38 



The Florists' Review 



Mabch 13, 1913. 



SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS. 



Cattleyas. 



The sun is becoming more powerful 

 and it will be necessary to give the 

 glass a thin shadiAg, just sufficient to 

 break the direct rays. The temptation 

 to put on a heavier coating is strong 

 when we get a brilliant day, suggestive 

 of the tropics, but these in March are 

 usually borrowed days and followed by 

 dark, cold spells more closely re- 

 sembling the arctics. 



Potting should be pushed ahead with 

 C. Trianse and any other species need- 

 ing it. Bather coarse and wiry fern 

 fiber is better than the soft, spongy 

 kind for cattleyas, as it wears longer, 

 and be sure to firm the plants thorough- 

 ly, whatever receptacle they are grow- 

 ing in. No cattleya or other orchid 

 loosely potted will ever thrive. Potting, 

 when properly done, should enable any- 

 one to pick a cattleya up by the bulbs 

 and move it without disturbing the 

 compost. 



It is a good plan when repotting to 

 also clean the cattleyas. Use a brush 

 that will reach right down between 

 the top of the bulb and the leaf and 

 clean any scale out thoroughly. This 

 scale also will fasten itself on the 

 bulbs and must be forcibly removed. 

 Such insecticides as Aphine, Firtree oil 

 and Imperial soap are all good for this 

 purpose. 



• As C. Trianae passes out of flower 

 we will be dependent on C. Sehroederse, 

 now coming into season. This cattleya 

 is pale in color and for some reason 

 has never become popular. It, how- 

 ever, is a beautiful variety and fills 



in the gap nicely until Mossiee and 

 Mendellii come in season. A few Mossiee 

 are already opening and soon there will 

 be a good display of this easily grown 

 and free flowering early summer orchid. 



A night temperature of 58 to 60 

 degrees will suffice for cattleyas, giving 

 such varieties as gigas, Dowiana and 

 Mossia; the warm end of the house 

 except when in flower. 



"Watering of newly potted stock must 

 be done sparingly until the roots are 

 taking hold of the new compost. Better 

 always to underwater rather than over- 

 water orchids. Growing plants will 

 now need more abundant supplies. All 

 watering should be done in the morn- 

 ing, and in spraying over on clear days 

 plan to have the foliage dry before 

 nightfall. 



Keep a sharp watch for cattleya fly; 

 it usually comes on C. labiata, but will 

 attack practically all varieties. Ab- 

 normally swelled growths show the 

 presence of the pest and the only rem- 

 edy, a radical one, is to cut these 

 off, cut them open and burn them. 

 Fumigation may kill a few, as will fly 

 papers, but the only real remedy is 

 to cut open the growths. 



Phalsenopsis. 



At this season the beautiful moth 

 orchid, the phalaenopsis, makes a truly 

 magnificent show. It is such a fine 

 and popular commercial orchid that 

 it is not surprising to find more growers 

 taking hold of it. In California, where 

 the phalsenopsis is largely grown, it 

 vies with the cattleya in popularity. 

 Its culture is looked upon as difficult 

 and comparatively few growers have 

 handled it. It is true it needs some 



fussingorer, but given plenty of moist 

 heat, a position near the glass, and 

 suitable shade, there ara no special 

 difficulties attending its culture. The 

 phalsenopsis resents direct currents of 

 air; anything like a draught is harmful, 

 so ventilation must be carefully given. 

 It succeeds well in pots, pans or bas- 

 kets, but rather deep, cylindrical bas- 

 kets are particularly good. It also 

 thrives nicely on blocks with some 

 fern fiber and sphagnum securely fast- 

 ened to them. 



Just now the beautiful, much 

 branched pink variety, P. Schilleriana, 

 is in flower. Fifty to sixty flowers are 

 not uncommon on this sort, sometimes 

 as many as seventy-five to 100 being 

 produced. The exquisite white forms, 

 grandiflora, Bimestadiana and amabilis, 

 are all now in season. It is unwise to 

 leave the fully expanded spikes on the 

 plants too long, as they" severely cripple 

 them. 



A night temperature of 65 to 68 de- 

 grees must be maintained, but on se- 

 verely cold, windy nights it can be 

 allowed to drop to 60 to 62 degrees. 

 On dull days a temperature of 70 to 

 72 degrees should be kept, while on 

 bright days it can be advanced to 80 

 degrees, with ventilation. Sponge the 

 leaves occasionally with tepid water 

 as a preventive of thrips and red spide? 

 and keep a moist atmosphere, but keep 

 water oflF the flowers, which soon be- 

 come spotted; also be careful not to 

 play the hose on steam or hot water 

 pipes. Steam in the atmosphere will 

 soon spot the white-flowered sorts. 



OUTLOOK FOB BULB GBOWING. 



Bight at the start comes forward the 

 question, can any business be overdone? 

 It can be answered by yes or no. The 

 usual can be overdone, the best never. 

 The way of the great majority often 

 is clogged, but that of the painstaking 

 few hardly ever. 



How is it with Europe! Many years 

 ahead of us in growing, with far 

 cheaper labor and still longer experi- 

 ence, they are increasing their out- 

 put year by year. But I think we can 

 well stop a moment and take a look at 

 the environment. We have an immense 

 country, a population that is growing 

 faster than production along food lines. 

 Luxuries sometimes have to wait a bit. 

 Flowers, the product of bulbs, are 

 among the luxuries. Sometimes lux- 



Sweet Peai, Orcbids, Valley, ToHpt and Narciwi in Easter Cot Flower Baskets. 



