40 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Dbcembeb 15, 1910. 



less than if inserted in a regular propa- 

 gating bench. Do not keep the little 

 pots constantly wet, but after the first 

 watering let them get quite dry. When 

 thus hardened, they are less liable to 

 rot ofif. Unless there is some sale for 

 small geraniums in bloom, which is 

 hardly likely at this season, keep all 

 flowers pinched off. 



IN NEBBASEA. 



Out in the middle of the great grain 

 state of Nebraska the business of the 

 florists is on the boom; the people out 

 that way all have money beyond the 

 sum required for the necessities of life, 

 which means that they are adding 

 plants and flowers to the list of their 

 necessities. The accompanying illus- 

 tration shows the place of Edward 

 Williams, an establishment that is typi- 

 cal of those of the western towns: 

 store, office and dwelling on the cor- 

 ner, several greenhouses built from time 

 to time, and over in the far corner of 

 the property a new house that shows 

 up for itself as wider, higher and 

 lighter. 



PELARGONIUMS IN SUMMER. 



I should like to get a few hints on 

 the treatment of show pelargoniums — 

 how to treat stock during summer and 

 when to propagate for best sales. What 

 size of pots should produce the best 

 plants for retail? Can you tell me 

 where the Freddie Dorner pelargonium 

 can be procured? This was popular in 

 the eighties and was almost a perpetual 

 bloomer. It was the most satisfactory 

 variety I ever saw. S. C. T. 



I assume that you refer to the large 

 flowered show pelargoniums and not 

 the zonal type. After these are done 

 blooming, stand them outdoors in a 

 sunny location. This would naturally 

 be about the middle of June. Water 

 freely for a time, then gradually re- 

 duce the supply. By the middle of 

 July they can be laid on their sides 

 and, beyond an occasional spraying, 

 will need no other moisture or atten- 

 tion. About the middle of August, or 

 a trifle earlier if preferred, stand them 

 up and prune them back quite hard. 

 The plants will by this time have lost 

 much of their foliage and the wood 

 will be of a nutty brown color. After 

 pruning, place in a coldframe on a bed 

 of cinders, under glass protection. 

 Spray freely and water quite moder- 



ately until they have broken nicely. 

 Then they can be shaken out of the 

 pots, removing all the soil and pruning 

 back the longest roots. Bepot in 

 smaller sized pots. Plants which were 

 in 7-inch can go into 5-inch, and those 

 in 6-inch into a couple of sizes smaller, 

 also. Stand them in a frame or cold 

 greenhouse and be careful not to over- 

 water. The plants will soon start to 

 grow and should at all times be kept 



cool, well aired and repotted as re- 

 quired. 



The best time to take cuttings is just 

 before laying them down to rest. These 

 cuttings, grown along and flowered in 

 5-inch and 6-inch pots, make the most 

 salable stock. The variety Freddie 

 Dorner I do not seem to remember. It 

 is possible, however, that some florists 

 may still have it, as older sorts are still 

 in cultivation. C. W. 



TRANSPLANTING CATTLEYAS. 



I have about 100 Cattleya labiata 

 which have not been transplanted since 

 three or four years ago. The roots are 

 hanging down from twelve to twenty- 

 four inches, coming through the holes 

 of the pots and baskets, which are in a 

 hanging position. I would appreciate it 

 if someone would inform me as to the 

 right treatment in transplanting — 

 whether it will be good to cut the roots 

 in order to put them in the new pots 

 or baskets, and whether the regular 

 orchid pots or hanging baskets made 

 from hardwood are preferable. I also 

 should like to know whether Cattleya 

 labiata stands dividing, provided that 

 each plant has sufficient roots, and how 

 should this operation be done? What 

 kind of material is the best for orchids 

 and which is the most practical book on 

 orchids for this country? 



C. W. 



The cattleyas cannot be in a satisfac- 

 tory condition if they have not been 

 potted or rebasketed for three or four 

 years. There are some who applaud the 

 appearance of long roots hanging from 

 cattleyas and la^lias, laboring, as they 

 do, under the popular delusion that it 

 is good for the plants to send out their 

 roots in this way, as they practically 

 exist on what the said roots derive 

 from the atmosphere. As a matter of 



fact, when the roots of cattleyas hang 

 down over the edges of the pots or 

 baskets, it means that the plants will 

 rapidly deteriorate and any bulbs made 

 will produce few flowers and those of 

 poor quality. 



Pots or moderately deep pans are bet- 

 ter, on the whole, for cattleyas than 

 baskets. In them we have the roots 

 under more perfect control. Of course, 

 superb plants are grown in baskets and 

 they are convenient for hanging up, but 

 if you give earthenware receptacles a 

 fair trial, you will prefer them. You 

 can, of course, get special pans, with 

 holes for wires to suspend them. 



As C. labiata 's flowering season has 

 just ended, this is a suitable time to 

 overhaul your plants. It will be diffi- 

 cult, if not impossible, to save all the 

 lengthy roots, but preserve what you 

 can. It may be necessary to tear the 

 baskets in pieces, the better to preserve 

 the roots. Wash the plants well after 

 repotting them. Drain the pots well; 

 they can be filled from one-third to one- 

 half with clean crocks. For compost 

 there is nothing equal to osmunda fern 

 fiber, purchasable from most of the or- 

 chid specialists and also from one or 

 two firms who make a specialty of it. 

 Chop this up in squares. Shake out the 

 fine particles. No moss need be used 

 with it. Endeavor to get all possible 

 roots inside the pots without breaking. 



Establishment of Edward Williams at Grand Island, Neb. 



