The January 13^th program by Wally Fox was on "Bromeliads in Space". Wally showed us how to get several plants in a small area. He took a basket and put in a potted bromeliad than he added several tillandsias to the basket. When the plants need to be watered, you can take them out of the basket and either spritz or dunk the tillandsias. You can use a wire or fishing line and S hook to hang it in your window. When company comes, you can put it on your table for decoration. Instead of a basket with only one plant, you now have a basket with several plants.

Jack Reilly told us about the plant stands that he has made that hold 40 plants in 6 inch pots in a 2 _ foot diameter space (4.9 sq. ft.). When he puts the plants out in the spring we will have a picture of it. The greenhouse is so crowded now you can’t see the stand.

We discussed the Navy Pier Flower Show which is coming up March 8-March 17. Henry and Patsy Schmidt have been our Anchors for many years. This is our main fund raising event. A sign-up sheet was passed around for working. We still need many more people to help. If you won’t be at the meeting in February to sign up but are willing to work please call or e-mail one of the officers. We don’t want Henry and Patsy to do all of the work. You get free parking, a free plant and get into the Flower Shower Free if you work at the Society Booth. John McNichols has ordered the plants. March will be here before you know it so please plan ahead.

We were glad to wecome our new member Kay Harris and her friend Mark Wingate and former member John Kane to our meeting. We would like to thank Jamaican Gardens for our raffle prizes.

The dates for the satellite meetings at the McHenry Public Library are March 12, June 12, Sept 11 and Dec. 4^th.

Keep working on your pin and program cover design for the 2004 World Conference. We will vote on the design at the April 4^th meeting.

This month I am reviewing Growing Bromeliads by the Bromeliad Society of Australia, Kangaroo Press, 1995. ISBN 0-86417-336-9. It is available from Amazon.com for $12.80 (List price $16.00) I received this book for Christmas in 2000. It is not a book that is hard to read, it is just that I hadn’t gotten around to it. I recommend this soft cover book especially to someone who is just learning about bromeliads. The book contains twenty chapters and six appendices. It has 16 pages of color photographs and is 112 pages. Under the picture, it states what page to find the discussion of that plant family. Its purpose is to educate the horticulturist on the culture, habitat and growing conditions of bromeliads. I think it does an excellent and thorough job.

In Chapter 1 on the Origin, Distribution and Ecology, it says that the Pitcairnia feliciana, which is the one found in Africa was first classified as Willrussellia. This classification related it to the lily family. This error was corrected a year later in 1938. More bromeliads occur at between 1500-2500 metres ( 4,900-8,200 ft.) altitude in moist mountain forest than in any other habitat. The water-holding tank bromeliads are the only source for fresh water for many animals during the long dry season or drought. Several species of aquatic carnivorous bladderworts have become exclusive to some tank holding bromeliads.

Chapter 2 covers the introduction of bromeliads into horticulture. Hybridisation (their spelling) began in Europe near the end of the 19^th century with the Billbergia and Vrisea genus. The first Australian to have a specialized collection was Charles Hodgson of Melbourne in the 1930's. The Bromeliad Society (USA) formed in 1950 and made him the first Australian trustee. The Bromeliad Society of Australia was formed in 1963 with 35 people. The foremost hybridizer from there has been Grace Goode. (No Brag, Just Fact.) She has made about 150 crosses beginning about 1970.

The third chapter lists the 3 subfamilies of bromeliads and has a brief description of the genera. Chapter 5-14 covers in more detail the main genera. Lesser known genera are covered in Chapter 15.

Chapter 16 discusses the two methods of propagation, by offsets and by seeds. Under good growing conditions, a pup will flower two years after being separated from the parent. The pup should be removed when it has reached 1/3 the size of the parent The first pups are the strongest and the more the parent produces, the weaker the offspring. If the offspring needs to be removed from the parent, sulphur or a fungicide should be applied. Then it should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before repotting. Place the pup on a base of wet peat moss in a plastic pot. If the pup offsets in the center of the parent it is better to leave it and cut away the parent. Some bromeliads that do not root easily, such as neoregelia pendula can be potted into another pot next to it by nicking the stolon, dusting it with fungicide and then pinning it down.

When using seeds from berry-like fruit to propagate, they should first be cleaned and dried. They may retain their viability for up to 6 months. Grow the seeds in a mixture of equal parts sieved charcoal, peat moss and sand. Wet the seed with a fine spray of half strenth fungicide. Germination should occur around 14 days. After a couple of months they can benefit from a weak solution of foliar spraying. By 6 months, they should be big enough for their own pot. Spread tillandsia seeds over a slab of cork and spray twice a day. Six months to a year later you may see baby plants. Tillandsia seeds are not for the impatient. It may take two to three years before they can be removed to be mounted on their own.

Chapter 17 covers the biology of bromeliads including discussion of trichomes and crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Chapter 18 discusses possible causes and types of variegation. Generally, variegates need more attention than non-variegated bromeliads. Supposedly, they absorb less water and nutrients.

Chapter 19 deals with pest and diseases. Bromeliads are comparatively pest and disease free. They list controls to take for pests and diseases and how to handle pesticides. Chapter 20 is a short list of problems with bromeliads and their probable causes. Quilling, inner leaves sticking together, may be caused by excess pesticide dosage, no water in the cup or insufficient misting.

Altogether, this is a book which belongs in every bromeliad growers library. Two Green Thumbs Up

Pictures by Derek Butcher except for the beautiful Wally by Steve Goode. Neo. Sweetheart hybridized by Grace Goode.