re- 

 ceptacles. In removing the old plants 

 from their former baskets, cut away all 

 dead or decaying roots and any rotten 

 bulbs; do not use too large pots or bas- 

 kets for them. Drain liberally, filling 

 the pots or pans half full of crocks. 

 Elevate the plants a little above the sur- 

 face of the pots or baskets and be sure 

 they are made firm. Hang in a house 

 where a night temperature of 60 degrees 

 is maintained. Water sparingly until 

 new roots or growths are well advanced, 

 but spray overliead on all bright days. 

 A little shade on the glass will be 

 needed, but a heaxy coating is not de- 

 sirable at any time. Plants so treated 

 keep green but flower poorly. 



The various orchid importing firms 

 will soon receive their consignments of 

 South American cattleyas. These newly 

 imported plants are in many ways pref- 



erable to established stock and beginners 

 should try them. On receipt, trim out 

 any bad bulbs, lay on a bench and spray 

 lightly until roots and growths appear; 

 then pot them up, using rather more 



now arriving from the East Indies. Don- 

 drobes need a warm, moist house while 

 growing, then cooler and drier quarters 

 to ripen their growths. An abundant 

 water supply is needed in summer and 

 syringing overhead on all bright days. 

 Small pans or baskets grow them best 

 and heavy shading is not needed even in 

 summer. D. nobile and D. Wardianuni 

 can be successfully grown in an ordi- 

 nary greenhouse. D. formosum gigan- 

 t6um produces large white flowers al- 

 most equal to cattleyas. D. Phalsenop- 

 sis needs a brisk moist heat to grow well. 

 The two first named dendrobes make verj' 

 salable plants in flower and, being in- 

 expensive, are within the reach of any- 

 one. The other two varieties are suit- 

 able for cutting and are effective in any 

 floral work. A compost of equal parts 

 sphagnum moss and rough peat suits 

 them. 



Cyclamea. 



Fall sown plants should now be grow- 

 ing on a light bench in an airy house, 

 where a night temperature of 55 degrees 

 is maintained. These, if not already 

 potted, should be shifted into 3-inch and 

 4-inch pots, according to their size and 

 strength. Use for compost a slightly 

 stronger mixture than for the first pot- 

 ting: one-half fibrous loam, well broken 

 up but not screened; one-fourth leaf- 

 mold, and the balance well dried and 

 decomposed cow manure. Add a good 

 dash of sand, powdered charcoal and 

 soot and be sure in potting not to bury 



Robert Pyle. 



drainage and less compost than in the 

 case of established plants. 



Dendrobiums. 



Dcndrobiums met with an excellent 

 sale in some of the large cities last win- 

 ter and spring. The four best florists' 

 varieties are nobile, Wardianum, Phalae- 

 nopsis and formosum giganteum. Im- 

 portations of the two first named are 



the corms. Keep them just above the 

 soil. Use care in watering after pot- 

 ting. Spray overhead once on all bright 

 days, allowing them to dry before night- 

 fall. A light shade will now be bene- 

 ficial, as the sun is steadily gaining in 

 power. 



Be sure to give these plants attention 

 now if you want well flowered speci- 

 mens for Christmas trade. A greenhouse 



