836 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



APRIL 21. 1898. 



nymphaeas. as before stated, and two 

 nelumbiums will be suflScient for a 

 pond twelve feet in diameter, involv- 

 ing an outlay of about $2.(H>. These 

 will give greater satisfaction and 

 pleasure for the amount expended 

 than treble the amount for any other 

 kind of fancy bedding plants on the 

 same space, as well as being a draw- 

 ing card for the florist. 

 Such a pond as above described will 



not afford a heavy cut of flowers, but 

 where such is needed a much larger 

 pond will be needed. The season for 

 planting is rapidly approaching. Hardy 

 nymphaeas may now be planted: ne- 

 lumbiums. latter end of the month or 

 early in May. and tender varieties 

 toward the end of May. according to 

 sectional localities, earliness or late- 

 ness of locality. WM. THICKER. 

 Riverton, N. J. 



dry weather follows. We find the 

 young plants imbedded in a lump of 

 dry. baked soil, while the surrounding 

 soil will remain comparatively moist. 

 To break these hard lumps is equal to 

 a replanting, for it cannot be done 

 without injury to the plant, and if dry 

 weather continues the plant is virtu- 

 ally shut off from moisture. 



When transplanting much care 

 should be taken that the young plants 

 are well watered before planting; this 

 especially when from pots so the little 

 ball is well saturated with water, and 

 when the plant is of sufficient strength 

 and height, remove the heart, or, in 

 other words, top it. by pulling or 

 breaking it out. It is a great waste of 

 strength and time to allow the young 

 plant to form a bud. and should never 

 be permitted. FRED DORNER. 



PLANTING OUT. 



Indications are for an early spring, 

 and that means a chance for an early 

 planting out in the field. I would sug- 

 gest to those who have plants in a 

 suitable condition to plant out. and 

 the ground in the proper condition to 

 receive them, not to hesitate and plant. 

 In my last notes I called attention to 

 this matter, and dwelled especially on 

 the importance of having the young 

 plants in the proper condition for the 

 transfer, ready for the first favorable 

 opportunity to plant. 



I will now say a few words concern- 

 ing the preparation of the ground in 

 the field. Of all things avoid plough- 

 ing, spading or working the soil in any 

 way when wet. It should never be 

 worked unless it is so dry that it will 

 break and pulverize. It may be suffi- 

 ciently damp to ball in the hand, but 

 not so damp that it can not be broken 

 and pulverized again to the same con- 

 dition. If ground is worked when too 

 wet, it is spoiled for the whole sea- 

 son,' with corresponding results. On 

 the proper condition of the soil when 

 worked and on the thoroughness and 

 judiciousness with which this work is 

 done, depends much the retention of 

 moisture in time of drouth. A liberal 

 supply of well rotted stable manure, 

 some wood ashes, and if the soil is de- 

 ficient in lime this may be added and 

 ploughed under. Horse manure is best 

 for heavy soils, while cow manure is 

 better for light soils. If bone meal or 

 other commercial fertilizers be used, I 

 would prefer to sprinkle them over 

 the ploughed ground and work in with 

 the harrow. If one possesses enough 

 land for rotation every season, the 

 ideal ground is some sod or clover 

 turned under the fall before. As to the 

 kind and texture of soil, I consider a 

 sandy loam the best for summer cul- 

 ture, although carnations are grown 

 in all kinds of soil, but different soils 

 require different treatment, and every 

 grower should know best how to till 

 his particular soil. I desire to add 

 that as it does not require a farm, and 

 in most places not even an acre, to 



grow plants, it is well-spent labor to 

 put the ground in the best possible 

 condition. 



Distance in planting differs much, 

 subject to the mode of cultivating, 

 either with horse or hand cultivator. 

 Having enough land to plant far 

 enough apart to allow cultivating with 

 the horse, I prefer hand cultivating 

 and use the Gem hand cultivator. We 

 plant in rows 18 inches apart and 12 

 inches in the row. Every fifth row is 



FUMIGATING CARNATIONS. 



Does smoking carnations freely in- 

 jure the foliage and yellow the buds? 

 Is there any system of fumigating 

 with nicotine which is really practical 

 and also harmless to the plants? 



R. W. M. 



Fumigating with tobacco stems will 

 not injure the foliage or blooms when 

 the smoke is not too strong, but it 



Bottle Brush ( Metrosideros ) trimmed with crimson ribbon in celluloid basket. 

 By Thorley, New York. 



omitted, so the field appears in beds of 

 four rows each. In planting care 

 should be taken not to plant too deep- 

 ly, for nothing is more inviting to 

 stem rot than deep planting. I also 

 would caution not to plant when the 

 ground is too wet. for it is harmful to 

 plant and soil, as can be noticed when 



will leave the unpleasant tobacco odor 

 on the flowers and render them nearly 

 unsalable. 



We use the Rose Leaf tobacco ex- 

 tract, prepared by the Louisville Spirit 

 Cured Tobacco Co., Louisville. Ky. It 

 can be bought in any quantity, from a 

 pint can to a five-gallon can. Direc- 



