644 



The Weekly Florists' Review, 



NOVEMBER 1, 1900. 



Farleyense is the best fern to use witli 

 orchids, and if you use cattleyas be care- 

 ful to phice them so their lips will sliow. 

 for that is the best part of them. You 

 might use a few Dendrobium phalaenop- 

 sisto break the stiffness, but they don't 

 harmonize with every cattleya. These 

 flowers undoubtedly make a rich table, 

 but it is more difficult to arrange them. 

 Don't attempt one unless you have suf- 

 ficient material to make it look good, 

 and it will always be better if you can 

 save the best sprays for corsage bouquets. 

 Use no green with them, just twist tlie 

 stem with narrow velvet or panne rib- 

 bon of the same color as the dower and 

 place them facing outwards, to the right 

 or left of the end of each lady's plate. 

 Florets of light colored Dendrobium 

 phalaenopsis should be used for the gen- 

 tlemen's bontonnieres. 



Whenever you arrange a table for 

 competition at a show try to make ev- 

 erything on the table harmonize. Have 

 the flowers to be worn of the same kind 

 as your center piece if at all appropri- 

 ate." You might do well with lady 

 judges by a careful use of the newest 

 ribbons, but they should be subservient, 

 not a dominant feature. 



Furnishing the Table. 



Where you are expected to show a 

 completely" furnished table, that is cloth, 

 dishes and all that goes to constitute a 

 properly set table (which we will tell 

 you next week), be correct and up to 

 date. Some use lace covered mats to 

 match the flowers, the candy and dishes, 

 and even the fruits are selected to suit 

 the flowers; and as for the candle and 

 shades, well, they are responsible for 

 many a one losing the prize. Don't have 

 any cumbersome arrangements or fight- 

 ing colors; dainty, right-colored shades 

 do more to make or mar your table than 

 you imagine; so be careful to get the 

 best and select them in daylight. 



Chrysanthemums. 



In the matter of chrysanthemums, 

 pink or yellow are the safest colors to 

 depend on. Once in a while a white 

 table wins, but when it does the credit 

 is due to finish or arrangement and not 

 to color. Farleyense and yellow chry- 

 santhemums of the incurved class make 

 a fine table. They are apt to look richer 

 than all others in day time. Pink chry- 

 santhemums are best at night, but you 

 must get the right shade. Helen Blood- 

 good is probably the best. Harry Bals- 

 ley sometimes show up good, but tlien 

 there are many others. 



We would not depend entirely on large 

 blooms for a chrysanthemum table. I 

 rather think if I were to arrange a table 

 with one pretty variety of yellow pom- 

 pons and Japanese maples, and have 

 • the entire table, the chairs and lights in 

 Japanese effects, I would push you 

 pretty hard with your large blooms and 

 Farleyense. 



Funeral designs of the Faith, Hope 

 and Charity, gates ajar, broken column 

 or pillow types, are not the right kind 

 to exhibit at shows. The flat bunch or 



wrcatli are the prettiest. More Brides' 

 and Bridesmaids" bouquets should be 

 fhown. and they should be judged l)y 

 weight and finish as much as by ar- 

 rangement. 



Plants at Exhibitions. 



Anyone can arrange a mound of 

 plants. There is nothing to that kind 

 of an exhibit. People glance at such 

 and walk away, often without even 

 thinking the group is pretty. If you 

 wish to advertise your store or help 

 along the show, just set to work and fix 

 up a grotto, or arbor, or archway, or 

 some nook in a corner. Put a rustic 

 table and seats for two in your design, 

 have a Japanese or Venetian hanging 

 lamp there, too. Don't let the people 

 in your space fence it off with some 

 pretty rope; have them admire your 

 work. We know we need not go into 

 detail when speaking to some of the 

 boys, but we see too many formal groups 

 of" plants at exhibitions. The people 

 don't and can't be forced to admire them. 



Put some pretty and useful design 

 into your work, for in doing so you not 

 only give pleasure to the beholder but 

 also create a longing in the breast to 

 own such. Often the poorest plants can 

 be made to equal the best w'hen prop- 

 erly used in design work. The growers 

 succeed too well in spoiling the efi'ect 

 of shows by having their companies and 

 regiments of vases with wars of colors 

 without the retailers dumping their 

 plants on the floor or on tables and ar- 

 ranging them the same as if it were a 

 part of their window or greenhouse. 

