770 



The Weekly Florists' Review^ 



APRIL 7, 1898. 



hybrid kinds praised too often for their 

 singularity rather than decorative val- 

 ue. This kind will, no doubt, become 

 the anthurium of the future. A first- 

 class certificate was awarded to it by 

 the floral committee. 



Azalea Grandiflora Alba. 



This is another remarkably useful 

 azalea. Its flowers are snow-white and 

 nearly eleven inches in diameter. The 

 plant shown was not very strong, but 

 one can scarcely judge of its vigor 

 from a single example of a new kind. 

 It is, however, evidently very tree-flow- 

 ering. 



The Great Quinquennial Show at Ghent. 



British nurserymen are looking for- 

 ward to this exhibit, which takes 

 place once in every five years in 

 the famous Ghent city of Belgium. 

 This year it promises to excel 

 previous shows, but that is a bold 

 statement. It must be difficult to 

 eclipse the glories of 1893, when the 

 groups of rhododendrons, and in par- 

 ticular azaleas, created splendid mas- 

 ses of color. But this exhibition does 

 not equal in interest and variety the 

 Temple shows of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society. 



New Orchids. 



1 should require many columns to 

 ■describe the new orchids that are 

 shown during the course of the 

 year in the various exhibitions. 

 Hybrids increase and multiply, but. I 

 must mention that a glorious variety of 

 Odontoglossom Wilckeanum called Pit- 

 tae, was exhibited recently. The 

 blotching of brown on the rich yellow 

 ground was very rich. Baron Schroe- 

 der, of The Dell, Egham, showed a gem 

 amongst Odontoglossoms, a variety of 

 O. Crispum named after Baroness 

 Schroeder. The flowers were of in- 

 tense coloring, almost suffused with 

 deep blood crimson, with white tips to 

 the sepals and petals. The baron has 

 probably the most valuable collection 

 of orchids, varieties of Odontoglossom 

 crispum in p.Trticular, in the world. 

 Perhaps I may some day write you 

 about these treasures. 



SIMPLE FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS. 



A Cluster of Hyacinths. 



When the florist must provide a 

 number of lots of flowers to be used 

 for the same occasion, it is well to 

 avoid repetition, and to make the con- 

 tributions show as much tasteful and 

 pleasing variety as possible. For this 

 purpose the various shades of hyacinth 

 flowers may be used to advantage, dur- 

 ing their season, and are much liked 

 by certain flower-buyers. 



Their stems are brittle, and the 

 spikes of flowers heavy; consequently 

 they need care in arr.ingement, and a 

 good stiff backing to properly support 

 the flowers. Some of their own foliage 

 should be allowed to show, and the 

 thick, soft stems should not be too 

 evident in the flnished piece. 



The illustration is made from a pho- 

 tograph of a very large cluster of pur- 

 ple and porcelain-colored hyacinths, on 



a backing of dicksonia fronds, finished 

 with adiantum, and a bow of purple 

 ribbon, and with card attached. 



W. T. BELL. 



CHR YSANT HEMUMS. 



[From advance sheets of tlie Florists* Manual, by 

 William Scott.] 



For a hundred years the chrysan- 

 themums have had periods of great 

 popularity and then of neglect. Per- 

 haps it would be safe to say that with 

 the American public the tide of pres- 

 ent popularity is not just at the flood 

 and the craze of 10 years ago has 

 slightly subsided, yet not to any great 

 extent. There, is no longer a doz.n 

 firms each sending out a new set an- 

 nually at Klondyke prices, for which 

 we must be devoutly thankful. An 

 aspirant for public favor now must be 

 about perfect and a slight advance on 

 preceding kinds. A few new ones 

 each year is an abundance and evtn 

 those are offsred at a price that allows 

 us to give them a trial. We do not be- 

 lieve that chrysanthemums will ever 

 drop from public favor, as say for in- 

 stance the camellia, for it has many 

 noble attributes to make it annually 

 welcome. The perfection to which they 

 are now grown is something former 

 generations knew nothing of and the 

 flower-buying public of 30 years ago 

 was so iusigniflcant compared with to- 

 day that it could be truthfully said to 

 be non-existent. 



The commercial florist is interested 

 mostly in the cut blooms and to a 

 much smaller extent in a medium sized 

 plant in a pot. Cultural directions for 

 both will be found below. The stand- 

 ards and large specimens are left to 

 the private gardener who has time, 

 money and space. 



A Cormnercial Flower. 



Take note during flowering season 

 of varieties wanted for your next sea- 

 son's crop and remember that if fcW 

 varieties are grown it simplifies labor 

 and expense, and there are so many to 

 choose from that color, form and sea- 

 son can be all covered by varieties that 

 you have found easy to grow. Select 

 plants for future stock that have pro- 

 duced the best flowers, marking th m 

 before the fiowers are cut. Lift suffi- 

 cient plants and place them in flats, 

 keeping them after first watering rath- 

 er on the dry side in a cool house un- 

 til time to start them growing to pro- 

 duce cuttings. Do not use any weak 

 shoots for cuttings. Throw them away, 

 it will afford room for the stronger to 

 develop. Chrysanthemums root read- 

 ily in sand or finely sifted coal ashes in 

 an ordinary propagating bed until end 



of May or early June. After that date 

 you will be more successful with a bed 

 in a cold frame, shaded with cloth, lath 

 or shaded g'ass tilted back and front 

 to insure a free circulation of air; and 

 the bed must be kept copiously water- 

 ed; this is very important. You often 

 see chrysanthemum cuttings drying 

 and wilting in June and July. They 

 have been allowed to get dry or the 

 sun has been shining on them, so wa- 

 ter copiously twice a day in fine weath- 

 er. 



The best time to propagate varies 

 with the different varieties and the size 

 of fiowers wanted. For large long 

 stemmed flowers of early varieties, 

 such as Ivory, Bergman, Bonnaffon 

 (Bonnafton can be grown early) and 

 other dwarf sorts, February is not too 

 early to put in the first batch. From 

 that time on propagating can be con- 

 tinued until August. For late flowers, 

 many of the free growing varieties do 

 well and produce fine fiowers on side 

 benches from late cuttings. Tho;e 

 propagated as late as August can be 

 planted on the benches direct frni 

 propagating bed without any potting, 

 and will grow from the start if kept 

 sprinkled and shaded for a few days 

 during the hottest hours of the day. 

 Earlier rooted cuttings that have to 

 be potted will want a 2 or 2i/2-inch pot. 

 Let them be well rooted before pot- 

 ting. Use a moderately heavy soil and 

 not too rich. When well hold of the 

 soil in the pots a side bench of a car- 

 nation or violet house will suit the 

 young plants of most varieties finely, 

 always giving them as much air as 

 possible and room to grow without 

 drawing up. The earliest struck batch- 

 es will require a 3 or 3i/^-inch pot be- 

 fore planting out time. Some of our 

 finest varieties which have a tendency 

 to produce a flower larger than the 

 stem can hold erect will be great y 

 beneflted by having 3 or 4 weeks out 

 of doors before planting on the bench. 

 Such varieties which are weak necked 

 should be grown slow and hard wood- 

 ed and should never from the time they 

 are rooted be allowed to attain a soft, 

 rank growth. 



The early varieties should be plant- 

 ed on benches in four inches of soil; 

 raised benches with good drainage will 

 enable you to control the grow.h and 

 ripening of the wood. The late varie- 

 ties are all right in solid beds, provid- 

 ing the texture of the soil and drain- 

 age is right. 



A heavy, free loam that the water 



