The San Francisco call., 1913-08-10

were little understood. and many per-
ished from irrational treatment. but as
natural climatic conditions became bet
ter known, the plants were treated in
accordance with their requirements.
The middle part of the last century
was remarkable for the great number
of new and striking kinds of orchids
discovered. Immense sums were paid
for single new plants. and the fabulous
prices paid for novelties caused coli
lectors to scour every part of the
tropics. risking their lives in the
mountains, Jungles and fever ridden
swamps in search of the wondrous
plants. At the present time collectors
are still engaged in. searching the
tropics, but striking novelties are rarely
introduced. 1t is probable that large
sums for single plants have been paid
more frequently for orchids than for
any other class of plants
CHRYsANTHEMUMs, TOO
The use of orchids as cut flowers is
slowly becoming more and more gen.
eral. and one of the most fascinating
phases Of the culture is the production
of hybrids Mr.. MacRorie is authority
for the statement that San Francisco
uses more orchids in proportion to its
over, he says. San Mateo county sup
plies seven-eighths of the San Fran
cisco market. In the height of the
season the MacRorie- McLaren company.
: ships 500 orchid blooms to its San
Francisco headquarters every other
{ dav.
{ The chrysanthemum district in San
Mateo county extends all the way from
San Mateo and Burlingame on the north
to Menlo Park at the southern extrem-
iity Of the county. The white growers
have been complaining recently that
the Japanese have been cutting into
the business of recent years. the ORR
entails carrying on the culture under
cloth houses and at very little ex-
pense. Expert florists, however, de-
clare that the success of the Japanese
has been due mainly to the dryness of
the last two summers. If rain comes
during the season their crops win be
almost destroyed.
One of the most successful rafsers
of chrysanthemuThs is III. L. Goertz-
hahn, whose place is situated just out
side of Redwood City. He has eight
houses with carnations, asters and
lilies, but mostly chrysanthemums.
Every season for the last IA years he
has been sending his entire output to
San Francisco, as high as so dozen
day at the best period. Altogether he
has between $4,000 and 1900 carna-
tion plants.
LATE CROP
; Mr.. Goertzhain has 1900 late chry-
santhemum plants this year and hopes
to have his crop on when the flowers
are scarce. He also is trying some
! new eastern varieties of NUNS
the chrysanthemums are familiarly
5 known by horticulturists.
Kenneth Murray is another success
full florist located near Redwood City
on the Woodside road. Prior to 1906
he was engaged in the cultivation of
roses but started cut with carnations
! in 1907. This year he is back to roses
/, once more and has five large houses
containing many choice varieties.
At Atherton, formerly known as Fair
! Oaks. are the elaborate conseryatories
! of Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph B. CoryeH.
whose orchids are famed throughout
: the country The IA hothouses are in
men, headed by A. Mcdonald who WAS
, brought over from Scotland by Mr..
Coryell 10 years ago.
FAD is PROFITABLE
t The Coryells originally took up or
child culture as a fad. but of late years
, have been marketing large part of
} their output With 10000 different
! orchid plants valued at from $40 to
. $50 each, it may readily be seen that
, the value of the stock alone is upward
T of 100000. There are many different
I varieties some from the Andes, others
! from the Philippines and many other
2 tropical countries, the Coryells having
about rs or 100 different varieties in
$ their hothouSes. According to the best
: experts, the life of an orchid plant
is almost indefinite. and each herb
gives from 80 to 40 blooms a year.
Between 200 and 500 flowers are cut
IN the Coryel1 hothouses each day dur
J ing the height Of the season.
AT MENLO PARK
Great care must be exercised in the
culture of the delicate plants. The
houses are kept at a temperature of
from so to So degrees during the night
(, and from 80 to S5 degrees I'm the
day. Different varieties require diff
J ferent temperatures according to the
climatic conditions of their native hab-
itats, and each plant must be trans
!, planted at least every three years. In
: the middle of the season, about De-
: cember or January, the herbs are all
!, in bloom and the Conservatives pre-
sent wondrous sight.
The Lynch Nursery company of Menlo
Park. which was founded 25 years ago
! by M. Lynch, is another big concern
: doing an extensive business in cut
0 flowers. plants and landscape garden
5 ing. The firm has Is houses besides
: Its large open air gardens and flower
4 beds.
10000 CARNATIONS
Ten of the houses are planted in car
nations, between 1900 and 10000
S plants in all At the height of the
, season, the company ships out couple
I of thousand carnations and an equal
t amount Of chrysanthemums daily The
culture Of white and pink Killarney
; roses, which is said to be more prolific