920 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



.MAY 12, ISHS. 



Van Horn. New York city. Adolph 

 Fisher. Great Neck. I.. I., was nomi- 

 nated. 



The president then introduced Pro- 

 fessor Britten, of the Connecticut Ag- 

 ricultural Experiment Station, who 

 gave a very instructive and interest- 

 ing lecture on "Experiments with 

 Chemical Fertilizers on Greenhouse 

 Plants." The most noticeable fact 

 brought out was an experiment with 

 chemical fertilizers and their effect on 

 carnations. The most satisfactory 

 was from plants grown in coal ashes 

 and peat moss, with the following 

 added: Three lbs. 14 oz. nitrate soda, 

 1 lb. 1 oz. dissolved boneblack. 1 lb. 13 

 oz. muriate potash; .'!,."iS4 Howers were 

 taken from 1ih» square feet, or an av- 

 erage of L'7 .''-1(1 per plant. Prof. Brit- 

 ton sliowed several interesting photo- 

 graphs comparing the effects of chem- 

 icals on the root and plant action. 



Mr. Herrington. in the discussion 

 that followed, thought that the lecture 

 as a whole showed a negative rather 

 than a positive result, and suggested 

 that as Mother Earth had rarely ^one 

 back on us he was inclined to think 

 we should not go back on it. .\ hearty 

 vote of thanks was accorded Prof. 

 Brit ton. 



The essay committee announced 

 that Prof. Elson. of Boston, would be 

 the next entertainer, his subject be- 

 ing 'Music and Flowei's." They also 

 suggested, as the next meeting would 

 be the last this summer, it should be 

 "ladies' night." and it was unani- 

 mously adopted. 



On a motion it was unanimously re- 

 solved to send a letter of condolence 

 to the family of .lames D. Burnett, a 

 member of the chil). and the secretary 

 was so directed. 



The Exhibit. 

 W. A. Manda showed three seedling 

 Rex begonias very distinct, and a 

 very distinct and new oncidium like 

 Cavendishi undoubtedlv a natural hy- 

 brid. 



In the Market. 

 •The maiket still continues lifeless, 

 in spite of a considerable lightening 

 of crops, inclement weather and the 

 present international question both 

 contributing to this state of things. 

 To-day. Monday, as I write, however, 

 there is a slight improvement. 



Prices remain about the same as 

 last week, with comparatively little 

 change. Some very fine Cattleya 

 Mossiae are being sent in by Mr. A. 

 Herrington. Madison. N. J., and real- 

 ize (ill cents apiece. 



With the summer ahead of them the 

 two Macs. MacDonald A; McManus. are 

 in a quandary as to which shall go to 

 the front. They will draw lots next 

 Friday, the IP.th. 



Obituary. 



We are sorry to announce the death 

 of Mr. James D. Burnett. Madison, N. 

 J., last Saturday morning, from con- 

 sumption of the throat. Mr. Burnett 

 was ill l)ut two days, though he has 



been ailing for some time. He was a 

 member of the New York Florists' 

 Club and Royal Arcanum, and was 

 well known and liked among the fra- 

 ternity. 



Notes. 



Among the visitors were: Robert 

 Craig, William Craig. Philadelphia; 

 Geo. T. King. Hyde Park. Mass. 



Mr. Chas. Weathered has been un- 

 der the weather with grippe, but is 

 now fully on the way to complete re- 

 covery. 



BOSTON. 



Review of the Market. 



There has been but little change 

 since my letter of last week, with per- 

 haps the exception of carnations, 

 which are somewhat more plentiful 

 and are selling readily, common stock 

 averaging .fi: per liMt, while strictly 

 high grade llowers still bring good 

 prices, and are bought up on sight. 



Roses are of fine quality for this 

 season of the year, but the supply is 

 in excess of demand, i)rices ranging 

 from $1 to $li> per llMi. while hybrids, 

 of which some very fine Jacks and 

 Brunners are coming in. are cleaned 

 up fairly well at from $1 to $4 per 

 dozen. Quite a few of that old favor- 

 ite. Souvenir de la Malmaison. are in 

 the market, and sell well, from $1 to 

 ¥'2 per dozen. Some very fine valley, 

 grown in cold frames, is seen, and 

 brings .■?.■; per 1ih». a few being sold 

 for .f4. 



