File:The American florist - a weekly journal for the trade (1908) (17525133573).jpg

Title: The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade
Identifier: americanfloristw3008amer (find matches)
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: American Florists Company
Subjects: Floriculture; Florists
Publisher: Chicago : American Florist Company
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
igoS. The American Florist. 1079 Feeding: Orchids. Ed. American Fi.okist ;— Among the many interesting and in- structive subjects, treated in your col- umns, I wish to express nppro- liation of the ordiid notes in yonr issue of March 14. "E. O. O.," in "Notes in Season." speaking of moisture at tlie roots, says: "This should mean food. which should always be present in the water applied." I would feel grateful for some information regarding this subject of food—what form and how best applied; also best materials and how used by successful growers; pots, jians or baskets; moss, peat, leaf soil or osmunda fiber. W. W. In reply to "W. W." it is admitted that the statement quoted invites ex- planation. An eminent cultivator was once asked in open discussion, what was a fair estimate of the longevity of an orchid under cultivation. His re- ply was "from time unto eternity," and the fact that he evidently believed it was sufficient to settle the matter at the time. It is generally admitted that imported orchids, especially cattleyas, do degenerate. Tens of thousands are introduced annually to keep up the de- mand for plants and cut flowers, and so it will continue until we raise our own; this is within the reach of possi- bility, even probability, during the years to come of the present generation of gardeners. We have cattleyas in bloom today that we know have been cultivated for the past 20 years under glass and are vigorous enough to satisfy the ex- pert observer. These, however, are in- dividuals that go on and increase by division, while others that came with them have been reduced to ashes long years ago through the agency of the fire under the boiler. It was the evi- dent fact that some were failing that led to our experimenting with food, stimulant, or whatever term is best to apply. The term stimulant is inap- propriate, and yet to see plants, valu- able ones, perhaps, dwindle year after year until it is a supreme effort that produces one flower to a growth of cattleya, makes this student of their needs realize that there is a need un- supplied. Hence, sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda were used in the water; the quantities were small and, for a time, none of the plants showed benefit. It should be remembered that, previous to this, it was considered nec- essary to supply any nourishment to epiphytal orchids through the medium of the atmosphere, by damping down with manure water and by the placing of carbonate of ammonia in the structures devoted to orchid culture. The terres- tial orchids, such as calanthe, phaius and chysis, were usually fed liberally because their root structure was wholly different. At about this stage in our experiments came Mr. Cookson's state- ment made publicly in the Orchid Re- view, that, after instructing his gar- dener to water certain plants with chemicals in weak solution, he could easily detect the ones so treated without other knowledge than that furnished by the appearance of the plants themselves. To quote from Orchid Review, Mr. Cookson said: "I may say that, before systematically using the salts referred to, I asked my gardener to use them regularly on a group of plants in each house, without telling me which they were, leaving me to discover them by
Text Appearing After Image:
PHALiENOPSIS AMABILIS. results. In each case I was soon able easily to pick them out, and everyone who saw them noticed the improvement as compared with the plants not so treat- ed. After this I had no hesitation in regularly using the salts on all growing plants and feel thoroughly satisfied that moderate applications of plant food are an advantage. Manure water I do not believe in for many obvious reasons, but a pure solution of salts is a very different thing." The formula is three ounces potassium nitrate to two ounces ammonium phosphate dissolved in three gallons water, using one .ounce fluid to each gallon of water applied to the plants. This will seem an infinitesimal proportion of food to apply but we have proved that where other plants have enjoyed the same, by accident or other- wise, crotons and even roses were sur- prisingly benefited. And the rule should be "little and always." During the growing season always water late in the day; the active grow- ing tips of the serial roots will tell why if examined early the morning follow- ing. The question of "W. W." as to pots, pans or baskets is easily answered; pots always until the plants need anything larger than a 7-inch pot, then perforat- ed pans, or baskets. Some time since we had seedling cattleyas that, to grow them on, were put in half barrels, but this proved a mistake; they should have been divided and kept in smaller re- ceptacles, and this has now been done. The matter of potting material, too, is now simplified because there is but one medium available, namely, osmunda fiber. The best growers in England and some in Belgium are now using it and no further comment is necessary. Moss may be used if it will grow, but it should then be sparingly blended with the surfacing material and cattleyas are better without it. Peat is now unob- tainable in good quality for orchid cul- ture, even in England, and leaf mould in this connection is as if it never had been. To sum up the whole of "W. W.'s" questions, one may take orchid seeds, sow them on the fiber of os- munda, water from the start with Cookson's formula and grow them on with no other "food" besides air, light and heat until the plants have from 30 to 15 new growths each, producing two crops ol flower a year and will go on doing this literally from "time unto eternity." E. O. O.

Note About Images