16 



The Florists^ Review 



NOTIMBEB 21, 1912. 



SEASONABLE NOTES. 



Striking the Market !Bight. 



The orchid houses now have a goodly 

 display of flowers. It is perhaps re- 

 grettable, in some respects, that so 

 many varieties are in season thus 

 early. While chrysanthemums are so 

 abundant, the •demand is not so robust 

 as, could be wished, although for the 

 fall exhibitions they certainly prove 

 useful. In the particular case of Cat- 

 tleya labiata, it pays growers well to 

 have them early and late, but midsea- 

 son ones are rather druggy when nearly 

 every grower is sending them in. From 

 Thanksgiving until the middle of Jan- 

 uary cattleyas are none too abundant 

 and the grower who can strike the 

 market right will be pretty sure to 

 get good prices. Cattleya labiata can 

 easily be held back, but it is too late 

 to start to do it now. The house must 

 be run moderately cool. As low as 50 

 to 55 degrees at night in September 

 and October is better than 60 degrees, 

 but do not keep the night temperature 

 too low while the buds are pushing up 

 in the sheaths or while they are ex- 

 panding, or they are liable to become 

 stunted and will not open at all. 



Shading. 



There is now no need of any shade 

 whatever on cattleyas, except it may 

 be where plants are in flower. The 

 latter should be kept together and a 

 trifle cooler than the rest of the plants, 



in order to keep them in good condition 

 as long as possible. Cypripediums 

 should not be fully exposed to the sun, 

 or the foliage, while it may not burn, 

 will take on a yellowish hue. Phalae- 

 nopsis is one orchid which always needs 

 some shade; even the winter sun should 

 .not be allowed to strike the leaves. 

 The leaves, while apparently tough, are 

 really easily scorched, and if once they 

 become disfigured the real beauty of 

 the plants is gone. Coelogynes, odon- 

 toglossums, miltonias, dendrobes and 

 other orchids will stand all the sun we 

 shall have for the next two or three 

 months and be benefited thereby. 



Watering. 



While we have had clear skies this 

 fall, we are liable to have long, dark, 

 rainy spells at any time now, and this 

 is when careful watering counts. It is 

 also a great advantage during such 

 periods to have clear glass over the 

 plants. With shading on, the foliage 

 may keep a darker color, but the plants 

 are softer, and in the case of cattleyas 

 and Iselias will not flower as well as 

 when grown in stronger light. 



Watering should be done fairly. early 

 in the morning, so that the moisture 

 dropped on foliage and benches will 

 dry up before nightfall. Syringing 

 overhead should be gradually discon- 

 tinued. When done at all, let it be on 

 the mornings of clear days. Do not 

 play the hose directly on the plants, 

 as this makes too heavy a stream. 

 Always use a fine, misty spray. A de- 



creased water supply all around will 

 be necessary now. It is always safe 

 to underwater rather than overwater. 

 Probably you have noticed that plants 

 allowed to become quite dry keep their 

 roots sound, whereas those more heav- 

 ily soaked rot badly. Feeding should 

 be discontinued except where the Cook- 

 son formula salts are used. These can 

 safely be applied the year around, ex- 

 cept when the plants are nearly dor- 

 mant. They seem to provide just a 

 little something which the plants need 

 and they work well on plants which 

 will simply not tolerate any form of 

 liquid animal manure, even in mild 

 doses. 



Ventilating. 



Cattleyas and I^lias, above all the 

 orchids, enjoy plenty of fresh air. 

 There are really but few days in the 

 year when neither top nor bottom ven- 

 tilators can be opened. In the case of 

 strong winds, enough will get between 

 the laps of glass to satisfy them, but 

 on all calm nights they should have one 

 or both ventilators open. If they are 

 kept closed down tightly and the air 

 is heavily charged with humidity to 

 counteract the drying influence of flre 

 heat, the result will be that the plants, 

 instead of sending their roots down 

 into the compost of the various recep- 

 tacles, will send them over the sides, 

 and plants in this condition, while 

 they may receive the encomiums of 

 those who know little of their culture, 

 will soon present a half shriveled ap- 

 pearance and will flower disappoint- 

 ingly. 



While cattleyas love air, it is rather 

 otherwise with the East Indian family 

 of cypripediums, phalsenopsis, vandas, 

 saccolabiums, angrsecums and others. 

 These plants do not want actual cod- 

 dling and need some fresh air daily, 

 but the bulk of them are most at home 

 in rather small, stuffy houses, where no 

 current of air is ever felt and where a 

 close, humid atmosphere is maintained. 

 Then, again, the really cool orchids, 

 like odontoglossums, masdevallias, some 

 oncidiums, restrepias and others, like 

 plenty of air at all seasons. 



This question of ventilation is not 

 half considered. It is the rock on 

 which many would-be orchid growers 



New Greenhouse Establishment of Bassett & Washburn, at Gregg's Station, lU. 



