The Weekly Florists' Review. 



315 



and fairh moist condition of the surface 

 soil is a most essential point to be ob- 

 served in the cultivation of the lily. 

 In planting, the depth to which the 

 bulbs should be placed should range 

 from four to six inches, according to 

 the size of one-year-old bulbs. 



In this as in every other crop, there 

 are so many details essential to suc- 

 cessful cultivation, all differing with the 

 localities, that the above directions must 

 be construed merely as suggestions. 

 Lily farming in the United States is 

 so new that one must not be discouraged 

 if at first failure results from treatment 

 which applied to other crops would mean 



ENGLISH MARKET ROSES. 



July is generally admitted to be the 

 month for ruses, and certainly we do ob- 

 tain our largest supply in the markets 

 during this month, writes J. B. Riding in 

 the Gardeners' Magazine, but it must not 

 be thought for a moment that there is a 

 special season for these flowers in Covent 

 Garden. They can be, and are, purchased 

 there every morning throughout the year. 

 not by incidental growers, but by a few 

 large" firms who take them up every 

 morning. Few pc.pl, ■ realize what this 

 means, and doubtless would be somewhat 

 skeptical when thej were told how many 

 thousands of plant's are required to keep 

 up this daily supply. 



But I am not dealing with this phase 

 of the subject, but rather with the pop- 

 ular varieties that one sees in the florists' 

 windows and in the streets. . These va- 

 rieties are cultivated in fields in most of 

 the home counties, Middlesex, Herts, Es- 

 sex, Surrey, and Kent sending the 

 largest quantities. This is quite natural, 

 for the roses grown in these counties can 

 be gathered bunched, and put on the 

 market in a very short time, thus en- 

 suring their freshness, for second-day 

 ruses always have to be sold cheaper. 



Rose growing for market, like all other 

 sections of commercial gardening, has un- 

 dergone considerable changes during the 

 past twenty years, and nowadays the mar- 

 ket man watches all the new varieties as 

 they are introduced, and any that are 

 likely to be useful for the market are 

 purchased in quantity; in fact, I think it 

 would be quite safe to say they are the 

 largest purchasers of new roses at the 

 present time. The cultivation has also 

 greatly improved as one result of keen 

 competition. I remember the time when 

 a pair of shears was quite good enough 

 for pruning purposes, and I have also 

 known a couple of acres operated upon 

 with a bagging hook, but we should not 

 meet with such cultivation now, simply 

 because it pays to do the work better, 

 and with greater efficiency. There is just 

 one curious point, however, adopted in 

 some districts that will strike the rosa- 

 rian as being strange, that is, the rose 

 pruning is carried out during the winter 

 months, at any time when the labor can 

 be put on to it. 



The method of bunching and packing 

 has also undergone considerable changes. 

 -At one time all were cut with about four 

 to six inches of growth, and bunched 

 tightly in dozens. Now all the best 

 blooms are sent with long stems, packed 

 in damp grass, and placed in layers; in 

 this way they keep almost perfect in 

 shape, and travel without any bruising. 

 Magnificent blooms can now be seen in 

 the market any morning with eighteen 

 inches of growth, a thing unknown a dec- 

 ade or so ago. The cheaper trade is also 

 still catered for. and thousands of bush- 



Climbing Rose Beauty of Glazenwood, Growing on a Great Dracaenain a 

 Garden at Santa Cruz, Cal. 



els are sold in flats, with just a few 

 inches of growth, many without stems at 

 all. These latter are "legged" (a stem 

 tied on) by the street hawkers, and sold 

 for buttonholes, or made up into bunches. 

 As to varieties, there seems to be an 

 idea abroad that very few roses are suit- 

 able for market woik. but this is entirely 



den will 

 the mosl 

 General 

 varieties. 



Id. althoug 



rough Covent Gar- 

 instrate. Perhaps 

 rid perpetuals are 



-one of our oldest 

 ■h the general pub- 

 s. J. Laing. John 

 nburgh. Baroness 

 •entless, sells well. 



as does also its white relative. Merveille 

 de Lyon. Captain Hayward is largely 

 grown, and its habit of producing large 

 clusters of buds on each stem while young 

 becomes rectified with age. Boule de 

 Neige is also grown. The popular hy- 

 brid teas are greatly appreciated, and 

 many of the colors that one would hardly 

 think suitable for market work appear to 

 sell well. The following varieties arc 

 strongly in evidence: Mrs. \V. J. Grant. 

 Liberty, La France. Kaiserin Augusta 

 Victoria. Caroline Testout, and Viscount- 

 ess Folkestone. The stronger-growing 

 teas, such as Gloire de Dijon ami Mad- 

 ame Berard, are sent in thousands for 

 the cheap trade. The old common moss 

 rose is largely in evidence, and well 



;ro\vn too. The China 



popular 



in the early part of the season. The tea 

 section is chiefly grown for the high-class 

 trade, and the following varieties are 

 most generally grown: Catherine Mer- 

 met, Safrano.' Niphetos, Sunrise. Brides- 

 maid, Madame Hoste, The Bride. Mare- 

 chal Niel, Perle des Jardins, Madame 

 Falcot Manian Cochet, \V". A. Richard- 

 son, and White Hainan Cochet. 



These varieties by no mean- exhaust 

 the list, but I have given the chief varie- 

 ties. The pi ices, naturally, vary very 

 much. Even in July some will be selling 

 at six shillings per dozen hunches, while 

 other samples will onLj be making a 

 shilling per bushel. 



HAIL VISITS MENDOTA. 



A Case for Action. 



On Friday evening. July 17. Men- 



dota, 111., was visited 

 severe storms on re 

 was greatest in the l 

 the town, where 1 

 greenhouses, residence 

 were almost totally i 

 in his case w ill be n 

 and he was practio 

 ance. Mr. Schweitzi 

 the trade and lias 

 extend their sympat 

 Schweitzer who was 

 Mendota. with refrc 



le id the most 



The damage 



as! portion of 



Schweitzer's 



until ' crops 



veil. The loss 

 ■ from $8, ), 



well known in 

 friends who 

 It was Mr. 



the depot at 

 it-, when the 



