Januakv 20, 1898. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



337 



V 



V \ f 



New Pink Rose, Mrs. Robert Garrett. 



(Photographed aud engraved by J. Horace McFarland Co., Harrisburg, Pa.) 



our custom houses every year, being im- 

 ported by our wholesale bulb and seed 

 firms, then in turn sold to the florist and 

 general buyer. It is a simple matter to 

 start the bulbs and can be done in the 

 following ways: As soon as they are re- 

 ceived, put them in shallow flats, the 

 propagating beds or in small pots, which- 

 ever way is the most convenient, one way 

 being equally as good as the other under 

 ordinary conditions, but in the latter 

 they are more apt to dry out and be in- 

 jured than in the former methods. «If 

 the bulbs are started in flats on a bench 

 they should be potted up as soon as they 

 begin to grow, as the extremeh' tine fib- 

 rous roots will be damaged if allowed to 

 remain until the leaves begin to foim and 

 the flower buds show. Select a light ma- 

 terial for potting, in order that the deli- 



cate roots may have free access to every 

 part of the pot without resistance. For 

 the ordinary size bulb a 5-inch pot will 

 be found amply large, perhaps nothing 

 will be gained by the use of a larger size. 

 The question of potting and repotting is 

 frequently raised, but in this case there 

 is nothing to decide as all depends upon 

 judicious watering and the least the roots 

 are disturbed the better results the plants 

 will show. 



The soil should only be pressed down 

 lightly with the fingers and the potting 

 stick dispensed with entirely in this par- 

 ticular form of plant cultivation. After 

 this operation put the plants in a light 

 position, but where they can be shaded 

 from the direct rays of the sun, or the 

 leaves will burn and the kinds of diseases 

 known to them will soon develop and 



once in poor condition they will never 

 recover with any degree of satisfaction 

 and may as well be con.signed to the same 

 place, and in the same way and manner, 

 as many pretty and interesting plants have 

 gone before without the least delay. 



By the time flower buds l)egin to show 

 it will be beneficial to them to apply 

 weak do.ses of cow and sheep liquid ma- 

 nure alternately, ngver allowing them to 

 become dry upon any occasion as growth 

 will stop abruptly and the character of 

 the plant will be disfigureil. Gloxinias 

 like a moist atmosphere in which to 

 grow, but when the first flowers open the 

 plants can be removed to a more congen- 

 ial house aud where the blooms will no 

 be spotted or damaged by moisture or 

 syringing. 



If anyone does not wish to incur the 

 expense of purchasing the bulbs, which 

 are at this time sold at a very low figure, 

 or may wish to experiment in the way 

 of getting something new they can build 

 up their expectations by raising seed- 

 lings which is more or less a fascinat- 

 ing occupation. It will take about three 

 to four months to raise and flower a batch 

 of this beautiful plant. Seeds can be 

 sown any time after the fifteenth of the 

 month and raised with a large degree of 

 satisfaction. The}- should be sown in 

 shallow pans in a light sandy soil and 

 kept dark for a few days by covering 

 with glass and again covering the glass 

 with damp moss; this will encourage a 

 more equal germination. After filling 

 the pan with soil, first draining it thor- 

 oughly with rough material before sow- 

 ing the seed, soak the soil with water. 

 This will enable the seeds to germinate 

 before it is necessary to water the soil 

 again. This will prevent the seeds from 

 being washed from their original position 

 as no soil should be used to cover the 

 seeds. A light pressure with a flat in- 

 strument will accomplish the same pur- 

 pose as covering them and will at the 

 same time be much safer, as in the case of 

 Go\ering man^- of these diminutive grains 

 might be buried and lost. Should, how- 

 ever, it be found necessary' to moisten the 

 soil it can be done with the aid of a 

 sponge without any ill results if carefully 

 applied. 



In about ten days the minute green 

 germs will show. Light must be given 

 gradually, avoiding the sun. When the 

 plants are large enough to remove on the 

 point of a lead pencil, flats should be 

 made ready using a finely sifted soil to 

 prick out the little plants, planting them 

 about an inch apart. Don't allow the 

 sun to shine upon the flats or the plants 

 will disappear a.s if by magic, nor must 

 they get too much moisture or they will 

 figure in a similar act. When they are 

 large enough pot them in 2-inch pots and 

 give them light and water, as in the pre- 

 ceding instructions only a fine rose can 

 be used to water with until the plants are 

 started and the soil settled on the top of 

 the pot. The plants being well rooted in 

 this size pot should be transferred into a 

 5-inch; when established should get liquid 

 manure as above outlined. 



Gloxinias can be readily propagated in 

 several ways if you want to increase the 

 stock of a particular color. Cuttings 

 taken from the old bulb when first started 



