466 ANNUAL REPORT, OF THE Off. Doc. 



cinths, planted last autumn for flowering next spring than ever 

 before. 



A new red rose is creating favorable comment among growers 

 of roses for cut flowers in winter. It is named Kichmond. It is an 

 American seedling and is named for the city of Indiana where it 

 was raised. Already orders for it have been booked numbering fifty 

 thousand; the prices for which will average possibly |250 per thou- 

 sand. 



The improvements among carnations for winter-blooming are 

 still going on. A pink variety, known as Financee, is a production 

 of Indiana but has been purchased by a firm of Illinois specialists, 

 and is to be disemminated the coming spring. A scarlet variety 

 from New York state is named after a Philadelphia florist — Robert 

 Craig — and another in the same line of color, but distinct from it, 

 also from the same state (New York), is called Victory. 



The scarlet color is very popular at Christmas time, either as cut 

 flowers or plants in bloom at that season. Also plants with red 

 berriee, as Ardesia Crenulata. The English holly bushes in berry 

 are imported in limited quantity. Plants that have been trained 

 and grown especially for said purpose only are sent over. Some- 

 times the bushes arrive in excellent condition, but at other times 

 they do not. The trouble seems to be that they do not like the close 

 confinement in the hold of the ship, and frequently lose their leaves 

 as a consequence. This species of holly has a deeper, richer green 

 than does the native American variety, and is to be preferred on 

 that account. It is sometimes found flourishing in this country, 

 but generally speaking, it does not do well. The north side of a 

 hill in states south of us where the winters are not quite so rigid 

 as we are liable to have them is where I firmly believe it would 

 prove to be a very profitable investment. It is possible there are 

 some north hillsides in Pennsylvania that would do for the purpose. 

 Experiments in a small way could be made without much expense, 

 and in view of the possible profits, it is worth while making an eiiort 

 to acclimate this very valuable evergreen. It is used in England 

 quite largely as a hedge-plant and is kept closely clipped as are 

 some evergreens in America. An English writer thus describes 

 it: "First and foremost is our English Holly (Ilex Auguifolium) al- 

 ways beautiful from the little seedling to the tall pyramidal tree, and 

 beautiful from the little seedling to the tall pyramidal tree, and 

 what a possession is a long holly screen! impervious to the eyes of 

 the envious, the entrance of the schoolboy or the tramp, everywhere 

 presenting among its scarlet berries the sharp points of its prickly 

 leaves, like the bayonets of a regiment glistening in the sun." This 

 may not appear to belong to floriculture, but it does, as there are 

 hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of the native holly (Ilex 

 Opaco) handled by florists in all the cities of America. The holly 

 now under consideration is found growing wild in many states in 

 the Union. The Philadelphia market is, speaking generally, sup- 

 plied from Southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. 



In conclusion, let me say that the standard among flowers and 

 plants and everything embraced under the head of floriculture is be- 

 coming higher each year, and the buyers more critical, and it be- 

 hooves all those belonging to the craft to fully realize the same as 

 ftoon as possible. 



