Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ORCHIDS. THERE is no room to deal with this great subject historically, scientifically, or even practically, in the space of a chapter. I am an enthusiast, and I hold some strong views, but this is not the place to urge them. It is my purpose to ramble on, following thoughts as they arise, yet with a definite aim. The skilled reader will find nothing to criticize, I hope, and the indifferent, something to amuse. Those amiable theorists who believe that the resources of Nature, if they be rightly searched, are able to supply every wholesome want the fancy of man conceives, have a striking instance in the case of orchids. At the beginning of this century, the science of floriculture, so far as it went, was at least as advanced as now. Under many disadvantages which we escape?the hot-air flue especially, and imperfect means of ventilation?our forefathers grew the plants known to them quite as well as we do. Many tricks have been discovered since, but for lasting success assuredly our systems are no improvement. Men interested in suchmatters began to long for fresh fields, and they knew where to look. Linnaeus had told them something of exotic orchids in 1763, though his knowledge was gained through dried specimens and drawings. One bulb, indeed?we spare the name?showed life on arrival, had been planted, and had flowered thirty years before, as Mr. Castle shows. Thus horticulturists became aware, just when the information was most welcome, that a large family of plants unknown awaited their attention; plants quite new, of strangest form, of mysterious habits, and beauty incomparable. Their notions were vague as yet, but the fascination of the subject grew from year to year. Whilst several hundred species were described in books, the number in cultivation, including all those ga...

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ORCHIDS. THERE is no room to deal with this great subject historically, scientifically, or even practically, in the space of a chapter. I am an enthusiast, and I hold some strong views, but this is not the place to urge them. It is my purpose to ramble on, following thoughts as they arise, yet with a definite aim. The skilled reader will find nothing to criticize, I hope, and the indifferent, something to amuse. Those amiable theorists who believe that the resources of Nature, if they be rightly searched, are able to supply every wholesome want the fancy of man conceives, have a striking instance in the case of orchids. At the beginning of this century, the science of floriculture, so far as it went, was at least as advanced as now. Under many disadvantages which we escape?the hot-air flue especially, and imperfect means of ventilation?our forefathers grew the plants known to them quite as well as we do. Many tricks have been discovered since, but for lasting success assuredly our systems are no improvement. Men interested in suchmatters began to long for fresh fields, and they knew where to look. Linnaeus had told them something of exotic orchids in 1763, though his knowledge was gained through dried specimens and drawings. One bulb, indeed?we spare the name?showed life on arrival, had been planted, and had flowered thirty years before, as Mr. Castle shows. Thus horticulturists became aware, just when the information was most welcome, that a large family of plants unknown awaited their attention; plants quite new, of strangest form, of mysterious habits, and beauty incomparable. Their notions were vague as yet, but the fascination of the subject grew from year to year. Whilst several hundred species were described in books, the number in cultivation, including all those ga...

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

A straight forward method on organic gardening. How to prepare your soil, how to build a compost bin, seeding through harvest and preserving your garden bounty. A strategy to incorporate natural concepts, without using any dangerous chemicals. Also choosing the right vegetables and fruit for their nutritional value.

Renowned American historian and leading horticulturalist Francis Parkman (1823-1893), briefly a Professor of Horticulture at Harvard University and President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, wrote ""The Book of Roses"" specifically for American rose enthusiasts. The book contains information on the culture, training and propagation of roses, as well as descriptions of rose families, groups, and best varieties. According to Parkman biographer Howard Doughty, "" Parkman] was among the foremost of American rose-growers. He is said to have had at one time over a thousand varieties in his garden, and 'The Book of Roses, ' which he published in 1866, was for many years a standard manual of the subject."" Beautiful black-and-white illustrations accompany the text.

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

With some 270 species, "Penstemon" is the largest genus endemic to North America, with examples to be found in every state in the continental U.S. Penstemons are particularly beloved by rock gardeners, but as Panayoti Kelaidis points out in his foreword, they belong in every garden, since "one penstemon or another will thrive in virtually any microclimate a garden can contrive, from hot, desert exposures to dank shade."

Fresh from his award-winning monograph on penstemons, Robert Nold turns his attention to one of the best-loved - and most frequently misunderstood - groups of garden plants. "Columbines: Aquilegia, Paraquilegia, and Semiaquilegia" is the first gardener's guide to these striking plants in more than half a century; and in his funny, personal, and charming prose, Nold makes sense of the thorniest taxonomic and horticultural questions they present. Sixty-five species of Aquilegia receive detailed examination, with a complete summary of cultivation needs, history, and biology. The author also describes plants of the genera "Semiaquilegia" and "Paraquilegia," cutting through confusion and dissension to create a useful overview of these "columbine cousins." Nold also provides a brief history of hybridization, and practical chapters on propagation and pests and diseases round out the book. In addition to beautiful paintings by the author's wife, celebrated botanical artist Cindy Nelson-Nold, the book also boasts several dozen exquisite photos of columbines in the wild and in gardens.

