The Weekly Florists' Review ♦ 



619 



The Cape Jessamine. 



The advantage in getting tliem in a 

 solid bed would be that you could have 

 tlie walls of briclf and there would be 

 no replenishing as is the case every three 

 or four years with benches. And per- 

 haps another advantage of tlie solid beds 

 would be that when the hot suns of 

 April and May come they would not 

 need so much watering and as the roots 

 would go deeper they would likely give 

 larger and better flowers. Still for all 

 that from October to April, and that is 

 the time when we get big prices for 

 flowers, they are easier managed and 

 better results can be obtained on the 

 raised benches, and that, I believe, is the 

 best way to grow them. 



William Scott. 



THE JESSAMINES. 



Among the southern grown flowers 

 wliich are most widely known for their 

 fragrance, beauty and shipping qualities 

 are the Jessamines {Gardenia florida). 



Of the Cape variety there are two 

 kinds, known as the Capes and Grandi- 

 floras. They are very much alike, being 

 pure white with rich, waxy green leaves. 

 The Capes blossom almost all summer. 

 but are much smaller both in buds and 

 foliage than the Grandifloras, and seldom 

 have the long straight stems of the lat- 

 ter. The season for the Grandiflora Jes- 

 samine is about the middle of May, and 

 usually lasts three weeks. 



Near Alvin, a little place in southern 

 Texas, the Grandifloras were first found, 

 and now they are cultivated in open 

 fields. The shrubs reach a height of from 

 six to eight feet, are evergreen, and dur- 

 ing the blossoming season are covered 

 with the pure white blossoms which per- 

 fume the air for miles around. 



The buds have been shipped as far 

 north as Canada and to every state in 

 the Union. Pense Cook. 



Alvin, Tex. 



PHILADELPHIA. 

 The Maj-ket- 



The cut flower market has been active 

 since the last report. Business for this 

 week opened with a rush on Monday, a 

 very large number of floral oft'erings be- 

 ing sent to the members of new councils, 

 in their chambers at city hall. The gifts 

 were nearly all niadc-up baskets of var- 

 ious kinds, creating an unusual demand 

 for roses of the poorer grades. So nu- 

 merous were the orders for this occasion 

 that twelve florists' wagons were count- 

 ed in front of the public buildings at 

 one time, and the popular members were 

 obliged to hire express wagons to carry 

 their flowers home. 



Prices rule about tbe same as last 

 week, excepting that the second class 

 roses advanced as noted above. The in- 

 dications are that roses will advance lit- 

 tle if any at Easter. Choice Beauties are 

 expected to bring from $3 to $G a dozen ; 

 Brides and Maids from $8 to $10 a hun- 

 dred. Carnations will be in good sup- 

 ply, better it is thought than usual at 

 Easter. Ordinary grades are quoted at 

 from $3 to $4 a hundred, fancies at from 

 .$5 to $8 a hundred. Sweet peas, which 

 are becoming more plentiful, will bring 

 from $1.50 to $2 a hundred and can 

 now be had in several colors. All greens 

 are in brisk demand, especially aspara- 

 gus. 



Lilies are selling well and will prob- 

 ably be cleaned up, many being late and 

 others poor; the ruling price is 12 cents 

 per bud and flower whether cut or on 

 the plant. Some fears have been felt 

 as to whether azaleas wiH be in short 

 supply. This seems unlikely, as at the 

 close of last week, Aschmann, Bunting, 

 Dreer and Mecky, all had large stocks- 

 on hand. The refailers can generally 

 manage to make other plants go around 

 if the lilies and azaleas hold out. 



Various Items. 



.Most of the large retailers have se- 

 cured a convenient annex, so to speak, 

 wherein they can store plants sold till 

 the time for delivery arrives or where 

 they can display part of their stock. 

 Some of the growers have taken stores 

 and stands in the heaft of the city just 

 for a week. Charles Fox, Broad and 

 Thoiiip-'iii SI-.. H.,i\c,l his lilies the end 

 of luhl \Hik. iIh |il:uits all being in bud 

 with M'l .ipni il.nv('is. This plan makes 

 the tr;iiisl.T liuin I lie greenhouse to the 

 store much less risky than when the 

 flowers are open. Judgment must be 

 used in selecting plants with buds that 

 are far enough advanced to open in time 

 without the aid of sunlight. 



\V. L. Edwards, of Norwood, Delaware 

 Co., lost many of his carnations by stem 

 rot last fall and was obliged to find a 

 suitable substitute. He planted two 

 houses in pansies, separate colors; the 

 cut flowers have proved a paying crop. 

 There has been some inquiry for well 

 grown geraniums in 6-inch pots. These 

 should pay at from $3 to $4 a dozen. 

 Here is an opening for some one next 

 season. 



Thomas Meehan & Sons have two 

 houses of sweet peas that are beginning 

 to bear well. They have Blanche Ferry, 

 Emily Henderson and New Countess. 



Hugh Graham as well as George An- 

 derson will have Brunners at Easter. 



Jacob Becker has some well grown 

 Souvenir de Wootton in pots. 



Friday night saw the close of a pret- 

 ty Easter opening, held on three evenings 

 last week by Samuel S. Pennock. Five 

 growers were represented: Hugh Gra- 

 ham, of Logan; Hugh Walch, of Tioga; 

 William K. Harris and Robert Craig &, 

 Son, of West Philadelphia;- and Robert 

 Scott & Son, of Sharon Hill. Each grow- 

 er exhibited sample lilies, azaleas, hy- 

 drangeas, genistas, spireas and other 

 plants in bloom on tables from which 

 orders were taken. There were also ex- 

 hibits of choice Beauties, Lawsons and 

 other cut flowers to show that Mr. Pen- 

 nock's consignors will keep up the high 

 standard of quality at the coming great 

 plant festival. The whole place, includ- 

 ing the cold storage rooms, showed to ad- 

 vantage, being brightly lighted and full 

 of people. The affair was successful 

 from a business standpoint. 



Charles Zimmer has been making a 

 reputation as a grower of Princess of 

 Wales violets this season. Color, stem 

 and foliage are praised by critical buy- 

 ers. 



A Philadelphian who was at the "Hy- 

 phen" rose show says that all the grow- 

 ers took ofT their hats to Stephen Mor- 

 tenson when they saw his vase of Lib- 

 erty. It was not for competition, but 

 so "fine a display that great things were 

 prophesied for "this Southampton man 

 in the near future. 



Robert A. Stewart has his new store 

 in running order for this month, which 

 he considers the best of the twelve. 



The rose growers are trying raflSa for 

 all tying, both stakes and plants. It is 

 cheaper than string, but whether it is 

 as quick and effective is a question. 



A contemporary announces that Wil- 

 liam Munro has succeeded W. A. Leon- 

 ard as foreman at R. Scott & Son's, the 

 retiring foreman having rented a place 

 o!i his own account. 



The club meeting has been postponed 

 until Tuesday in Easter week. John N. 

 May will speak on the rose meet at the 

 "Hyphen." Phil. 



