house, with lath spaced 1” apart is right. 
The favorable temperature range is from 
32° (in winter) to 90° or even higher in 
summer. But plants and flowers are not 
injured at 28° in winter. They will stand 
26° if not long continued. But flowers will 
probably be ruined at 24°. Our plants sur- 
vived with the loss of only a little foliage, 
last winters freeze when we had 20° on 
several nights and one night for at least 
6 or 8 hours. On such occasions they 
should be protected by a covering of 
leaves. 
In So. Calif. and elsewhere having a 
similar range of temperatures, they may 
be grown in the ground under lath. But 
even here many growers prefer pot grow- 
ing and they seem to be well on the way 
to become a favorite house plant because 
they can endure a greater degree of cold 
and a dryer atmosphere than most orchids, 
tho indeed they do like a high relative 
humidity. 
This is but a brief discussion of their 
culture requirements and their possibilities. 
Every one who grows Cymbidiums or plans 
to grow them should send 25c for our 
pamphlet, “How To Grow Orchids”. 
As to their desirability,—some prefer 
the Cymbidium flowers to Cattleyas for 
corsages. They are highly desirable and 
on less formal occasions, sometimes more 
appropriate. The flowers are much longer 
lasting. 
A Very Special Offer of Cymbidums 
We have a large stock of the following 
that we want to share with you. These are 
the lowest prices that you will be able 
to find anywhere. Price per large bulb 
with full foliage $4.50. Blooming size 
clumps of 4 bulbs for $15.00. 
All Cymbidium plants are shipped out 
of pots and compost. It is very easy for 
you to pot them and thus save yourself 
this expense. 
Some dealers do not specify the number 
of bulbs in a blooming size clump and 
they count all bulbs including the back 
bulbs. We count bulbs with foliage only 
and include back bulbs (if any) free. 
Choose from the following varieties, 
Butterfly, yellow with red lip; Doreen, 
bronze-green. Purple spotted, yellow lip; 
Giganteum, large plant. Red-brown fls. 
Insigne, very small plants, white flushed 
and marked pink to rose; Moira, shades of 
cream to yellow. Lip marked with crimson; 
Winter Cheer, cream with pink dots; 
Zebra, various shades of pink. But remem- 
ber please, in all orchids, both species and 
hybrids, there is a wide range of shades. 
Of the two following, we have only a 
few. Both are especially profuse bloomers. 
Sometimes, but not often, a single bulb 
will flower. Price per bulb, $5.00. Blooming 
size clump of 3 bulbs, (usually no back 
bulbs), $14.00. Jessica, light to deep pink 
and Madeline, rose to pink. 
Assorted Varieties. These are as good 
and often better than the named varieties 
because some of the newer sorts were in 
a lot whose labels were lost. We found 
several very superior varieties in this lot 
that are the equal of named sorts that sell 
from $10.00 to $20.00 per bulb. 
Per front bulb with foliage, $3.50. Per 
blooming size clump of four. $10.00. 
Cypripediums 
Like Cymbidiums, Cypripediums may 
also be grown as house plants. Like them 
also they may be grown outside in lath 
houses but winter temperatures must not 
fall much under 32° for the hardier sorts 
and they must not dry out. They need 
more shade and more moisture than either 
Cattleyas or Cymbidiums. Their culture 
must not be considered to parallel either. 
True Cypripediums, Lady Slippers, are 
hardy, North American Natives. A few are 
in other parts of the world. The lip has a 
slipper like form, which gives them their 
common name. 
True Cypripediums are not of easy gar- 
den culture nor are they valuable as cut 
flowers. But Paphiopedilums and other 
genera belonging to the same family of 
Cypripedes, are universally known in trade 
as Cypripediums and are so treated by 
Sander’s Orchid Guide and other horticul- 
tural authorities. The Cypripidiums we list 
below are the botanical, Paphiopedilums. 
They are of highest horticultural im- 
portance. The culture is easy. The large 
flowers usually come around Christmas 
and are very desirable corsage orchids. 
Like Cymbidiums, they are very long last- 
ing, almost unbelievably so. 
Culture of Cypripediums. Exotic Cypri- 
pediums are terrestial orchids. Many soil 
mixtures are recommended for potting 
them. About as good as any may be one 
third rich sandy loam, one third peat 
(preferably Danish peat) and one third 
sphagnum moss. 
Danish peat is very fibrous and lumpy 
and can be improved by pounding the 
hard lumps. Finely broken up crock (clay 
flower pots) should be liberally added to 
this to make drainage more rapid. 
The pots should be filled 1/3 full with 
crock for drainage under compost. Cypri- 
pediums are pseudobulbless and should be 
potted with roots entirely covered but the 
compost should not extend much above the 
base of leaves, as this may cause leaves 
towroty Off: 
Cypripediums need more shade than 
either Cymbidiums or Cattleyas. If the 
light is good but with no flecks of sun it 
will be about right. Attention must be giv- 
en to moisture as the plants should never 
become completely dry. Frequency of wat- 
ering varies with structure of compost If 
excess water drains off perfectly, water- 
ing may be frequent,—perhaps daily. But 
plants must not ever remain soggy. The 
reactions of the plants are not difficult to 
understand. 
Cypripedium insigne and its varieties 
are ‘cool house” orchids and are not in- 
jured by a temperature close to 32°. The 
species Spicerianum is an “intermediate 
house” orchid and needs a little warmer 
night temperature. A few degrees higher 
than these minimums is probably more 
favorable. The plants grow thruout the 
year, having no dormant period. As for all 
orchids, the humidity should be high. 
Cypripediums do well as house plants, 
