The Weekly Florists' Review. 



125 



steel wire clasp to be used in place of 

 twine in fastening the stakes to the 

 win-, and which for neatness and ex- 

 pediency is far ahead of string, and 

 affords no shelter for spider or other 

 insect pests. 



Beauties ran be supported by the same 

 kind of arrangement, with the addition 

 of overhead wires -even feet above the 

 bench, to which the longer stems can be 

 secured by tying. 



This is of course a little more costly 



than tl bier methods, but it has the 



merit of being easily put up and taken 

 down and is practically indestructible at 

 the same time, giving the house a smart 

 and airy appearance, and however much 

 we may study the question of returns, 

 taste and neatness cost so little more 

 than what, is absolutely necessary that 

 the added pleasure more than compen- 

 sates for the extra trouble and cost. 



CARNATION NOTES-EAST. 



Condition of Field Stock. 



The long continued drought in this 

 section has ;it last been broken, much to 

 the satisfaction of carnation growers. 

 Now that the ground is well soaked I 

 wish, at the risk of repetition, to again 

 impress upon your minds the import- 

 ance of breaking up the surface soil as 

 soon as conditions will permit. By this 

 means we can keep our plants growing 

 rapidly until housing time, even should 

 no further rains occur. 



By the way. have you stopped to think 

 that, in a few weeks benching will com- 

 mence? From all appearances the great 

 majority of my plants will be plenty 

 targe enough to house by July 1. This 

 leads me to define ami give reasons re- 

 garding what 1 consider the size a plant 

 should be to lift. 



Varieties differ very much in rapidity 

 of growth ami therefore one moist study 

 each variety grown as regards this dif- 

 ference, 'faking Mrs. P.radt and Nel- 

 son, we have two which differ widely in 

 this respect. It is practically impossi- 

 ble to get returns from Bradt unless 

 strong, heavy plants can lie had when 

 housing, while with Nelson much smaller 

 plants give the best results, and with 

 very few exceptions what is true of Nel- 

 son is true of nearly every variety of 

 commercial value. 



I would define a plant of proper size 

 to house as one which is compact in 

 growth, having six to eigiit strong 

 shoots three to four inches in length, 

 the last topping having been so timed as 

 in allow these shoots to develop to the 

 length named. 



I notice some growers still hold to 

 the idea that plants can be allowed to 

 bloom in the field and still furnish good 

 stock for winter, also that plants can 

 without injury be allowed to run into 

 bud, lifted and benched to furnish an 

 immediate crop. 



No one can expect to produce first 

 class blooms in the field from plants 

 intended for winter use. A grade still 

 lower can be expected from plants lifted 

 with buds, and these allowed to flower. 

 In either case the resources of the plants 

 are taxed to a degree that will be most 

 manifest when blooms are most in de- 

 mand at good prices. 



I may add that the height of the 

 plant is often misleading when size is 

 being considered, as the most desirable 

 feature is its stocky form; it is the 



I'm in.- productive qualities tint should 

 be looked after. 



There are several advantages in bench- 

 bag what, from my definition, some may 

 eall under sized plants. liny can be 

 planted in a more rapid and thorough 

 manner than large one-. In early hous- 

 ing the plant heeoinc- e-tahli-lied ipiickly 

 and in completing its growth in the new- 

 soil, the roots radiate in a more natural 

 manner, thus obtaining a tinner hold in 

 the soil, resulting in a more finished 

 plant, well able to stand the strain that 

 is to be put upon it. While it will be 

 seen that I advise benching small or 

 medium-sized plants, I also follow a 

 system of culture under glass as soon 

 as the ]. hints are established which I 

 will treat upon in due time. 



An Inquiry. 



This week a grower in this vicinity 

 asked my opinion on the following: His 

 plants were benched last. August; were 

 healthy and continued so until he was 



The Day- book Card. 



obliged to let them freeze several weeks 

 before Christmas. Nothing ha- :»<n 

 since disturbed. Would the same soil 

 be suitable to use this season by tile 

 addition of more manure and hone? 



Not having had any such case come 

 under my observation 1 could not at 

 once answer, but after some thought on 

 the matter I have advised against the 

 practice, owing to the fact/ that the 

 plants have been allowed to occupy the 

 same position up to the present, time. 

 Several other minor things lead me to 

 believe there would Ik- a risk too great 

 to run. compared to the expense of re- 

 filling witii fresh soil. As this matter 

 may "interest other growers who were 

 frozen up last winter. I will ask Mr. 

 Baur to give his views or relate experi- 

 ence he or others may have had. 



Geo. S. Osborx. 



PIPING WITH SOLID BEDS. 



I am building solid beds for roses and 

 carnations. Should any of the steam or 

 hot water pipes be run under or through 

 the beds for the purpose of forcing the 

 plants in winter? I have read several 



bed -> -tem but ha 



king tor such lieds. 



B. W. S. 



I certainly would no 

 inn any of your heat 

 or through your solid 

 find plenty of room for 

 the walls and along the 

 for the pipes. We put. 



1 you to 

 -' under 

 You can 

 les along 

 ,he walks 

 -inch pi] 



in each walk and the balance along the 

 outside walls, where most of them are 

 needed anyway. We heat with steam. 

 There is such a wide variance in the ar- 

 rangement of greenhouse establishments 

 that eaeh heating system needs to be 

 constructed to suit the one particular 

 place it is to heat. You may do well to 

 hang some of your pipes overhead, but 

 we prefer to have them mostly below. 



No doubt many growers have tiie idea 

 that the reason most heating pipes are 

 placed under the benches is that they 

 should help to force the plants by keep- 

 ing the roots warm, etc., when really 

 the strongest reason is to get the pipes 

 out of the way. To the rose grower thej 

 are .i help in keeping his rose beds 

 from getting too wet during cloudy 

 weather, when he must needs do more or 

 less syringing to keep down red spider. 

 But to the carnation-grower I do not 

 consider them any help whatever, as he 

 does not need to syringe enough to get 

 the soil into a soggy condition, and 

 surely if you know the first principles 

 of growing you will not need a drying 

 plant to keep you from overwatering 

 your plain-. 



One of the points argued in favor of 

 raised benches has Wen that they will 

 dry out. ofteiier and that there will be 

 less danger from overwatering and sour- 

 ing "t t lie soil. It has be, 11 pro* ell I'M' 



and over that, if you will get. your soil 

 into -the proper state of moisture, and 

 keep it there, it will be far better tor 

 the plants than if you allow it to vary, 

 first dry then wet. Of course there are 

 nines when a plant wants more water 

 than it doe- at other time- and differ- 

 ent, kind- of plant- will vary greatly, 

 especially those that bloom in crops. 

 The carnation varies very little in that 

 respect. From the time it. has taken a 

 good hold on the -oil and started into 

 a vigorous growth it will at all times 

 enjoj a mi tair supply of water and 

 any attempt at working the crops by 

 withholding the water or giving an ex- 

 tra supply "ill only end in bursted 

 calyxes or sickened plant-. If the roots 

 will get no water except wdiat you in- 

 tend that, they should have, there ought 

 to be no danger of overwatering, and if 

 the -oil does not dry out fast enough to 

 need watering once in a week or two 

 weeks you should l>e glad that it saves 

 you time and water, but be sure to 

 water only when it is needed. As for 

 souring, there is no danger if you keep 

 the surface loo-e and work through it 



An Itemized Account for Each Month. 



