APRn> :i. isiis. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



837 



tions as to the various methods of 

 using accompany every package. We 

 have found this the most effective and 

 the cheapest insecticide. It is entirely 

 harmless to plant and bloom, but very 

 destructive to insect life, and it will 

 leave scarcely any odor on the flowers. 

 This is not smoking, but a vaporizing 

 of the nicotine, and this explains its 

 harmlessness to the plants. 



FRED DORXER. 



CARNATIONS NOT OPENING. 



I send some samples of Scott carna- 

 tion which you will notice are affected 

 by what seems to be a fungoid growth 

 that prevents the flowers from open- 

 ing. Albertini, Jubilee, Armazindy and 

 Daybreak are growing in the same 

 house, but have never shown any signs 

 of the trouble affecting Scott. About 

 two weeks ago I first notieed th;it the 

 flowers did not open and for the last 

 ten days I have not seen a perfect 

 flower on Scott. All other varieties 

 are doing finely, and so did Scott up to 

 two weeks ago. 



The temperature is ."O to ri2 degrees 

 at night, (Ui degrees on dark days and 

 70 to I'l degrees with sunshine. Have 

 given plenty of fresh air and the 

 plants have never been syringed over- 

 head. I vaporize nikoteen occasional- 

 ly and have not used any fertilizers or 



R. W. says that other varieties 

 growing in the same house are unaf- 

 fected, but varieties differ, and espe- 

 cially in the absorption of moisture 

 from the soil. The water supplied to 

 the whole house alike may have been 

 sufficient for the other varieties, but 



glass will have the appearance of be- 

 ing milky. This wash is more expen- 

 sive than the lime wash, but it will 

 last longer and answers the purpose 

 much better, by being and keeping 

 more transparent. 



FRED DORNER. 



Violets, Erica Fragrans and Adiantum in hamper, with lace ribbon. 

 By Thorley, New York. 



Marie Louise Violets and Small Ferns in fancy basket. By J. H. Small & Sons, New York. 



liquid manures for some time. Can 

 you tell me the cause of the trouble? 



R. W. 



The flowers received do not show 

 any fungoid growth, and I think the 

 trouble must be due to other causes. 

 When a bench becomes dry at the bot- 

 tom and this remains unnoticed, espe- 

 cially during several bright, warm 

 days, the trouble described may re- 

 sult. The buds that are just showing 

 color are more apt to be affected than 

 the open or half open blooms. It will 

 occur only when exposed to the bright 

 sunshine. 



not for the Scotts. and the latter have 

 become dry at the bottom without be- 

 ing noticed, which made them unab'.e 

 to withstand the effect of a sudden 

 burst of sunshine at this time of the 

 year. This is a reminder to at one? 

 put on a light shading, which is really 

 necessary at this season to preserve 

 the flowers and prevent their dwind- 

 ling in size. The best shading is white 

 lead and kerosine. mixed very thin. 

 Put it on with a good whitewash 

 brush, over the whole glass and not in 

 streaks, but apply it as thin as possi- 

 ble. It will break the sun's rays, but 

 will not wholly obstruct them. The 



VIOLET NOTES. 



Another Easter has come and gone, 

 and like last year with us the demand 

 for violets was greater than the sup- 

 ply. Unlike previous years, the last 

 two years have seen the poorest trade 

 directly after the holidays, remaining 

 so for a week or two. then commenc- 

 ing to pick up. and growing better till 

 Easter, which practically closes the 

 season. Of course, it you have taken 

 proper care, in shading, ventilating, 

 etc, (as previously mentioned), you 

 will still be picking fair violets, which 

 meet with ready sale at the reduced 

 prices at which they can be sold for 

 the balance of the season. 



The preparation of your field for 

 growing next year's stock of plants 

 should now have attention. It we can 

 have just what we prefer, we like to 

 take a piece of sod land, a good stiff 

 sod, covered thickly with well rotted 

 manure (the well rotted part I would 

 emphasize well), free from sticks, 

 straw, stalks, etc. Then we want a 

 man that knows how to plow with a 

 good team and plow, so that the sod 

 and manure are turned under entirely 

 and smoothly. But if we cannot have 

 this, we prefer a field where a sod was 

 turned under last season, and which 

 received good cultivation, and is free 

 from stubble, manuring this and pro- 

 ceeding as with the other. We do not 

 like to use horse manure if we can get 

 other kinds, unless it is two or three 

 years old, or the land is inclined to be 

 cold and damp; then it is well enough, 

 unless the season is extremely dry, 



I should also say that we have 

 found it important, if possible, to have 

 the field so located that it can be 

 watered if a continued dry spell oc- 



