132 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



JANUAKT 5, 



ing spring. A rather close, cool shad- 

 ed house is the place for the cuttings. 

 Perhaps in the mild climate o£ B. C. 

 they would do finely in a cold frame. 

 Sand and leaf mould equal parts and 

 well firmed is the proper mixture for 

 the cuttings. Don't pot off till well 

 rooted. Wm. Scott. 



NOVELTIES. 



Review of Recent Introductions and Talk 



on Some Coming Claimants. 



[Read by A. Blanc before the Florists' Club of 

 Philadelphia, January 3, 1899.] 



Mr. President and Gentlemen: I 

 have been asked to read a paper on 

 novelties of the past and the future, 

 though why this honor has been ac- 

 corded to me is somewhat of an enig- 

 ma, as many of you are better posted 

 on the subject. However, I will do 

 what I can under the circumstances. 



It has been said that novelties are 

 the staff of life for florists and seeds- 

 men; and it is true that many most 

 prosperous in the business owe their 

 first success to some taking novelty in 

 plants or seeds, which carried them on 

 the tide that led to fortune. 



By thousands who take an interest 

 in the new plants introduced from year 

 to year it is to be regretted that the 

 publication of Professor Bailey's "An- 

 nals of Horticulture" was discontin- 

 ued. It was an invaluable work on 

 that subject and on horticulture in 

 general. It is greatly missed by many, 

 as today there is no work to take Its 

 place. 



To show how few novelties eventual- 

 ly become popular, I might say that in 

 1891 884 species and varieties supposed 

 to be new were introduced to the 

 American trade — including vegetables 

 and fruits — and I fear that not ten of 

 them are grown in or near Philadel- 

 phia at this time. We may perhaps 

 find one or two carnations and chrys- 

 anthemums. 



One of the first sensational novelties 

 introduced in this neighborhood was 

 chrysanthemum "Philadelphia," raised 

 by Mr. Graham. It did more to adver- 

 tise our city as a chrysanthemum- 

 growing center than any other plant I 

 know of, and was certainly far ahead 

 of anything raised up to that date. 

 Since then it has been eclipsed by 

 "Pennsylvania," "Carnot," and no 

 doubt by several others. 



The chrysanthemum which is good 

 enough to receive a certificate nowa- 

 days is hard to improve upon, and the 

 acme of perfection seems attained. I 

 read in a foreign journal that the latest 

 introductions of the most celebrated 

 French chrysanthemist, to whom we 

 always looked for something grand, 

 are very disappointing and actually 

 not worth growing. My opportunities 

 for studying the new chrysanthemums 

 have been so limited that I shall have 

 to refer you to the list of varieties 

 certificated lately published in the 

 trade papers, as it would take too 

 much of your time to give even a list 

 of the meritorious ones. 



Chrysanthemum "Ivory" is probably 

 the best for all commercial purposes to 

 date, but, as usual with a good thing, 

 every one has grown it in excess of the 

 demand, and as a result the fiowers 

 have been sold at a loss. It may there- 

 fore be discarded for some other vari- 

 ety newer but of less merit. The chrys- 

 anthemum we do want, I suppose, is 

 one that will bloom continuously from 

 September until Easter, bearing im- 

 mense, sweet-scented flowers of vari- 

 ous colors on one plant — including 

 blue, I dare say. I hear that one is to 

 be offered in New York which is said 

 to bloom from July until New Year, 

 and even later, and is perfectly hardy 

 in the open ground. 



ROSES. In roses we have forgotten 

 Her Majesty, Wm. Francis Bennett and 

 hundreds of others supposed to be 

 grand acquisitions; but it is a pleas- 

 ure to note that American Beauty, the 

 Bride and Bridesmaid (the latter two 

 roses of American introduction) are to- 

 day the most popular forcing roses in 

 this country. President Carnot has 

 hosts of admirers. The trouble with it 

 is that it will go to rest in January 

 and February; yet some of our best 

 growers still hold on to it and will 

 bring it in for Easter, spring and sum- 

 mer, when it is at its best. Its distinct 

 shade makes it always a seller. 



It is a great pity we have discarded 

 Madame Hoste, Mrs. Morgan, Madame 

 de Watteville, and others of this class, 

 as every flower shop in the land feels 

 the need of more variety. The man 

 who will grow a houseful of each of 

 these is sure to find a sale for them 

 at a high price. What we now want is 

 a yellow Bridesmaid with the color of 

 Marechal Neil. The man who gets it 

 need not be afraid to ask $5,000 for it. 



