362 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY. 



[December, 



pot; let them not want for moisture or light; do 

 not pinch off their tops, but let them grow rapid- 

 ly. The temperature in which they are grown 

 should not exceed 55°. A turfy loam, moderately 

 enriched with well-decayed manure, and well 

 drained with charcoal, suits them admirably. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



CUT FLOWER TRADE.-H YBRIDS. 



BY W. E. MEEHAN PHILA , PA. 



There has been much difficulty experienced 

 by the growers in raising Hybrid roses for the 

 cut flower market ; and thus far with the single 

 exception of Gen. Jacqueminot, all efforts have 

 been almost a total failure. 



Paul Neron is grown to a limited extent, and 

 could it be put on the market at a reasonable 

 figure would probably be one of the favorites, as 

 its large size, noble form, and peculiar soft rosy 

 red color make it very attractive. A rose, how- 

 ever, that in February can hardly be sold under 

 two dollars each, retail, will scarcely find more 

 than a limited number of purchasers. 



There are other hybrids that can be forced 

 with more or less ease, but there is always some- 

 thing defective in the flower, either that it does 

 not form a good bud, or that its color is wrong 

 or undecided, or some such cause. 



Gen. Jacqueminot, however, to those that have 

 been lucky in raising it, has been a little "mine," 

 80 to speak, and has probably been the best pay- 

 ing of all the fancy roses. 



Professionally speaking, "Jack" rose is not in 

 the market much before February, although a 

 few may be had as early as December. These 

 are aptly called " bastards," being poor, misera- 

 ble, scrubby little things. Poor as they are, 

 however, they are worth about forty dollars per 

 hundred then. 



Although this price seems enormous for such 

 a poor article, one grower who had one house 

 especially for December forcing, assured me that 

 the season before he had lost twenty cents on 

 every bud he sold, and he having a superior 

 stock received fifty dollars a hundred for them. 

 He continued forcing early because it gave him 

 a lead in the market, and enabled him to com- 

 mand a higher price for his other goods. 



A single crop of Jacks lasts about two weeks, 

 and a house will yield a couple of crops, one in 

 February and a second in April. 



The fluctuation in the price of Jacks is start- 



ling and terrifying to the oldest hand. I have 

 known a rise or a fall of twenty dollars a hun- 

 dred in a single day. Last season the average 

 scale of prices in Philadelphia was about as fol- 

 lows to May 1st : — 



. Feb. 1st half, per hundred, $60 



2nd " •' 45 



March. 1st week, " 85 



2nd " " 30 



3d " " 20 



4th " " 35 



April. 1st " " 15 



2nd " " 12 



3d " " 20 



4th " " 25 



During this time, of course, there were many 

 and violent cnanges — the highest figure that was 

 reached in that time was sixty-five dollars, and 

 the lowest six dollars per hundred. 



The average retail price was fifty cents a bud, 

 although they have sold as high as a dollar, each. 

 A " Jack" bouquet is worth from fifteen to 

 thirty dollars. It is used alone, or in combina- 

 tion with Niel, Cook, or Lily of the Valley. 



A bouquet, the centre formed of Niels, or one 

 of one side Niels and one side Jacks, were the 

 favorites last winter. A Jack bouquet is gene- 

 rally trimmed with ribbon to match the color of 

 the bud. 



Over a thousand Jacks were used in Philadel- 

 phia recently on one occasion by one firm. The 

 buds having a good stifi" figure in the market at 

 the time. 



Jacqueminot is a second of the three roses, 

 the price of which is always kept up, for the same 

 reason that M. Niel is held stifi" by the retail 

 florist. 



Jacqueminot was first introduced to the public 

 in Boston, where it at once created a furore that 

 has not yet subsided. 



BRYOPHYLLUM CALYCINUM. 



BY C. E. PARNELL, QUEENS, L. I. 



In reply to Mrs. R. P., who inquires in the 

 August Monthly, page 237, for information 

 respecting Bryophyllum calycinum, I would 

 say that it belongs to the Natural Order 

 Crassulacese, and that it is a native of the East 

 Indies from which country it was introduced 

 in 1800. 



It is a succulent, evergreen plant growing about 

 three feet high, with thick, fleshy, opposite leaves, 

 the leaves being composed of three to five foliate 