The demand is light for violets, ."id 

 cents per loo being the ruling price. 

 Bulb stock of all kinds is at a dis- 

 count, while odds and ends, such as 

 spiraeas, stocks, candytuft, etc.. are 

 readily taken up by retailers, at 

 prices ranging from $1 lo .SJ.-'iO per 

 KM). 



The Banquet. 



The annual banquet of the club took 

 place at Horticultural hall, Tuesday 

 evening. May .'I. and was a great sur- 

 prise to the members, the number 

 present being nearly a hundred, or 

 nearly double the average for the past 

 few years. After a short luisiness 

 meeting the president invited every- 

 body into the lower hall, where the 

 sight of the long, well-fllled tables 

 was a feast for the eyes, as well as a 

 creator of a ravenous appetite. 



The decorations were planned and 

 carried out by the pi'esident. Mr. Geo. 

 Anderson, of Milton, and while they 

 were not elaborate, were very tastily 

 arranged, and the mounds in the cen- 

 ter of each table, filled with small 

 American hags, at once aroused the 

 patriotism of all the guests, everyone 

 conceding it to be the most appropri- 

 ate part of the table decorations. 



When the inner man had been sat- 

 isfied and cigars were passed around 

 and lighted, and each guest had been 

 "buttonholed" with a flag, the presi- 

 dent welcomed the guests, and intro- 



duced ex-President A. P. Calder as 

 toastmaster. who, in accepting the 

 honor, made one of his own chaiacter- 

 istic speeches, which was well re- 

 ceived. 



Mr. F. L. Harris, of Wellesley, one 

 of the pioneers of the private garden- 

 er's craft of this country, was the first 

 speaker called upon. Then came John 

 Galvin. the oldest commercial florist 

 in New England and one of the fore- 

 most to start a flower store in the 

 United States. 



Mr. George Spaulding. a guest of the 

 club, then favored us witli a fine old 

 Irish cradle song, brogue ami all. 

 which was the hit of the evening. 



After the song Mr. Peter Barr, "the 

 Narcissus King," from London. Eng.. 

 was introduced, and gave a very enter- 

 taining account of his cordial recep- 

 tion in this country, stating that al- 

 most immediately on his landing he 

 had been decorated with the national 

 colors by one of our well known Eng- 

 lish-American fiorists. 



This gave the toastmaster his cue 

 for the next toast — the "Stars and 

 Stripes," the emblem of the most glo- 

 rious nation in the world — and every 

 man present, American. English. 

 Scotch, Irish and German, arose and 

 drank (water was the beverage) to 

 "Old Glory" and joined in singing the 

 "Star-Spangled Banner." 



Mr. Lawrence Cotter, after a little 

 persuasion, made a few remarks, dur- 

 ing which he called for three cheers 

 for Commodore Dewey, a glorious 

 representative of a glorious nation, 

 which were given with a will. 



Following a patriotic song by Mr. 

 Joseph Mahan and the reading of let- 

 ters of regret from President Kidder, 

 of the Horticultural Society, and Pro- 

 fessor Watson, Mr. Spaulding again 

 favored us. this time with a comic rfc- 

 itation. 



Mr. Calder then introduced Mr. War- 

 ren Ewell. after which Mr. W. W. 

 Tailby and Mr. W. H. Elliott, of the 

 New England Florist, responded for 

 "The Press." Mr. E. H. Hatch and P. 

 Welch were called upon, but had 

 quietly left the hall. Mi'. Spaulding 

 then favored us with another song, 

 after which everybody arose and 

 joined in singing ".\ulii Lang Syne." 



The May Exhibition. 

 The usual May exhibit of the Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society was 

 held in the lower hall on Saturday. 

 May 7, and could well be called a 

 "Calceolaria exhibition." grand speci- 

 mens of which were exhibited by Mrs. 

 B. P. Cheney, who captured first and 

 third prizes on collections of six vari- 

 eites. and third on specimen plants. 

 Dr. C. G. Weld was awarded second 

 prize on collection, while I. S. Bailey 

 received first prize for a magnificent 

 specimen of a clear yellow variety, 

 and fourth on collection. E. S. Con- 

 verse got third on collection. Dr. C. 

 G. Weld captured all the prizes for 

 azaleas, showing some excellent 

 plants for so late in the season. 



