MARCH 31. ISHS. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



735 



Plateau of Narcissus and Ferns. 



center of a dinner table. It was pho- 

 tographed in the basement of the store 

 and the surroundings must not be con- 

 sidered in connection with the plateau. 



The width of the plateau was seven 

 feet and it was made for a table twelve 

 feet in diameter. It was made in four 

 sections, to facilitate handling. A 

 square space was left in the center, in 

 which a central vase of flowers could 

 be placed. The sections were made of 

 boards and moss tied over the surface. 

 In the arrangement the endeavor was 

 to give the impression of a mass of 

 daffodils, terns and grasses growing to- 

 gether. 



Nearly 700 narcissus flowers were 

 used, including Von Sion, Trumpet 

 Major and Golden Spur, and about 150 

 small ferns and grasses. In the center 

 corners were four plants of Pteris 

 tremula from G-inch pots, the remain- 

 der of the ferns and daffodils being set 

 in the mound as naturally as possible 

 and sloping to the edges. Tho ferns 

 were from 3 and 4-inch pots, but the 

 daffodils were cut and "stemmed." 



In the center of the nlateau is seen 

 a vase of the yellow Forsythia For- 

 tune!. 



THE BOUVARDIA. 



[From advance sheets of the Florists" Manual, bv 

 William Scott.] 



The bouvardia can be classed as al- 

 most a tropical plant, most of the spe- 

 cies coming from Southern Mexico and 

 South America. The hybrids of some 

 of these species are what are of value 

 to the florist. Twenty years ago the 

 bouvardia was one of the most impor- 

 tant of the plants we grew, but of late 

 years, with the advent of long-stemmed 

 carnations, the wonderful roses, the 

 chrysanthemum and other more dur- 

 able flowers, the bouvardias have been 

 much less grown, and in commercial 

 places they generally occupy but a 

 small space, if any, notwithstanding 

 they are beautiful and easily grown, 

 and that the flower has grace and re- 

 finement. In these days of keen com- 

 petition, the question is, "Do they 

 pay?" That you must judge by experi- 

 ence In your own locality. 



The best time to begin propagation 

 is early March, with the roots of 

 plants that have been grown on a 



bench for winter flowering. The bou- 

 vardia roots very slowly and unsatis- 

 factorily from the young top growths, 

 and in ordinary practice that is not 

 considered a practical method of pro- 

 pagating this plant. We will begin 

 with the young roots. Don't take the 

 large roots near the base of the plants, 

 nor the thin, thread-like roots of the 

 widest growth. Choose the growths 

 between these. Cut them into pitces 

 about one-half or three-fourths of an 

 inch in length and distribute them on 

 a propagating bench, where you have 

 a good heat, as you would coarse s ed, 

 pressing them into the sand. Then 

 cover with at least an eighth of an 

 inch of sand, pressing it down after 

 covering. Water sufliciently to keep 

 moist, about as you would other cut- 

 tings. In three or four weeks young 

 plants will be springing up. When they 

 have made two or three leaves and are 

 an inch high, lift them from the fand 

 and pot into 2-inch pots. 



The bouvardia is a tropical plant 

 and at no stage of its existence should 

 it be exposed to a low temperature. 

 This accounts for the very different 

 treatment we give it from what is 

 considered right in Western Europe. 

 Plant out in the open ground about 

 the first of June, or earlier, if you are 

 in a latitude where no late frosts ap- 

 pear. A very light, rich soil is much 

 the best adapted to the wants of the 

 bouvardia. Unless there is a very long 

 spell of hot. dry weather, no watering 

 is needed after the first good watering 

 when planted. The growth that has 

 started in the greenhouse will continue 

 to grow out of doors, but that is of 

 little consequence, and can before lift- 

 ing be entirely cut away. It is th' 

 strong, vigorous growth that wi'l 

 spring from the roots after being 

 planted out that you will depend on to 

 give you flowers. They want stopping 

 about twice during the summer. 



The lifting time will vary according 

 to where you are. In Buffalo we used 

 to lift about the second week in Sep- 

 tember. If later, and the weather 

 should be cold, they are much slower 

 in taking hold of the soil in their new 

 quarters. A very good plan is to do 

 the last pinching a week or so before 

 you lift them. The break from this 

 last stopping will then come in about 

 right for the holidays. Plant in flve 

 inches of good loam, and as to dis- 

 tance apart, be guided by size of the 

 plants. A foot apart is little enough 

 for any of them. Anybody, with al- 

 most any temperature, can get the first 

 crop of bouvardia. but to get them to 

 make a growth and a profitable crop 

 of flowers again in March requires 

 heat. Unless they are kept in a night 

 temperature of at least 60 degrees and 

 syringed daily, they will just stand 

 still after their first crop is over. The 

 rampant way they grow and flower 

 when the warm sun of April comes 

 shows you what they want. 



They can, of course, be grown in 



