JuLx 15, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



u 



Odontoglossum Pulcbellum Majus. 



robbed of food, but to allow free circula- 

 tion of air. When pulling weeds, always 

 be particular to get the root. 



Geo. S. Osborn. 



JAPANESE IRIS. 



Iris Kaempferi is little known as a 

 market cut flower, the gorgeous flowers 

 being somewhat fleeting. Bunches of 

 these and other seasonable perennials are 

 excellent for store decoration at this sea- 

 son, and if named will often lead cus- 

 tomers to place orders for them for fall 

 planting. 



The popular supposition that this iris 

 must have the edge of a pond or 

 stream so that its roots go into water 

 before it can be satisfactorily flowered 

 is utterly erroneous. In the growing 

 season it loves to be moist at the root, 

 after which time it should be kept much 

 drier. If in wet ground in winter, the 

 chances are that the roots will all rot. 

 For these reasons it should be planted 

 where water will not stand. 



By choosing a deep soil, naturally 

 moist, splendid Japanese iris can be 

 grown in an ordinary garden. If per- 

 chance weather conditions are dry near 

 flowering time, a soaking with the hose 

 or sprinkler will insure an excellent crop 

 of flowers. About every visitor is 

 charmed with this iris and wants to 

 plant it. The last of August and through 

 September is the best time for this work. 

 You can assure your customers that 

 while a sunken bed, which can be flooded 

 in summer and drained in winter, is ideal, 

 it is not necessary to go to any such ex- 

 pense to have fine Japanese iris. 



POTBOUND SPRENGERI. 



I have been a reader of the Eeview 

 for many years, and have been greatly 

 benefited by reading in its columns ar- 

 ticles that have been written by growers 

 of^ general stock or by specialists. In 

 this way, indeed, I have gained most of 



ray knowledge as a flower and plant 

 grower. Of course I have gained some- 

 thing by practical experience, and I be- 

 lieve that if a florist gains anything in 

 this way that is of any degree of value 

 he ought to give his fellow florists the 

 benefit of it. 



Questions have been asked several 

 times in regard to growing Asparagus 

 Sprengeri, and especially as to what 

 ought to be done with the old plants after 

 they become potbound. One answer has 

 been, "Throw them out and plant small 

 plants. ' ' 



This is what prompts me to give my 



experience with old plants and to describe 

 my treatment of them. If the plants are 

 in 8-inch or 10-inch pots, or whatever 

 size they are in, I take them out of the 

 pots, take a sharp knife and cut all the 

 tubers away by cutting square across 

 them. I fill the pot with good, rich soil 

 to a depth that will fill the space occu- 

 pied by the tubers, putting the clump 

 back in the same size of pot. Try this, 

 and I think you will never throw away 

 old clumps of Asparagus Sprengeri. It 

 will give you finer sprays than you ever 

 got from young plants, and more of them. 



S. M. Wtatt. 



DENDROBIUMS. 



Dendrobium nobile, in cultivation since 

 1837, still remains the most popular 

 dendrobe in general culture. At the 

 season while the new growths are being 

 made, a brisk, moist atmosphere suits 

 them. They like a little house, where 

 they can be sprayed over and the ven- 

 tilators closed about the middle of the 

 afternoon. D. "Wardianum, D. formosum 

 giganteum and D. Phalsenopsis Schrceder- 

 ianum make, with D. nobile, the best 

 florists' quartette of this useful and 

 easily grown genus. Basket or pan cul- 



ture suits all dendrobes and they flower 

 all the better if they are kept in rather 

 small receptacles, which more readily dry 

 out later in the season, when the ripen- 

 ing period arrives. Dendrobes want to 

 be abundantly watered now and revel in 

 a close, moist atmosphere. 



ODONTOGLOSSUM PULCHELLUM. 



While the majority of odontoglossums 

 are difficult to handle in America, owing 

 to our hot summers, there are one or two 

 varieties, such as citrosmum and pulcbel- 

 lum, which succeed well. O. pulcbellum 



