GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 141 



Culture. They are adapted to the warm house and are of easy 

 culture. 



Propagation. They are propagated easily by cuttings. 



ONCIDIUM. 0. varicosum andO.v. Rogersii bear large panicles 

 of pale yellow flowers. Both are natives of Brazil, blooming during 

 early Winter. 



Culture. Same as Odontoglossum. 



ORCHIDS. Although there is an immense number of species 

 and forms of Orchids, few of them are grown solely for their cut 

 flowers. The following genera of Orchids are discussed elsewhere 

 in this book: Calanthe, Cattleya, Ccelogyne, Cypripedium, Dendro- 

 bium, LcBlia, Odontoglossum, Oncidium, Phalmnopsis and Vanda. 

 Most of them produce flowers but sparingly, and are chiefly grown 

 in private collections. A large number being hyrbids, very few of 

 each kind are in cultivation; only those species and their varieties 

 which are procurable in large quantities from their native haunts are 

 grown for cutting from. Under favorable circumstances, and when 

 their wants are understood, Orchids are as easily grown as any 

 other class of plants. The epiphytal class has a growing and a rest- 

 ing period. During growth, as a rule, they need lots of water, and 

 when resting they are kept on the dry side so as not to start shoots 

 at the expense of the flowers. Shading is necessary as the sun gets 

 powerful, and a stagnant atmosphere must be avoided at all times. 

 Excellent general notes on Orchids are found in the Standard Cyclo- 

 pedia of Horticulture, Vol. IV. 



Potting Material. This is mainly to supply a reservoir for 

 moisture during the growing period, and should consist of chopped 

 Fern roots, at least six months old before using, live sphagnum, 

 charcoal and broken pots. If grown in pots or pans these should be 

 filled two-thirds with crocks, the plant elevated above the rim of 

 the pot, using lumps of the Fern root, pieces of charcoal and finishing 

 off with a thin layer of live sphagnum. The best time to pot is before 

 the plants start growth. 



PALMS. This order furnishes the most important of our 

 decorative plants. Out of the large number of known species, com- 

 paratively few are in cultivation, and of these a very limited number 

 is grown by the florist for this special line of work. Those kinds 

 which are raised in quantity are selected partly because they are 

 easily and qmckly grown, seeds being obtainable in large quantities, 

 and because the plants are exceedingly ornamental, and, as a rule. 



