MARCH 9, 1899. 



The Weekly Florists' Review, 



353 



germinating seeds at a more uniform 

 moisture tlian any mixture of soil. 



Crimson Rambler. 



I bought some of these last Novem- 

 ber from the nursery field, excellent in 

 quality in every way and now somS of 

 them will be in fine flower at Easter 

 while perhaps 30 per cent are only just 

 breaking. They were brought into the 

 house about New Year's. While this is 

 by no means a failure all round it is 

 not the way to do it, and the reason 

 for these comments is this: To be en- 

 tirely successful with this fine rose they 

 should be grown the previous summer 

 in pots and then forcing them is no 

 more than forcing out the flowers of 



a deutzia Now, I noticed this morn- 

 ing that with those that failed to break 

 all over the canes that they are just 

 making a numbei; of strong shoots just 

 above where they are budded onto the 

 stock. If the canes are cut back to 

 these strong breaks, four or five of the 

 strongest selected and kept growing 

 and then properly ripened ofi: in the 

 fall they will make the best of material 

 for forcing the following winter. That 

 is how to do it; do not expect a plant 

 with so much top to force within a 

 few months after being ruthlessly dug 

 from the field; and this applies to all 

 roses, particularly hybrid perpetuals. 

 WILLIAM SCOTT. 



COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS AND 



THEIR RELATION TO 



CARNATIONS. 



Bv Prof. \V. E. Britti;)N of the New Haven (Con- 

 necticut), E.\periment Station. 



[Read before the Philadelphia Meeting of the 

 .American Carnatior) Society.] 



During the season of 1896-97, the 

 Connecticut Experiment Station began 

 to study the fertilizer requirements of 

 the carnation plant, as grown under 

 glass for cut flowers. This paper, 

 which I now have the honor to pre- 

 sent for your consideration, is simply 

 an account of the studies and observa- 

 tions up to the present time. The work 

 will doubtless be continued, perhaps 

 for several years, and any suggestions 

 regarding nlans for future experiment 

 will be welcomed and duly considered. 

 The studies have been made hy Dr. E. 

 H. Jenkins and the author of this pa- 

 per. 



Carnations, as you know, like all 

 other plants, require for their growth 

 and development three fertilizing sub- 

 tances, viz.; Nitrogen, potash and 

 phosphoric acid. Many other chemical 

 elements are found in the plants, some 

 essential to plant development and 

 grofwth and others which are unneces- 

 sary; but these less important ingredi- 

 ents are usually present in the soil and 

 scarcely need our attention. 



The three above-mentioned fertiliz- 

 er ingredients are of the utmost im- 

 portance, and form what has been 

 termed, I believe, by Dr. Kedzie, the 

 "Chemical tripod of floriculture." 



At the beginning of our work we 

 could find almost no data regarding 

 the carnation plant upon which to base 

 our experiments. We were obliged to 

 feel our way. The first step necessary 

 was to ascertain the quantities of plant 



food actually removed from the soil 

 by the crop. This was done by grow- 

 ing the plants in soil of known compo- 

 sition, from a chemical standpoint. 



Formerly, the chemist analyzed the 

 soil to find what fertilizers were need- 

 ed, but now soil analysis is considered 

 of little importance, and the best way 

 to test the producing capacity of vari- 

 ous soils is by growing plants upon 

 them. 



A soil composed of coal ashes and 

 peat moss had been used in vegetation 

 experiments at the Station and it was 

 known that certain plants would 

 thrive in it. if the proper quantities of 

 fertilizer chemicals were added. It 

 was also known that, when no ferti- 

 lizers were added to this soil, very lit- 

 tle growth was nrade by the plants. 

 Vegetation, tesits, therefore, agj-eed 

 with the chemical examination, both 

 demonstrating that this soil was near- 

 ly sterile as far as plant food is con- 

 cerned. Extremely small quantities of 

 potash and phospheric acid were pres- 

 ent, but no available nitrogen. 



The soil was prepared by sifting bi- 

 tuminous coal ashes through a screen 

 having four meshes to the inch. For 

 peat moss we employed the kind that 

 is commonly used in city stables for 

 bedding. It comes in bales and is said 

 to be imported froim Holland or Ger- 

 many. It was broken up and passed 

 through the same screen as the ashes. 

 The sifting renders both peat and ash- 

 es capable of being mixed with greater 

 ease and thoroughness. Three per cent 

 by weight of peat moss was mixed 

 with the sifted ashes, to form the soil 

 for the experimental tests. 



Ten plots, each having an area of 

 14.53 square feet and situated on a 

 raised bench along the west side of the 

 house, were devoted to the experiment. 

 Eight of these plots were filled with 

 soil of coal ashes and peat moss. To 

 each of six of these plots were added 



8 grams of phosphoric acid, in the 

 form of dissolved bone black; 12 

 grams were furnished each of the oth- 

 er two plots, 35 grams of potash, in the 

 form of muriate, were added to each 

 of five plots, while the quantity was 

 increased to 45 grams in two plots and 

 60 grams in the rerraining plot. Each 

 of four of these plots received 25 grams 

 of nitrogen, in the form of nitrate of 

 soda, while the remaining plots were 

 given 20. 30 and 40 grams respectively. 

 Two plots were filled with a soil made 

 by composting turf with one^third its 

 bulk of good stable manure. 



The plants were purchased of a com- 

 mercial grower and were of good size 

 and as nearly alike as it was possible 

 to get them, when set in the benches 

 October 1. Three varieties were em- 

 ployed: These were Wm. Scott, 

 Alaska and Daybreak. Eighteen plants, 

 six of each variety, were set in each 

 plot. After setting all flowers buds 

 were removed to make the plants as 

 nearly comparable as possible. No 

 blossoms appeared until December 1, 

 when the Daybreaks began to flower. 

 The plants were removed from the 

 benches July 1. 



The largest yield was obtained from 

 the plot having 25 grams of nitrogen, 

 S of phosphoric acid and 60 of potash. 

 Daybreak in this plot averaged over 

 30 blooms per plant and for the three 

 plots giving the best crops. Daybreak 

 and Alaska averaged 27 blooms per 

 plant. 



The results of this trial indicate that, 

 in order to secure a maximum crop, at 

 least 40 grams of nitrogen, 12 of phos- 

 phoric acid and 60 of potash must "be 

 present in the artificial soil of one of 

 our plots, and that it must be in read- 

 ily available form. 



In this propoi-tion the amounts 

 necessary for 100 square feet of bench 

 space are as follows: 



Nitrate of soda 3 pounds, 14 ounces 



Dissolved bone black 1 pound. 1 ounce 



M uriate of potash 1 pound, 13 ounces 



Some analyses of the entire plants 

 were made at the time of setting. Dur- 

 ing growth, all flower stalks were dis- 

 budded, leaving only the terminal bud 

 to open. The blooms were gathered 

 about twice a week and were in about 

 the same condition as carnation 

 flowers usually are when picked for 

 market. The diameter of each flower, 

 length of stem, and any characteristic, 

 such as form, color or substance, were 

 carefully noted and recorded. 



A record was also kept of the 

 weights of the blooms from each plot 

 and of each variety. The trimmings 

 that accrued from the disbudding and 

 gathering of dead and diseased leaves 

 were carefully saved and accredited to 

 the plots that produced them. At the 

 time of harvest analyses were made of 

 the old plants, together with the trim- 

 mings, and, as chemical analyses had 

 already been made of each variety of 

 cut flowers and plants at time of set- 

 ting, it was possible to calculate the 

 exact quantities of nitrogen, potash 



