OTAHEITE ORANGE 



453 



OTAHEITE ORANGE 



Around Christmas one 

 finds these showy minia- 

 ture Orange trees dis- 

 played in fancy baskets 

 and hampers, or used in 

 made-up baskets in con- 

 nection with Ericas, Dra- 

 caenas and Grotons, in 

 almost every flower shop 

 in the larger cities. Yet 

 but few country florists 

 make any effort to have 

 even a few fruited plants 

 in their display. What is 

 there that could possibly 

 be more noticed or more 

 admired, or what will stay 

 in good condition longer ? 

 The fruit of these Oranges 

 begins to color toward the 

 end of October and re- 

 mains in perfect shape on 

 the plants practicaUy aU Winter. Then, if you cut the plants 

 back just a little in March, remove a little of the top soil in 

 the pots and replace it with fresh soil, the new growth wiU soon 

 start and the plants wiU flower in May or June and later bear more 

 fruit. Carry them out in the open then, plunging the pots up to 

 the rim into the ground; if you can give the least bit of shade so 

 much the better, it wiU help develop a darker colored foliage. 



You can purchase the plants set with green fruit from the 

 specialists in the Fall; all they require thereafter is a night tempera- 

 ture of 50 deg. 



PAINTED TONGUE 



See Salpiglossis 



Fig. 225.-^-The Double Flowering OaANGE is 

 something quite out of the ordinary. With its de- 

 Kghtf ul fragrance it does not have to produce fruit 

 in order to be a useful asset in the flower shop 



PALMS 



The principal Palms the florist uses rank in importance as 

 follows: Kentias, both Belmoreana and Forsteriana; Phcenix 

 canariensis and P. Roebelenii, Areca lutescens and Latania borbonica. 

 All these are treated under their respective headings, as are also 

 Areca, Cocos and Gycas. There are a lot more fine varieties, but 

 the above are, and, with the exception of Phcenix Roebelenii, always 

 have been the main ones found in the average palm house. 