Do you want to spend less time gardening? Are you looking for ways to save water? Have you been disappointed in the way your garden turned out? Do you dread the dull winter months? Do you understand the true meaning of "garden loveliness"? Do you want people to stop by your garden and exclaim in surprise and wonder at what they see? Ma Frump has colorful answers to these questions and many helpful suggestions that will make you a happy gardener wherever you live and in all seasons of the year. MARCIA MUTH is an American folk artist. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1919 and grew up in Indiana and western New York State. She received degrees from the University of Michigan and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work is in private and public collections including The Jewish Museum (New York), The Albuquerque Museum, Museum of Fine Arts (Santa Fe) and the Art Museum of Southeast Texas (Beaumont). She is the author of thirteen books including "A World Set Apart, Memory Paintings."

Rebecca Northen penned her first letter to Robert M. (Bert) Hamilton in 1968 requesting a copy of his book, "Orchid Flower Index." From that small beginning grew a correspondence that continued for 35 years until 2003. Northen passed away in 2004, but Hamilton had carefully kept the almost 300 letters, notes, and cards he and his wife, Anne, had received from their dear friend. Hamilton, 97 years old, asked friends and family to help organize his collection of Northen's letters. "Rebecca Northen Recollected" is the result. Northen's frank and witty observations about the world of the orchid hobbyist during the last three decades of the twentieth century are a delight. The letters are arranged in chronological order and are preceded by two autobiographical sketches, one previously unpublished. A general index and an index to orchid plant names are provided.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Without a doubt, the most widely grown orchids in the world are the species and hybrids of "Phalaenopsis," the "moth orchids." Since their discovery by western botanists in the 18th century, phalaenopsis were considered aristocrats even among orchids and were eagerly sought out by the most discerning and wealthy of collectors. With advances in orchid propagation and breeding in the middle 20th century, however, these orchids became accessible and affordable to anyone with an eye for exceptional beauty. Few floriculture crops have swamped the marketplace as suddenly as phalaenopsis has in recent years, with millions of plants being produced for the mass market annually. Moth orchids have helped eliminate the misconception of orchids as temperamental conservatory plants only for the very rich. In the words of author Eric Christenson, we are witnessing "the makings of an orchid revolution."
Against this backdrop of change and ferment, Christenson set out to write a definitive monograph of the genus "Phalaenopsis," the first thorough treatment since Herman Sweet's revision in 1969. Focusing mainly on the forebears of today's omnipresent hybrids the species he always keeps an eye on the characteristics that species might bring to today's hybridization programs. With extensive keys and detailed reviews of the taxonomy of the genus, Christenson provides a thorough picture of the current scientific understanding of these remarkable plants.
In addition to its scientific content, this book offers a wealth of practical information for the orchid hobbyist. A useful chapter on cultivation techniques is included, as is a chapter on hybrids in their many forms, shapes, and colors. More than 200 color photos and 60 drawings enliven the work and provide a fascinating visual overview.
With the full sponsorship and support of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance, Christenson has written an extraordinary book reflecting years of botanical research and horticultural experience with the genus. No orchid specialist will want to be without it.
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Flower Your Garden looks at different types of flowers that would be great for any garden, but Ms. Shiela includes rhyme and tools that are essential to keep the flowers growing and story going. The 26 very talented students bring the story alive with accuracy and color.

"A Natural History of Ferns" is an entertaining and informative look at why ferns and their relatives are unique among plants. Ferns live in habitats from the tropics to polar latitudes, and unlike seed plants, which endow each seed with the resources to help their offspring, ferns reproduce by minute spores. There are floating ferns, ferns that climb or live on trees, and ferns that are trees. There are poisonous ferns, iridescent ferns, and resurrection ferns that survive desert heat and drought. The relations of ferns and people are equally varied. Moran sheds light on Robinson Crusoe's ferns, the role of ferns in movies, and how ferns get their names. "
A Natural History of Ferns" provides just what is needed for those who wish to grow ferns or observe them in their habitats with greater understanding and appreciation.

Although Africa has fewer orchid species than the other tropical continents, some of the world's most spectacular, and increasingly popular, terrestrial orchids are found in Africa. This guide, covering sub-Saharan Africa, includes all plants available from nurseries and many that are being grown but are not yet available in the trade.

The first complete classification for the genus, this labor of love reflects the author's long fascination with hostas. All hostas known at the time of writing are detailed, including their 3500 names and synonyms in many languages (300 in Japanese kana). Practical information on growing hostas is just as complete and detailed.

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

Breeding plants to encourage specific traits is usual in agriculture but less common in ornamental horticulture. Daffodils, daylilies, hostas, lilacs, magnolias, and rhododendrons are among the 15 subjects covered by experts in the field.