April 14, 1906 



horticulture: 



4»1> 



AFTER ADJOURNMENT. 

 Rather a far-fetched conceit, that of 

 an advertiser in one of our contem- 

 poraries using the picture of a rooster 

 of a breed not over 35 years in ex- 

 istence, in illustration of an occur- 

 rence 1906 years ago. 



At a meeting of the fire department 

 captains of Worcester, Mass., one day 

 last week, to take suitable action on 

 the death of one of their associates, it 

 was decided to send to the funeral a 

 floral "set piece" in the shape of a fire 

 alarm box! Somewhat suggestive? 



The agitation against "the 11 o'clock 

 closing law," which has been going on 

 in Boston ever since the carnation 

 convention, has resulted in a vote in 

 the House substituting midnight for 

 11 o'clock. Now bring on your con- 

 ventions. 



We learn from a New York daily- 

 paper dispatch that the steamship 

 Bermudian, which arrived on April 7, 

 brought over 5000 Easter lilies from 

 Bermuda's fields, together with several 

 hundred boxes of violets, and that 

 "the consignment was practically sold 

 before it arrived." So far as the vio- 

 lets are concerned, probably that was 

 the best time to sell them! The game 

 of "sight unseen" is not unknown to 

 school-boys. It is presumed to teach 

 wisdom. 



AN EXHIBITOR'S GRIEVANCE. 



In looking over the issue of HORTI- 

 CULTURE March 31, 1906, I came 

 across an article entitled "Explaining 

 the Absence of the Small Exhibitor." 

 It appears to me that the inducement 

 held out to the small grower was all 

 that anyone could wish, both in the 

 horticultural schedule and also in the 

 American Rose Society schedule had 

 they lived up to them, but when they 

 do not live up to their schedule you 

 must not expect to have the small 

 grower continue to exhibit. One thing 

 to be remembered is that all roses are 

 not expected to be as long-stemed as 

 Beauties or as fine as Liberties or 

 Richmonds, but they may be as good 

 in their class and should be considered 

 in that light. 



I am speaking from the fact that I 

 staged two separate roses of Brunner's, 

 one in the American Rose Society and 

 one in the Horticultural Society, and 

 neither of them received a first prize, 

 although the best in the hall. On Fri- 

 day morning, the opening morning of 

 the show, one of the leading retailers 

 of Boston tried to buy these two 

 dozen Brunners from me at $6 per 

 doz., which I refused on the strength 

 of my wishing to help out the show. 

 Now, when a man shows two dozen 

 roses with a wholesale value of $12 

 and spends three half days attending 

 the show and replacing them once or 

 more during the exhibition, it does 

 not appeal to me as a business propo- 

 sition, although had I received first 

 prize cards for both I would have been 

 better pleased then to get second prize 

 in money. Furthermore, I would state 

 that I also had on exhibition a fine 

 vase of lily of the valley, for which, 

 had I taken it to any retailer in the 

 city, I could have received $5 for 

 same, but on Monday morning after 

 the show was over I found I had re- 

 ceived a gratuity of the sum of $1. In 



my mind I should have received a card 

 of superior culture or something of 

 that nature which would not have cost 

 the society over five cents and at the 

 same time would have been a source of 

 much pleasure to me. The only thing 

 that I can see for the small grower to 

 do is to stay away until such time as 

 he can be treated in a proper way. If 

 they cannot afford to pay $10 for a 

 first prize of Brunner roses, then place 

 it at $5, and give us a first prize card. 

 .lOHN McFARLAND. 



PERSONAL. 



H. Bayersdorfer, of Philadelphia, 

 starts on his annual pilgrimage to 

 Europe next week. 



Frederick William Smith, of Nor- 

 wich, Conn., and Beatrice Frances 

 Prentice were married on April 3, in 

 .lewett City. 



The Rhode Island College of Agri- 

 cultural and Mechanical Arts has se- 

 lected Prof. Howard Edwards of the 

 Michigan Agricultural College, to suc- 

 ceed Prof. Butterfield. 



I. Leroy Richardson has taken a po- 

 sition with William Nicholson, of 

 Framingham, Mass., and Chester M. 

 Carter succeeds to his position with 

 George R. Simonds at Barre, Mass. 



E. J. Harmon, of Portland, Me., was 

 taken suddenly ill at his store last 

 week, and a report that he had dropped 

 dead gained circulation. It was a case 

 of overwork. He was taken to his 

 home and improvement was soon ap- 

 parent. 



