30S 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



FEBRUARY 15, 19C0. 



ures for its own protection. We con- 

 sider it our diitv to side with the re- 

 tailer. 



Roses. 



The Philadelphia flori.sts had a most 

 interesting debate recently on "The 

 Rose." We would like to see the mat- 

 ter taken up by growers ami retailers 

 in every city; it would certainly result 

 in benefit to the future of that great 

 flower and to trade. Every thinking 

 man knows that we need more varie- 

 ties of roses in the cut flower trad?. 

 We feel sure that the new rose Liberty 

 two years hence will decrease the de- 

 mand for American Beauties. There is 

 also a future for that grand variety 

 'l>ady Dorothea. ' 



A great deal of trouble arises from 

 the fact that when a new rose appears 

 on the market it is either in poor con- 

 dition, or the grower demands an ex- 

 orbitant price for it. We admit that 

 in some cases the store keepers are to 

 blame, and a little more closer rela- 

 tion and confiden<-e between these cle- 

 ment would often avoid disappoint- 

 ments. The best way out of the pres- 

 ent rut is imdoubtedly for the retailer 

 to have ro.f^s specially grown for his 

 particular trade. 



A prominent grower only the cth'.r 

 day asked us what would be a good 

 flowering plant to have in now besides 

 azaleas, cinerarias, etc. We told him 

 pot roses. We think if anyone had 

 good roses in pots now they would sell 

 well, and then see what grand effects 

 could be made with them in decora- 

 tions instead of your clumsy laurel 

 screen, or even group of palms, to hide 

 musicians with. What could be finer 

 than a hedge of roses? By tilting 

 some up and covering the boxes or pots 

 with green moss, a very natural baak 

 of roses can be made. They would pay 

 to even cut them off at the pot and ar- 

 range them, foliage and all. in va-ses. 

 We kave too much stiffness, too rauc'i 

 artiflciaUty. in most of our work; we 

 •should grow pot roses if only for the 

 buds and foliage; but, apart from that, 

 we badly need some of the tine old 

 liybrid perpetuals at this time of the 

 year. 



Plants. 



We already hear loud complaints 

 about the condition of the lilie.s in- 

 tended for Easter, espeiially the bulbs 

 from Bermuda. The .lapan longr.Io- 

 rums we are informed are all riglit, but 

 the others are a bitter disappointment 

 to many a poor grower. It's hard to 

 tell definitely yet what prices will be 

 asked for lilies this year: many nifre 

 of them are being grown, but the per- 

 centage of failures will have a bud 

 effect on trade. Many will try lo cover 

 the loss by introducing other kinds of 

 stock. There is very little that is 

 new; the principal trade, as usual, will 

 be on quality. 



Some very pretty shades of color arc 

 seen at present in primulas; Priinil.i 

 obconica violacea is fine when with the 

 white obconica or with the old nivea. 



Acacia pubescens is seen in the prin- 

 cipal windows in New York. Thorley 

 on Saturday made a specialty of a lat- 

 tice screen of leucothoe foliage. In the 

 open circular center was placed a high 

 handled basket of daffodils and Acacia 

 pubescens; black humming birds were 

 perched on the acacia; the basket was 

 graceful and looked pretty. This va- 

 riety of acacia is by far the most beau- 

 tiful for decorative work; you can 

 make it resemble a shower of gold 

 over a mirror; it should never be tied 

 up stiffly and you will find that it al- 

 ways looks best .vhen hanging down- 

 wards or gracefully over. It is pretty 

 on the table with either cuneatum or 

 Farleyense; stick it into the plants, or 

 you can arrange it with yellow nar- 

 cissus. We have oft°n used La P'rance 

 or Testouts with it in mantle decora- 

 tions to good effect. 



Wallflowers and antirrhinums have 

 appeared on the market and are wel- 

 come for variety's sake. A great many 

 boxes and pans of bulb stock are being 

 shown this week in windows; good col- 

 ored tulips in pans sell v.ell in many 

 localities. 



Gardenias are extra fina now. Thus 

 Young, .Jr., makes a specialty of them 

 and is shipping them all over at pres- 

 ent. They will be popular as Piaster 

 plants, and he will have them in line 

 shape at that time. The gardenia is 

 a grand flower; it will never be com- 

 mon, because it will not stand rough 

 handling; it is like the orchid in many 

 respects; it may lack the colo" of those 

 flowers, but it vanquishes all on sweet- 

 ness. They are the most refined Hol- 

 ers to wear and are suita.ile for all oc- 

 casions. Care should be taken not to 

 wet them, for water wiU turn them 

 yellow. 