Crimson Rambler certainly jumped 

 into favor with less trouble than any 

 rose introduced for years. It is bound 

 to be found in the gardens of our 

 grandchildren. Those who have -seen 

 the hedges of it with thousands of clus- 

 ters in full bloom can never forget the 

 glorious sight. Its three sisters, Ag- 

 laia, Thalia and Euphrosyne, have not 

 given the same satisfaction every- 

 where, being much less hardy and not 

 so suitable for forcing. 



Royal Cluster is the name of a new 

 hardy rose to be sent out by the Co- 

 pard & Jones Co. this year. It is the 

 result of a cross between the Dawson 

 and the Hermosa. It bears clusters of 

 over 100 flowers, the color of which is 

 white, tinted with blush. It has the 

 advantage over Crimson Rambler of 

 having a spicy fragrance, and appar- 

 ently possesses all the good qualities 

 of Crimson Rambler, which is saying a 

 great deal. Mr. Manda's hybrid Wichu- 

 raiana's. Triumph, South Orange Per- 

 fection, Universal Favorite, Pink 

 Roamer, are fine things for the garden; 

 and his very latest evergreen hybrids, 

 Jersey Beauty, Gardenia and Ever- 

 green Gem, are claimed by those who 

 know to be of immense value for gar- 

 den purposes, and sure to be grown in 

 all parts of the world. 



It is a pleasure to note that the Lord 



Penzance Sweet Briars have found 

 many admirers in this country. The 

 new colors found among them make 

 them desirable for amateurs as well as 

 for parks and large gardens. Much was 

 expected of Carmine Pillar, which is 

 such a great favorite in English gar- 

 dens; but, like the Rugosa roses, it 

 does not seem to please the American 

 fancy. 



The Climbing Kaiserin (or Mrs. 

 Peary), a sport from Kaiserin, origi- 

 nated in Wilmington and also with 

 Mr. Chas. Cox. of Philadelphia, will 

 prove a valuable rose for the south; 

 and, if hardy, equally so for the north. 

 The same may be said of Climbing Me- 

 teor. Climbing Wootton is now 

 claimed to have proved hardy in this 

 latitude, and is a fine rose for porches 

 or pillars, growing from ten to twelve 

 feet in one season. 



No better name than Liberty could 

 have been selected for a new rose, and 

 we congratulate the raiser upon his 

 choice, which will help to make it pop- 

 ular here. It is of a better and more 

 uniform color than Meteor, and has 

 not the fault of producing flowers of 

 too dark a color. In this respect Lib- 

 erty has a decided advantage. It is 

 grown now by Mr. Asmus and Mr. Al- 

 exander Scott and will not be sent out 

 until 1900. Clara Barton, originated 

 in the west, is a sport from Brides- 

 maid. It is darker and said to be a 

 very distinct shade. 



While some grand roses have been 

 raised in America within the last few 

 years, we regret that we are still far 

 behind the English rose grower who 

 some time since advertised to send, all 

 for one shilling, a blue rose, a green 

 rose and a rose as big as a cart wheel. 

 Likewise we are outdone by the Rus- 

 sian gentleman who is said to possess 

 a really black rose. Of the hundreds 

 of French roses sent over at very high 

 prices, none are suitable for forcing in 

 winter and consequently the demand 

 for them has greatly diminished. 



CARNATIONS. So many good new 

 carnations have been introduced with- 

 in the last few years that it would e.'c- 

 haust your patience to talk about 

 them. Besides, you know more of 

 them than I do. It is to be regretted 

 that the prices obtained for cut flowers 

 makes it more and more difDcult to 

 grow carnations at a profit, even with 

 the most exhaustive care and the most 

 economic management. In future it 

 will only pay to grow the best varie- 

 ties, such as White Cloud, Flora Hill, 

 Evelina, in whites; Victor, Triumph, 

 Argyle, Mrs. Joost and others of that 

 class in pinks. Melba is the best 

 among the pinks. It is owned by Rob- 

 ert Craig &. Son and John N. May. 



A good red one is badly needed, and 

 this want will be supplied next spring 

 by Mr. Fred. Dorner with "G. H. 

 Crane." This variety is equal in size 

 to Jubilee, of as fine a color, and has 

 the advantage of being much freer in 

 bloom. Among other notable new- 

 comers will be J. Whitcomb Riley, a 

 delicately variegated pink and white 

 variety of immense size and many 



