September 11, 1903. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



509 



House of Ethel Crocker Carnations Grown by Wm. Winter, Kiikwood, Mo. 



live, and when yon plant them out about 

 June 1st, they will quickly throw out 

 fine leaves. The plants that have been 

 kept dormant during winter make the 

 finest decorative plants. Even if con- 

 venient to keep them in large tubs and 

 growing all winter in a warm house, it 

 would be by no means desirable, for all 

 that old and joung growth would be use- 

 less when planted out. 



All the leading houses advertise the 

 seeds and can supply them. Did it ever 

 occur to you that the banana has neither 

 wood, bark nor pith? Its bulky stem is 

 nothing but layers of leaf stalks. 



William Scott. 



PRIMULA POISONING. 



Replying to the inquiry as to remedy 

 for poisoning by Primula obconica would 

 say we have a milkweed here which re- 

 sembles a thistle, the milk of which 

 when smeared on the affected part i.s 

 very effective as a remedy for poisoning 

 l)y the primula or poison ivy. I do not 

 know the botanical name of this weed 

 hut enclose a specimen. J. J. G. 



Kansas. 



We referred' the specimen to Mr. John 

 Higgins, Chicago, for identification and 

 for further information regarding the 

 primula poisoning, and he replies as fol- 

 lows : 



"The plant enclosed in your note is 

 Sonchus asper (Vill.), a species of sow 

 thistle growing in waste places and 

 around dwellings. Like the well known 

 dandelion it is one of the milky juice 

 compositae. 



"As regards the poisonous effects of 

 Primula obconica, they have been attri- 

 buted to the irritation of pointed hairs 

 but the great uncertainty of action, as 

 in the case of Rhus Toxicodendron, 

 gives a good excuse for classing it with 

 the latter peculiar toxic agent. I have 

 mvself handled thousands of plants of 

 Primula obconica in every stage of 

 growth and without any precaution and 

 yet have never experienced the slightest 

 poisonous effect. On the other hand I 

 know several persons who cannot touch 

 a Primula obconica, however slightly, 

 vnthout feelinsr the effects for days. The 

 personal equation of the patient seema 



to lx> an all important factor in deter- 

 mining the effect of both these plants. 



''An alcohol solution of sugar of lead 

 is recommended by the Department of 

 Agriculture as an antidote for Rhus 

 poisoning. It will probably cure prim- 

 ula poisoning as well. An application 

 of the juice of Impatiens fulva is said 

 to cure Rhus poisoning." 



HEATING. 



1 have a small house 15x25 that I 

 would like to use for propagating. It is 

 too far away from my larger house to 

 heat with the same boiler. How would 

 a Hitching's base-burning water heater 

 No. 22 answer the purpose? Or can you 

 suggest a better and cheaper heating ai> 

 paratus? The temijerature required is 65 

 to 70 degrees in zero weather. 



How many Hows and returns of IJ-inch 

 pipe will 1h> required to heat this house 

 to the desired temperature? I want a 

 flow overhead. Would it be wiser to put 

 the pii)es along the side or under the 

 benches? I am heating the house with a 

 l>rick flue at present but it doesn't give 

 an even heat through the house. 



Is it better to change the water in the 

 pipes every fall or to leave it in from one 

 year to the other ? C. W. E. 



In reply to the inquiry of C. W. E., 

 the litlle boiler referred to could be used 

 to heat the propagating house, 15x25, 

 provided there is no glass on the vertical 

 side walls, Tlie requirements of the 

 house are somewhat in excess of the rated 

 capacity of the boiler, but, with a little 

 care in firing, the boiler could be used 

 satisfactorily. 



As the correspondent w'ishes over-head 

 flows, I would suggest two IJ-inch flows 

 from the lK>iler to the far end of the 

 house, each connecting six ll-ineh return 

 pipes running back to the boiler end 

 below the side benches, making fourteen 

 lines of pipe in all. The flow connections 

 should be made to each side of the boiler, 

 and returns in a similar manner. 



It is better to leave water apparatus 

 full of water at all times, but it is de- 

 sirable, at least once in two years, to 

 draw oft" the water rapidly, in order to 

 wash out any sediment whicli may have 

 settled at low points or points of fric- 



tion within the apparatus, and then fill 

 up with fresh water. 



llENllY W. tllBBONS. 

 New York. 



CARNATION ETHEL CROCKER. 



The accompanving engraving is from 

 a photograph of a house of Ethel 

 Crocker carnation grown by William 

 Winter, Kirkwood, Mo. Mr. Winter is very 

 successful with this variety and values 

 it highly. The photograph, which was 

 taken Aug. 21, shows what a large num- 

 ber of blooms is cut f'cin this linuse 

 each day. The entire output i> handled 

 bv H. C Berning, St. Louis. 



J. J. B. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



The Market- 



The cut flower market does not show- 

 any inipiovement over last week's report, 

 ilost of the growci-s are cutting from the 

 young stock. Beauties are in increased 

 supply; the best of these bring .$2 per 

 doz. Tea roses move slowly at $3 to $4. 

 The l>etter grade of carnations moves 

 well, but the bulk of the field grown 

 stock sells slowly. Semple's asters are 

 fine and plentiful and bring from $1.50 

 per 100 down to 50 cents. 



The plant business shows signs of 

 awakening. Nearly all the stores are 

 getting in a few palms, rubbers, etc. 

 At the Century Flower Shop they have 

 a nice display of plants and outdoor 

 flowers grown on the home place at New- 

 town Square. 



Marketing Cut Flowers. 



The committee appointed by the chair- 

 man, W. K. Harris^ at the last meeting 

 of those interested in the flower mar- 

 ket, met on Monday, September 1, and 

 it was decided to recommend that a com- 

 pany be incorporated with a capital of 

 .$20,000, shares to be $20 each. It is 

 thought that by increasing the capital, 

 more support can be had from the sup- 

 ply men, seedsmen, and others who are 

 interested. A committee was appointed 

 to look up a suitable site and report to 

 a general meeting to be held Thursday, 

 September 11, when it is hoped that 

 temporary directors can be elected. It 

 is hoped that every grower, little as well 

 as big, will interest himself in this mat- 

 ter and take stock and a stall to sell his 

 flowers from. 



Items. 



The last meeting of the Florists' Club 

 was not very well attended. Mr. Hea- 

 coc-k was the only one of those scheduled 

 to give a talk who was present. Nom- 

 ination of officers for the coming year 

 was made. 



A visit to Wm. Wunder's place at 

 Pitt.?ville, found him hard at work get- 

 ting in shape for the coming winter 'i"''i 

 carnations were not housed, but looked 

 fine in the field. Estelle did well here 

 last year and more will be planted this 

 year. A full house of Lawson and 

 several hundred of Floriana will make 

 up the assortment. There was also a 

 line lot of erotons coming on for Christ- 

 mas sales. 



Edwards of Norwood is bringing in some 

 of the finest dahlias that come to town; 

 good colors and large thiwers. 



At the Cliffe Greenhouse. German- 

 town, the chrysanthennims look very 

 promising. A novelty noticed here was 

 a large batch of the old English i- -" 



