THE ORCHID FAMILY—Orchidaceae 
We receive many letters stating that the writer’s fondest desire is to possess an 
orchid. They want one that will at least sometime flower, of course. For a good many 
years we have been planning and working to make this possible. Not myself alone 
but many others. 
Many have purchased unestablished orchids. Some have been able to make them 
live but rather few have been able to maintain them in good health or to make them 
flower. This is the hard way to start growing orchids. Therefore we sell only established 
growing plants that with proper culture can be expected to flower in their next season, 
unless our description definitely specifies otherwise. 
Orchids are as easy to grow as Tuberous Begonias, Gloxinias or Amaryllis. What 
the amateur grower lacks if he fails‘is reliable and understandable information. For 
that reason we wrote a small booklet, 12 pages with covers, on “How To Grow Orchids.” 
This booklet is not a complete guide to culture of all orchids but it will start you and 
help you to succeed with the more common and easier grown ones. Price 25c. We 
offer them to clubs or to those who wish to give a few to friends and to orchid dealers 
for $1.80 per doz. postpaid. The culture information in this catalog is necessarily brief. 
We try to make it sufficient but we advise all customers to purchase the booklet also 
as we do not include them gratis with orders. 
Bletilla hyacintha. Hardy terrestrial orchid. It has pleated leaves, and 8 or more 
dainty rose purple orchids on a 12” stem. Blooms in early spring. Plant the bulbs 4” 
deep in a sandy loam soil, to which an abundant quantity of leaf mould or peat has 
been added. They need considerable sun but in our hot summers 25% shade is about 
right. Here they need frequent irrigation. We can deliver these only until about Feb. 
15. Plant at once in the south and in the north if ground is frozen, pot them in soil 
described and shift to garden as early as possible. Price 75c ea. 
Cymbidiums are the most desirable of easily grown orchids. One plant of 3 or 4 
pseudo bulbs may give 2 or 3 blooming scapes with from 15 to 25 or more flowers on 
each scape. The flowers have a modest but intriguing beauty that renders them most 
desirable for corsages. They last several weeks on the plant and when cut the flowers 
may usually be worn a number of times if placed in a refrigerator between occasions. 
The flowers are 3” to 5” wide. 
Culture of Cymbidiums. They are hardy in a lath house in So. California and 
elsewhere if temperatures go no lower than about 26°. Lower than that temperature 
flower spikes are likely to be frozen. Plants will survive even slightly lower. They must 
be grown in half shade of a lath house or trees. The soil should be sandy loam with 
equal portion of peat or well rotted leaf mould thoroughly mixed in. Set the pseudo 
bulbs with base only slightly under soil surface. If there are no living roots, place pure 
peat in contact with base of bulb. After planting, sprinkle the foliage once or twice 
daily with only enough on the soil surface to preserve moisture without sogginess. When 
well rooted, the water may be increased. The plants should never become dry and 
‘must never be soggy. 
Cymbidiums do not flower for about two years after moving. Only in rare cases 
do they flower in a few months. We ship Cymbidiums loose roots. It is easy and safe. 
Many, and sometimes all roots die when disturbed. But the roots are readily replaced, 
usually within six weeks. 
Cymbidiums are easily grown in pots in the medium as described for tropical 
American orchids or in the soil recommended for outdoor culture. Use a pot in pro- 
portion to size of plant, from 6” to 8” size, usually. Read potting directions on a pre- 
ceding page and fill pot /4 full of drainage material. Many commercial growers in the 
north grow Cymbidiums in pots, in a greenhouse or in a window garden. 
Special Sale of Cymbidiums. We are not going to quit growing Cymbidiums. We 
sell practically all our flowers. Because large growers charged us so much for plants 
when we had to buy them we were forced to retail plants at $15.00 each or more. But 
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