In last week's paper someone asks if 

 gas injures plants in a store. Yes, it 

 is bad for i)Iants anywhere. Electric 

 light is the only fit illumination of the 

 florist's store. It is good to have gas 

 in, too. for fear electricity fails, as it 

 does sometimes, but when gas is un- 

 avoidably used, ventilation should be 

 put on and the plants be frequently 

 syringed. 



Talking of plants reminds us that 

 even at this time of the year we get a 

 warm day once in a while, and where 

 plants have been for weeks, perhaps 

 months, in a dwelling house, advan- 

 tage should be taken of these warm 

 days; take the plants out to the yard, 

 go over them with a feather duster or 

 sponge them, and then give them a 

 thorough washing down with the 

 syringe. This will be of great benefit 

 to them. You can do the same with 

 the plants in your store; a poor or 

 dirty plant is a bad thing to show 

 prominentlv in your place of business. 



IVKRA. 



CARNATION MRS. BERTRAM 

 LIPPINCOTT. 



We present herewith an engraving 

 of this new pink carnation, which is 

 especially interesting on account of its 

 being a cross between the two old 

 favorites, Daybreak and Scott. It origi- 

 nated with .lohn Kuhn. Philadelphia, 

 and has been grown by him for the 

 last four years. It is now being offered 

 to the trade by H. F. Michell. the 

 Philadelphia seedsman. 



As seen in the picture, the form is 

 excellent. The color is soft pink, a 

 shade darker than Daybreak, size 3 to 

 3I2 in., stem 2 to 2V2 ft. long, habit 

 strong and healthy. The flowers are 

 said to be fine keepers, and the plant a 

 free and continuous bloomer. There 

 will no doubt be a place for it. 



BALTIMORE. 



HAl/riMORE. MD.-The greenhouse 

 belonging to Mrs. Emma A. Oakford. 

 Garrison and Kate avenues, was de- 

 stroyed by fire Dec. 28. causing a loss 

 of $iiOl). covered by insurance. 



The dean of the Horicultural trade 

 here by virtue of seniority is Anthony 

 Cook, who is now in his eighty-third 

 year. Born in Bavaria, he came to 

 this country, to avoid military service 

 at home, in 1840. From that date on 

 he has IJeen actively at work, and so 

 continues at his extensive greenhouses, 

 which, occupying nearly a block of 

 ground, has seen the city grow up 

 around and extend far beyond them. 

 Still vigorous and enthusiastic, he be- 

 holds with equal pleasure new intro- 

 ductions of today or dwells with retro- 

 spective gusto on the olden beauties of 

 the past. His grounds have been ever 

 the home of the rose. Here may still 

 be seen beds of hardy sorts which were 

 planted forty years ago, and remain 

 vigorous and productive. In one bed 

 is the original plant of the first re- 

 montant rose which was ever sent out 

 — the Sidonia Weaver. The florists of 

 America, indeed, could well afford to 

 raise a statue of bronze to the honor of 

 Mr. Cook, for by his hand was planted 

 the seed and on this soil first grew that 

 noblest and grandest of forcing roses, 

 which is known everywhere today as 

 the American Beauty. This variety 

 was raised by him with many other 

 seedlings, the parentage of which could 

 not be determined, but proving valu- 

 able for outdoor purposes, it was prop- 

 agated, and, after some years, with 

 other roses, a plant or two was sold at 

 $t'i per dozen, under the name given by 

 its originator, "Madam de Poloyna," 

 to the historian George Bancroft, of 

 the city of Washington, an ardent ad- 

 mirer and cultivator of garden roses. 

 Here, as is well known, it was seen by 

 ■•■•lorist Field, who, ascertaining its 

 eminent adaptability for forcing, in- 

 troduced it to the trade as the .Ameri- 

 can Beauty, a name describing aright 

 both its origin and its quality. 



Another of Mr, Cook's originations 

 is the Cornelia Cook, a seedling from 

 Devoniensis. This rose was sent 

 abroad, reintroduced from England in- 

 to Boston, renamed there and sent out 

 at $10 each as a foreign acquisition, 

 but the facts of its birth being shown, 

 its proper name was restored. All 

 know its good qualities. 



