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The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



NOVEMBER 17, 1S9J. 



not have mildew, but it is the sudden 

 changes which affect the health of the 

 plant, and give a chance for the rest- 

 ing spores of the dreaded mildew to 

 get in its work. 



Hydrangeas. 



As soon as benches are vacant you 

 should put up your Easter hydrangeas. 

 Bringing them along slowly for two 

 months is much better than doing all 

 the forcing in the last two months. 

 Easter is rather early next year and 

 they will want all the time you have 

 to be in perfect flower. If they need 

 a larger pot to flower in do the shift- 

 ing when you put them on the bench. 

 They are the hungriest kind of feed- 

 ers, so use a rather heavy loam with 

 a fourth of cow manure. 



Azaleas. 



The azalea is now one of our lead- 

 ing Christmas plants. If plants that 

 you have summered over, many of 



them will force for the holidays, but if 

 fresh imported plants, only a few vari- 

 eties should be attempted. Deutsche 

 Perle is the best and easiest of all 

 whites to force; Simon Mardner, a 

 fine double red, and Vervaneana, the 

 beautiful pink variegated. While all 

 your main stock of azaleas should be 

 in a cool house a night temperature 

 of 40 degrees is plenty high enough, 

 and much less would do. Those you 

 want for Easter should be in 55 to CO 

 degrees and daily syringed. 



Poinsett ias. 



Much has been said during the past 

 year about poinsettias. One point 

 may have escaped some reader. If 

 you have a batch that you think are 

 in too small pots and showiiig yellow 

 leaves, don't shift them or you will 

 ruin them. They will not at this date 

 submit to any disturbance of their 

 roots, however slight. Feed them it 

 crowded with roots, but don't disturb 

 them. WM. SCOTT. 



Flowrers for Thanksgiving Day. 



Yes, indeed, if we only stop to con- 

 sider it we have lots to be thankful 

 for and should hail Thanksgiving Day 

 in its true meaning and with extreme 

 pleasure. Let us crown the day with 

 our best garland of flowers, and give 

 to the occasion the refining influences 

 of our beautiful art. The florists of 

 this glorious country are occupied in 

 a business that in itself is a grand 

 example of the great advancement of 

 civilization. We have quickly fol- 

 lowed the pioneer and miner out to 

 the plains, and have received from 

 them and given to them encourage- 

 ment and pleasure from flowers. We 

 have ornamented the festive board of 

 the wealthy and given to beauty a 

 charm only obtained from smiles of 

 roses. 



Yes, we florists have tramped along 

 the rough road and the smooth, and 

 whatever discontentment we may 

 have met it has been due to our own 

 weakness — our own way of conducting 

 business. We should recognize the 

 fact that flowers are essential to al- 

 most every important act in life — this 



is a great and good market, and that 

 we can always make it better. We 

 should be too big to stoop to consider 

 the smallness of that part of human 

 nature which is steeped in impecuni- 

 ous bickerings, and join in and occu- 

 py all the way one very prominent po- 

 sition in the triumphal march of Co- 

 lumbia's magnificent prosperity. 



Yes. indeed, we have much to be 

 thankful for, we florists — and let us 

 show our appreciation by our endeav- 

 ors to please — let us whenever possi- 

 ble — and it is possible in most cases, 

 lead off in all the beautiful customs 

 which combine to make a people great. 

 Sentiment is the lite of the individual, 

 and the nation and our business de- 

 pends on it. Therefore on an occa- 

 sion like this we should be fully pre- 

 pared to suggest and execute suitable 

 forms of decorations. 



Flowers for Thanksgiving Day 

 should be bright and glorious! Red 

 will be the leading color, and don't 

 forget the stars and stripes should be 

 used wherever possible. Vases of Me- 

 teors and vases of American Beauties 

 will be the most suitable dinner table 

 decorations, and don't use much 



greens on the table; have your roses 

 either in low rose bowls or in tall 

 vases; avoid medium heights. The 

 Morgan or Cusin rose make a beauti- 

 ful center piece if arranged loosely in 

 a low bowl, and let one or two of them 

 fall over the side; it won't hurt if 

 one or two lay on the cloth. You 

 need no ferns, etc.; their own foliage 

 is enough. The principle to recognize 

 in Thanksgiving preparations is, the 

 flowers should be abundant but simple 

 in arrangement. 



Many of us will be called upon to 

 decorate for club dinners and even 

 private social affairs where t.e will be 

 required to do something more ex- 

 pressive; that is to say, the use of 

 flowers, fruit and vegetables, and the 

 national colors will be greatly used. 

 On many occasions the flag can be uti- 

 lized for a table cover and the nap- 

 kins be of the national colors. Small 

 sheafs of wheat. We don't mean fu- 

 neral design wheat, but good, un- 

 thrashed American wheat cut about a 

 foot in height, tied in sheaves with a 

 spray of autumn foliage and a cluster 

 of yellow or bronze chrysanthemums. 

 There may be placed each side a large 

 bowl of red roses. Use a few grape 

 vines with foliage and fruit on them 

 if obtainable, and keep your vegeta- 

 bles separate, and only the finer ones, 

 such as tomatoes, celery, egg plant, 

 parsley, etc., should be used. 



Ornamental gourds look pretty, and 

 the Chinese lantern plant (Physalis 

 Franchetti) is beautiful for an occa- 

 sion like this. Flowers and fruit 

 should predominate and autumn 

 leaves or miniature cornucopias 

 should take the place of dishes. If 

 you have a room to decorate, chrysan- 

 themums can be used to advantage 

 with vines or sheaves of wheat or 

 corn. 



There are a great many ways flow- 

 ers may be used, but you will find that 

 tall vases, filled with them, give most 

 satisfaction. The people are more 

 and more becoming tired or disgust- 

 ed with baskets, and most of the flow- 

 ers bought for Thanksgiving, will be 

 your best and prettiest in boxes. 

 Churches will be decorated, and you 

 should know that there are very few 

 colors appropriate. Of course, greens 

 can be used in abundance. Wild smi- 

 lax or asparagus is admirable mate- 

 rial, but only white flowers, some 

 crimson, and possibly a little pink, 

 should be used. Yellow, bronze, scar- 

 let, and orange colors should be 

 avoided in Church decorations. 



Violets will be the principal flower 

 worn, and there are many ways oT 

 fixing them. In the first place, they 

 should be sweet, avoia using violet 

 tinfoil, because it smells too strong. 

 If you want to cover the stems, twist 

 a piece of narrow violet ribbon (No. 

 11/^, or No. 2) round them, and tie a 

 small bow up under the leaves. If 

 you make a large corsage bouquet, 

 don't use smilax or other green, for 

 it is not necessary; tie the violets 

 loose, and use their own foliage, or a 



