CARE OF CUT FLOATERS. OD 



small part in this advancement. Ten years ago, the latter part of 

 August or the first of September was thought to be about the right time 

 for benching carnations. At the present time, July is none too early for 

 varieties of strong growth. In fact, the best house of carnations we 

 had the past season were planted the 22d day of June. They received 

 pinching back the last week in July, taking off only those shoots running 

 to bud. We commenced cutting from this house in September; and the 

 plants bloomed steadily all winter, with the largest cut in December, 

 and are still producing the best bloom on our place. 



I believe we have yet to see the variety of carnation that will do 

 well in all sections, even under the same treatment and growing condi- 

 tions. This is why so many growers and disseminators of new varieties 

 are criticised so severely; and while the variety comes up to their de- 

 scription at their own establishment, it is almost certain to fall short 

 somewhere, ^o criticism follows. 



Some odd things are observed by the raiser of seedlings. The past 

 winter at our ov/n place we had one plant, a seedling of Mrs. G. M. 

 Bradt, by Gov. Wolcott, which produced three different colors of flowers 

 — seven pink of Lawson shade, four pure white and eleven variegated. 

 Six of these being on the plant at one time. Another oddity was a cross 

 of Chicago, by Mrs. Lawson, which produced nine plants, all of which 

 were yellow or yellow variegated. I quote these instances so you growers 

 here who have never tried this work may see how interesting it is, and 

 how much pleasure may be had out of it, even though our expectations 

 are never realized. 



It is my belief that we should not place our present ideals too high, 

 so that when they are realized we will still have room to form newer 

 and higher ones. 



CARE OF CUT FLOWERS. 



.J. 11. BATH, OMAHA. 



Offlcers and Members of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society — 

 Gentlemen: I submit herewith a resume of my experiences as to the 

 handling of cut flowers. From a commercial viewpoint, I think that 

 growers, generally, give too little attention as to how their stock is 

 handled after it is cut. 



Of first importance is to have the stock sorted and placed in water 

 as soon as possible after being cut. I find it a good idea to have vessels 

 of water in the greenhouses, placed conveniently, wherein the blooms 

 may be placed, awaiting their removal to sorting room, and if the cut 

 is large, the petals are not soft when being sorted, thereby preventing 

 a great deal of bruising they usually receive. 



After sorting, the long and short stemmed stock should be placed in 

 separate jars of proper depths, to keep them together and straight, and 

 on hardening, weak stems will be found to have straightened con- 

 siderably. 



