SKPTKMBER 15. 1S9S. 



The Weekly Florists'' Review, 



415 



hot and the other was too cold; from 

 50 to 55 degrees is right, unless you 

 have an occasion to force to any pur- 

 pose. Though unsightly, it is of great 

 help to have toliacco stems loosely 

 strewn among the pots. 



Mignonette. 



Last year nothing that I grew for 

 Easter was so satisfactory and profit- 

 able as a few score of mignonette in 

 5-inch pots. It seems early to sow for 

 Easter, but not a day too soon. Sow a 

 few seeds in 2-inch pols. When well 

 up select the strongest and pull out the 

 rest. The secret of having good, bushy 

 mignonette that sells at sight is to 

 give them a low temperature with the 

 fullest light and air. from the time 

 they are half an inch high until sold; 

 no such a thing as high temperature 

 or forcing will do. Will have more to 

 say about mignonette; but sow at 

 once. 



Asparagus Sprengerii. 



No plant increases more in popular 

 favor than this fine asparagus. As 

 j.Ir. Gurney Hill said at Omaha, "It is 

 among the greatest of our late acqui- 

 sitions." I only mention it on this oc- 

 casion to remind you that it wants no 

 dark, close house. It will stand the 

 broadest sunlight and should have it. 

 Those not growing this beautiful plant 

 should procure it at once and lots of 

 it. for it is of the greatest use both for 

 designs and decorations of any kind. 



Labeling Cannas. 

 Just let me remind you thai perhaps 

 you bought last spring a half a dozen 

 new cannas. If you don't label them 

 before frost destroys their flotwers you 

 will have them all mixed up and never 

 know the varieties before they flower 

 again next year. 



WILLIAM SCOTT. 



OUR PRIZE COMPETITION. 



Following is another batch of en- 

 tries in our prize competition in labor 

 saving devices or methods useful to 

 florists: 



.No. 11. Device fcr \ 



the lower one to allow the largest pot 

 in general use around the place to 

 sliile under. On the edge of this shelf 

 is fitted a sheet iron spout. In use the 

 pot is pushed under the spout, the 

 plant is held in position by the left 

 hand while with one sweep of the 

 right hand enough soil is brought 

 down to fill the pot. There is no 

 changing of hands or going after soil 

 twice. C. 



No. 11 is a simple device for thor- 

 oughly ventilating a sash house, either 

 span roof or lean-to. The invention is 

 entirely my own, and I have used it on 

 my violet house and other cool houses 

 with the most satisfactory results. To 

 those who have had any experience 

 in the difBcult work of airing a house 

 of the above, kind, top and bottom, 

 this device will particularly appeal. 



My violet house is a span with com- 

 mon 3x6 sash on each side. Every 

 other sash is screwed solidly top and 



-No. lU Double Deck 1 tting Bench 



No. 10 is a doubledeck potting bench. 

 The upper shelf holds the soil, ths 

 lower one the pots and plants. The 

 upper one is just high enough above 



bottom to ridge and plate and con- 

 stitute the only fixed portion of the 

 roof. The other alternate sashes are 

 for ventilation and fit loosely in the 



Siish Ilouf 



spaces. A half round or other strip is 

 screwed on each side of movable sash, 

 projecting an inch or so over the fixed 

 sash, forming at same time a cap to 

 keep out the rain and a support for the 

 movable sash. The ventilating sashes 

 may be opposite each other or opposite 

 the fixed sashes; it is immaterial as 

 regards the device. 



This latter consists of a double joint- 

 ed hinge (.Fig. 1). which can be made, 

 to order or improvised, as I did. by 

 riveting a T hinge and a strap hinge 

 together as shown in the diagram, a, 

 a, (Fig. 1), being rivets. Two of these 

 double jointed hinges are required for 

 each sash to be opened, one on each 

 side. The T part of hinge (B, Fig. 1) 

 is screwed on to plate (A, Fig. li) and 

 the strap end (C, Fig. 1 ) on to the sa?h 

 (B, Fig. 2), the sash being closed tight 

 at the time. When both hinges are in 

 p'.ace a slight pushing outward from 

 the inside of the house will bring the 

 sash in position shown in Fig. y,. The 

 upper part is supported by the half- 

 round cap and slides down on edge of 

 fixed sash, the lower part moves up- 

 ward and outward until the part of 

 hinge A, Fig. li, has passed just beyond 

 the perpendicular, where it can be held 

 by a light piece of chain fixed to top 

 of each sash and the ridge, b, c. Fig. .'!; 

 c, d. Fig. 2. No wind can disturb the- 

 sashes in this position. 



A slight pull from the inside closes 

 the sash, the cam-like action of the 

 hinge pushing it home by its own- 

 weight and holding it there. This de- 

 vice is so mechanically perfect that it 

 is quite fascinating to operate it. A 

 man can open and close the sishes on 

 a house almost as fast as he can walk. 

 D.. 



No. 12. There is generallv a little 

 thinning out to do among ch-y.-^anthe- 

 muins. Surplus shoots may be rooted 

 now and then stuck verv close to- 