Roswell F. Brooks, formerly with 

 Charles J. Jones, of Cincinnati, but 

 now connected with the water works 

 department of that city, and Miss 

 Grace M. Belser, well known as chief 

 clerk at the Walnut Hills Floral 

 Bazaar, were united in marriage, 

 Tuesday, April 3. 



TOLEDO NOTES. 



The Perennial Gardens Co., the new 

 concern which was lately incorporated, 

 expect soon to organize, after which 

 they will start without delay and get 

 their property in shape. 



We have had a week of fine spring 

 weather, and the seed stores are filled 

 with customers all day long. The 

 mail trade has considerably improved, 

 and orders cannot be filled as fast as 

 they come in. 



A visit to our largest establish- 

 ments is rather disappointing, consid- 

 ering that Easter is before our door. 

 and comparing the looks of eastern 

 greenhouse plants at such a time, 

 eight days away from this important 

 festival, it impresses us that little 

 preparation has been made to meet 

 a large demand unless big orders go 

 to outside houses. Six hundred lilies 

 is the biggest lot to be found in the 

 largest place, and azaleas, hydrangeas, 

 cinerarias, spiraeas are in proportion. 

 Bulbous stock can be found in mod- 

 erate quantities in every place, and 

 prices are so as to suit every pocket- 

 book. Krueger Bros.' place is a treat 

 to visit. I doubt if better carnations, 

 as we see them in their new range, 

 can be found anywhere. A fine lot of 

 antirrhinum may be found at George 

 Hunt's. SCHILLER. 



WHOLESOME CHESTNUTS. 

 Look all over your seed closet in 

 case you overlooked anything. Some 

 very regretable omissions come about 

 through non-observance of seed pack- 

 ets at the proper time. 



Did you ever try Crimson Ramblers 

 in a large bed, bending the flowering 

 shoots down over wires stretched at 

 intervals over the bed about eighteen 

 inches from the ground? What a 

 gorgeous show Ramblers make planted 

 in that way! 



If you are in doubt about geraniums 

 flowering in a somewhat shady situa- 

 tion, and it is imperative to plant 

 something of a bright showy nature, 

 try begonias of the Vernon type. They 

 have been known to do exceedingly 

 well in situations partially shaded. 



It is time to prune all out-door roses 

 that require pruning. Roses are not 

 supposed to be pruned to make them 

 look even all over, as some would 

 seem to think. Prune them for the 

 purpose of getting large flowers, many 

 flowers, or both. Cut out all dead and 

 weak wood and use discretion in cut- 

 ting the other wood back. 



Nicotianas succeed best when grown 

 cool, and it is a good plan to pinch 

 them before planting out. IJon't go 

 back on our friend Nicotiana Sanderae 

 of last year in anticipation of abnor- 

 mal results from the new ones. These 

 will no doubt turn out all right, but 

 there was nothing at all the matter 

 with last year's novelty to warrant its 

 being discarded this year. 



Don't forget to give fruit trees one 

 more spraying before the fruit buds 

 open; it may seem a little irksome at 

 the time, but the recollection thereof, 

 when a good crop of unblemished fruit 

 is being harvested, will be sweet, as 

 against what a recollection of hesi- 

 tancy ending in neglect of the precau- 

 tion will be when at time of harvest 

 there will be no fruit to gather. 



Plant lettuce, cabbage, and cauli- 

 flower for early use as soon as danger 

 of frost is over. Sow onions, radish, 

 peas, and carrots as soon as possible. 

 Sow sweet peas without delay; don't 

 be afraid to put enough soil over the 

 seed at first. I think that method is 

 lully as good as covering by install- 

 ments, because more roots are made 

 before the peas appear on the surface. 

 Put geraniums and most other kinds 

 of bedding plants except soft things, 

 such as coleuses, set out into cold 

 frames to harden before planting. 



Get to work on dahlias by whichever 

 method you elect to propagate. If by 

 cuttings, take care they are not too 

 kindly treated in the way of heat. 

 Let them have a gentle heat from be- 

 low and keep them cool above ground. 

 Take only short-jointed cuttings and 

 those with a heel whenever possible. 

 When only slightly more than cal- 

 loused put them in small pots, shading 

 them for not more than two days, un- 

 less by flagging they should need fur- 

 ther covering. Start tuberous begonias 

 slowly into growth by putting the 

 bulbs in flats or pots and placing them 

 on a bench. Water sparingly until 

 they show signs of growth. 



