180 



of us. You need not tell lis its faults; 

 we can discover those for ourselves after- 

 wards, and swear at you to our heart's 

 content. But woe unto you if you ever 

 try to introduce another one. 



I see in The Review that Messrs. Hill 

 and Craig have bought R. Witterstaet- 

 ter's scarlet Adonis and paid over $5,000 

 for it. Whether they really paid that 

 sum or not makes little difference; for 

 me the fact that these two gentlemen 

 have bought it is proof enough that it is 

 a grand variety. Tliere are perhaps no 

 two better judges in the country, and 

 you may be sure that they would not 

 luiy a second-rate variety. 



Cuttiogs. 



It is time now for you to be getting in 

 your main batch of cuttings in order to 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



[ AHV 10, 1901. 



shoots from the base of the flower stems, 

 providing they are strong. One of the 

 reasons for doing this is that you are 

 sure to take your cuttings fiom plants 

 that are blooming well, while if you take 

 the other kind you may take some of 

 them from plants that are inclined to 

 make grass instead of bloom, and if this 

 were repeated several seasons you would 

 materially decrease the average number 

 of blooms you cut from each plant. An- 

 other reason, and a good one, with those 

 who grow for cut blooms, is that each 

 strong young shoot taken at this time 

 means one bloom less between now and 

 Easter while they bring fair prices. 

 Those from the flower stems would not 

 bloom until later, when carnations are 

 plentiful, and you would not miss them. 

 These cuttings are also usually more 



New carnation Dorothy. 



have fine plants to plant out in April. 

 You can have fair success with later cut- 

 tiflgs, but we have always found that the 

 early ones paid us better, if taken proper 

 care of after they were rooted. If you 

 want to plant out of 2-inch pots you 

 better wait until February. There is 

 nothing more important than the selec- 

 tion of your cuttings, and you should ex- 

 ercise great caie in doing this. There 

 is a great difference in opinion among the 

 growers as to what Is really the best 

 cutting. I know some groweis who 

 would have nothing else but the side 

 shoots from the base of the (lower stems, 

 while some of the best growers I know 

 of use only the young shoots at the bot- 

 tom of the plants before they show any 

 sign of throwing buds. This proves that 



ither kind will make fine stock if 



prop 



erly selected and handled afterward. If 

 I have only a few plants of a fine variety 

 and wish to make all I can I use both 

 kinds of cuttings; but if I have plenty 

 of stock to select from I use the side 



solid and not nearly so apt to damp off 

 in the sand. However, I do not hesitate 

 to take either one if it is necessary. 



Do not take cuttings from plants that 

 are diseased or weakened in any way. 

 The young plants may seem to outgrow 

 the disease, but bacteria and stem-rot 

 and all such diseases will nearly always 

 reappear the ne.xt winter. Try to avoid 

 cuttings from plants that produce off- 

 colored blooms. Do not take cuttings 

 from a plant that is suffering from 

 drought, bccauBo it will be hard to keep 

 them fresh and crisp after they are put 

 into the sand. Our greatest care from 

 the time the cuttings are put in until 

 they begin to root is to keep them from 

 wilting without keeping them sprayed all 

 the time, which is apt to cause damping 

 off. For that same reason, I like to take 

 off the cuttings in the morning, before 

 the sun is strong, or on a cloud}' day. 

 Try to get the cuttings of each variety 

 of a uniform size, then there will be no 

 extra large ones to crowd the smaller 



ones, and your plants in the fall will 

 average much better. I do not care for 

 an extra large cutting, but would much 

 rather have a well matured, medium 

 sized cutting, at least up to February 1, 

 I.,ater in the season you will need large 

 cuttings if you expect them to compare 

 with those struck earlier. We cut the 

 bottom smooth and clip the ends of the 

 grass, and we have never heard a good 

 reason why it should not be done. We 

 think clipping helps to keep them from 

 wilting. 



The J900 VarieUes. 



Of the 1900 novelties we are, of course, 

 unable to judge as well as we can the 

 older varieties; but from our own ex- 

 perience and that of other growers we 

 size them up about as follows: As a 

 conmicrcial sort we consider Ethel Crock- 

 er the best of the lot. It Jias good size, 

 color and stem. It is a strong grower 

 and a free bloomer. With us it is a race 

 between this and Mrs. F. Joost for plant- 

 ing in quantity. This variety does not 

 seem to like much feeding, but seems to 

 like about the same treatment as Flora 

 Hill. 



Genevieve Lord is lighter in color and 

 >maller in size than Crocker, but it is a 

 strong grower and a free bloomer. 



The Marquis makes a fine bloom on a 

 fino stem and the color is better than 

 either Crocker or G, Lord, If this va- 

 riety can be brought into full crop by 

 Dec, 1 or 15 it would be a money-maker 

 for sure. With ordinary culture it is too 

 late. 



Jlrs. T. W. Lawson has only one fault 

 and that is a short stem, but we think 

 that with indoor culture it will make 

 longer stems and if started early it will 

 coino into bloom in good time. 



Our Bertram Lippincott nearly all 

 turned out to be Daybreak, but the few 

 that are true have a very pretty color. 

 This is a sport from Daybreak. 



Morning Glory is giving satisfaction 

 (in most places and a very pretty thing it 



Olympia has made only fair blooms 

 witJi us until lately, but now it is mak- 

 in'_' fine blooms on loiii;. -troiiLi. wiry 

 stems. We like the ml,,, ,,,,,,1, liritrr 

 tlian Mrs. Bradt, but it «ill li:n,' to 

 round into form earlier in ni.ln tn dis- 

 place that variety. Those who saw it at 

 Mr, May's place last year say it can be 

 done, 



Peru is making grand pure white 

 blooms on long, strong stems, liut up to 

 Dec. 15 the blooms would not open out 

 well. This will also make a good one if 

 it gets into form a month earlier. 



If you fail to have success with a new 

 variety, don't Ijc too quick in pitching it 

 out. but rather try to discover its real 

 wants and treat accordingly. All these 

 varieties are profitable if grown properly. 

 A. F. .r. B.VUR. 



CARNATION DOROTHY. 



This new pink carnation is a seedling 

 raised by E. T. Grave, Richmond, Ind. 

 The color is similar to that of Scott, 

 the flowers large and sj'mmetrical and 

 built out nicely in the center, and very 

 fragrant. The stems awrage 2i to 3 

 feet. It is said to be of very easy cul- 

 ture, wonderfully prolific and has never 

 been affected with disease of any sort, 

 E.xperts who have seen it growing pro- 

 nounce it a decided acquisition. 



