234 



HOME AND FLOWERS 



THE PINK LADY SLIPPER 



THE PIXIv L 



( Cypripediuih 

 By W. 



WHEN" one speaks of an orchid, the 

 mind naturall}^ reverts to the 

 tender celestial exotics of the 

 greenhouse. The subject of our illustra- 

 tion belongs to the terrestrial group of the 

 family and bears the common name of the 

 Pink Lady Slipper or the Moccasin 

 flower. The generic term cyj)ripedium 

 literally translated means the slipper of 

 Yenus, while sj)ectabile indicates "showy.'' 

 It is a native of the United States from 

 Maine to the mountains of North Caro- 

 lina, west to Minnesota and south to Mis- 

 souri. It is found in swampy grounds 

 and again on the banks of wooded ravines, 

 where the soil, while quite moist in the 

 spring, is dry during the summer. It 

 grows generally on small level plateaus. 



It does not take kindly to cultivation 

 unless one happens to select a situation 

 that meets its wants. The group illus- 

 trated had been moved, while in bloom, 



ADYSLIPPEE 

 Spectahile.) 

 C. Egan 



two years prior to being photographed, be- 

 ing taken from the neighboring ravines. 

 The situation was intended to have been 

 but a temporary one, but I found them so 

 happ}^ in their surroundings that they re- 

 mained permanently. The soil is a yel- 

 low clay loam and the exposure north and 

 east, but they derive no direct sunlight, as 

 the adjoining building projects too far 

 east, and the lattice work at the west, 

 covered with vines, shades them from that 

 direction. The natural surface of the 

 ground close to the building slopes quite 

 sharply and, for appearance sake, the bed 

 was raised at the western end so as to pre- 

 sent a level top, and consequently at the 

 lattice end the top soil of the bed is some 

 fifteen inches higher than the ground level 

 back of the trellis. This affords ample 

 drainage, and the building and trellis 

 shield them from the sun's rays and 

 strong winds. 



