June 25, 1903. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



165 



To the Smaller Growers. 



There are those who grow a general 

 stock in connection with carnations and 

 of necessity are limited to some degree 

 as regards heat, light, ventilation and lo- 

 cation of benches, and as these notes are 

 for the benclit of all, I will give a few 

 points coming under my observation 

 which may be of interest to such grow- 

 ers: 



Tin- location of a bench has much to 

 d.i with the success of a variety. It may 

 be a side bench having no ventilator or a 

 bench alongside a partition, which in- 

 terfere- with both light and ventilation. 



It other plants are to be grown in the 

 same house, your knowledge will tell you 

 what is best suited to the carnation tem- 

 perature, or choose a variety of carna- 

 tion best suited to the temperature re- 

 quired for tlie oilier crop. 



If bedding plants arc- grown for spring 

 sales, contrive to plant those varieties 

 of carnations least in demand during 

 April and May and let them be early 

 bloomers. 



These matters should have careful con- 

 sideration before planting time. Plan to 

 place those varieties you intend to cut 

 from during the summer where they can 

 be well ventilated and gotten at on 

 both sides. Carnations can be grown at 

 a profit with other plants, but Mr. Scott 

 takes good (lire to supply you with the 

 list. Geo. S. " 



CARNATION NOTES-WEST. 



In last week's issue Mr. Osborn asks 

 my opinion regarding the use of the soil 

 that had carnations planted on it last 

 year up to Christmas, at which time they 

 were frozen up. I am inclined to think, 

 judging from the information at hand, 

 that Mr. Osbom's advice was correct. Un- 

 der certain conditions I would not hesi- 

 tate to use the soil again this year, but 

 if it was allowed to remain just as it was 

 when Jack Frost took possession, plants 

 and all, it certainly would not be advis- 



able to 



it again. If the plants had 



been taken out and the soil loosened up 

 soon after they were frozen, I would not 

 hesitate to plant carnations right into 

 the same soil again after having mixed 

 in some more old manure and bone. There 

 is too much danger of stem-rot, though, 

 as it is. 



Preparations for Replanting. 



Most of the school commencements are 

 over and the June weddings, too, and 

 you will need but few carnation-, except 

 pink and white. You will be able to 

 throw out everything except a bench or 

 two that may' still be yielding fairly 

 well and the sooner vou begin the job the 

 better you will get through it. You will 

 not need to begin planting any earlier on 

 account of it, but think how nice it will 

 be next month if you can begin planting 

 and keep right at it until it is done and 

 perhaps plant the last ones when many 

 of the late beginners are just commenc- 

 ing to plant. 



There is no danger of planting too 

 early as long as you have fair-sized 

 plants, and, in fact, there is everything 

 to be gained. Every year we plant a lit- 

 tle earlier and we have never had cause 

 to regret it. By fair-sized plants I do not 

 mean what you would call a fair-sized 

 plant in August or September, but rath- 

 er, as Mr. Osborn describes, six or eight 

 strong young shoots. That means about 

 after the third stopping. If you propa- 

 gated last December you will have such 

 plants in plenty by July 10 to 15 and 



Wreath of American Beauties made by Geo. Wittbold Co., Chicago. 



such a plant benched at that date will 

 give better results than a plant double 

 the size benched late in August. We will 

 have more on this subject a little later, 

 at planting time. 



Now we want to consider the refilling 

 of the benches, or beds, as the case may 

 be. If you are able to completely etnpt\ 

 the house of all plants it will pay you to 

 fumigate it with sulphur in order to kill 

 all insects that nia\ be in the corners 

 and odd place-. If you plant on benches 

 vou should apph a heavj coat of hot 

 lime wash before' filling in the soil. Of 

 cour-e you will see that there are no 

 weak boards to break through next win- 

 ter, when there i- a tine crop of buds 

 on: that i- when thej always give way. 



After allowing the lime wash to dry. 

 put on the bottom about an inch of 

 manure, which should be well along in 

 process of decaying. We prefer cow- ma- 

 nure, and as we can get plenty of that 

 kind we use very little other. If you 

 have good (Stable' manure it will answer 

 the purpose, perhaps, ju-l as well. On 

 top of this fill in your soil about four 

 inches deep. We proceed in the same 

 manner with our solid beds, except that 

 we do not whitewash at the bottom, but 