 Give the people the worth of their 

 .money by exhibiting some of your ar- 

 tistic" ability. Iver.v. 



CHRISTMAS POT PLANTS. 



As Christmas approaches we begin to 

 consider what wa can profitably grow to 

 give variety in pot plants for holiday 

 sales. 



Last year we had some Marguerites 

 left over from spring sales. They were 

 in G-inch pots and with only one shift 

 and plunged out of doors for the sum- 

 mer they became well ripened up and 

 badly pot-bound by fall. They were 

 shifted into good rich soil, taken in be- 

 fore frost and k'ept at about 55 degrees 

 at night. By Christmas they made 

 handsome plants, perfect masses of 

 bloom, and retailed readily at good 

 prices. 



Evanston carnation is also good for 

 this purpose. If potted into 5-inch and 

 brought along with a little feeding the 

 plants can be depend'ed upon to give a 

 good crop of flowers and be in fine sal- 

 able condition at the time wanted. 



Mayor Pingree carnation makes an 

 excellent pot plant it handled carefully 

 and given a little higher temperature. 

 It is extremely showy with its tall, 

 straight flower stems. 



In roses pot grown Beauties, Sou- 

 p'crts and Hermosas can be had in fairly 

 good shape with early ripening and rest- 

 ing and are a most acceptable addition. 

 Some of the newer varieties seem likelv 



to make b't'tter pot plants than those 

 above mentioned. 



Some well grown 8. A. Nutt gerani- 

 ums went fairly well, and the color of 

 the flowers harmonized with Christmas 

 decorations. 



Where violets aiV grown Princess of 

 Wales will make a good pot plant to add 

 to the list. 



At one florist's I noticed last year 

 some fairly good plants of chrysanthe- 

 mums of the very late varieties that I 

 was told sold at good prices. 



Those who have not the temperature 

 to force in poinsettias, azaleas and lilies 

 will find the plants I have mentioned, 

 togethw with cyclamen, Roman hya- 

 cinths, Papir White narcissus and pri- 

 mulas profitable for holiday sales, and 

 others will find them useful in adding 

 variety to our limited number of plants 

 for Cliristmas. Joseph Reeve. 



CARNATIONS. 



Tlianks to the love for the carnation of 

 President McKiirley, there is an unusu- 

 ally good demand for this flower at pres- 

 ent, but I would advise not allowing the 

 temperature of your houses getting too 

 high in order to get the benefit of this 

 demand, for if you do, you will suffer 

 for it later, and besides, there are other 

 good times coming. 



Do not allow the temperature to run 

 over 50 degrees at night, unless your 

 crops are late, in which case you will be 

 all right at as high as 55 degrees, so 

 long as you keep a crack of air on. This 

 should be done anyway, even if you have 

 to resort to firing.- This is the best way 

 to keep your plants in good health, and 

 to give 3'ou strong, rigid stems; also it 

 keeps the atmosphere and your foliage 

 dry, which is a preventive against rust. 



Rust is not the bugaboo it used to be, 

 but at the same time, while it is not so 

 dreaded as formerly, it should be kept 

 down by pinching oflf the affected leaves, 

 and burning them; a good dusting of 

 flowers of sulphur, and you will not be 

 troubled with rust to any considerable 

 extent for the remainder of the season. 

 But again in managing this dry atmos- 

 phere, it must not be overdone, or you 

 will have cause to regret it with a plague 

 of red spider on your heels that will be 

 more real damage than all the rust I 

 ever saw. On bright days syringe well 

 the walks under the benches, and around 

 the pipes, and don't forget the corners on 

 your rounds, for if you do the spider will 

 be the first to find it out. Syringing the 

 plants on bright, sunny days is very es- 

 sential, only when it is done let it be 

 done well. Use cold water with as much 

 force as possible, and if you syringe from 

 south side of bench one time, do it from 

 the north side next time, because red 

 spiders are themselves nine-tenths brains, 

 and will be quick to take advantage of a 

 manipulator of the hose. 



Growers intending to make exhibits at 

 the coming flower shows should now 

 have their show blooms selected and tied 

 up straight. If this is done, the flowers 

 will not have so much of a tendency to 

 bow their heads to every one when on 



