jAXlAliV 1. 1903. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



2J7 



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Bench of the New CrimsoQ Carnation Harlowarden at the Establishment of the Chicago Carnation Co., Joliet, III. Photographed Dec. J9. 



EXORBITANT EXPRESS RATES. 



The action of the express companies in 

 increasing the rate on cut flowers 50 jier 

 cent calls for a vigorous jirotest. A 

 meeting of a number of New York and 

 New Jersey growers was held recently 

 in New York to confer as to the best 

 method of protesting against this ar- 

 bitrary and unjust advance. Cut flow- 

 ers have always been classed as first 

 class and liave paid the highest rates. 

 This makes the action of the companies 

 especially outrageous and imposes al- 

 together too much of a burden upon the 

 shippers. 



It would seem that the managers of 

 the express companies have acted with- 

 out due consideration of the case, and it is 

 thought tliat if the florists of the country 

 will wake up and vigorously and united- 

 ly [irotest against this action the old 

 rales will be restored. It is believed that 

 the best way to accomplish results will 

 be for every interested party, grower, 

 retailer and commission man, to write 

 at once to the superintendent of his ex- 

 press company protesting against tlie 

 advanced rate. Every Florists' Club in 

 the country should, at its next meeting, 

 pass strong resolutions condemning the 

 advance, and requesting that the old rate 

 be restored. Copies of these resolutions 

 should at once be sent to the superin- 

 tendents of the various express compan- 

 ies and to Mr. John N. May, 55 and 57 

 West 2(!th street, New Y'ork City. In- 

 dividuals should also send protests to 

 Mr. May as well as to the companies. 



In this way a mass of protests can be 

 gathered together that will be used 

 wliere they will have the most force. 

 This is a matter of great importance 

 to the shippers of flowers. The increase 

 in rates will cost the florists of this 

 country thousands of dollars annuallv 

 Don't delay. Write your protests and 



mail them as requested at once. It 

 should be rememhered that almost al! 

 growers deliver their goods at the rail- 

 road station and in many cases load 

 them on the cars, saving the company 

 the cost of collecting and handling them 

 at the point of shipment. This busi- 

 ness is regular every day in the year and 

 it would seem should have an especially 

 low rate instead of the outrageously 

 higli rate which rules at present. 



It rests with you florists. Protest! 

 Protest! ! Geo. W. Hillman. 



New Y'ork. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTURE. 



Suggestions for Southern Growers. 



Tlu' conditions in the Southern States 

 ■Mv similar to those of Australia, ad- 

 mitting of the flowering of chrysanthe- 

 mums out-of-doors. Thiidving that the 

 methods employed there may be of serv- 

 ice to some of the southern growers, I 

 herewith append their methods with the 

 hope that some one may be benefited 

 thereby. It should be taken into consid- 

 eration that their spring is our fall; 

 so that where the month is specified we 

 should add six montlis. This would 

 nuike September March, or the proper 

 time to begin propagation. And again, 

 where it refers to the buds appearing in 

 Fcliruary. we should substitute August. 

 Elmeh D. Smith. 



Propagation. 



Stand the old plants of the pi"evious 

 season in some open, airy position to 

 break. From these suitable cuttings, of 

 about three inches in length, are taken 

 in Septendx^r, avoiding those which are 

 thick and fleshy on the one hand and 

 weak and spindly on the other. After 

 removal of some of the lower leaves and 



buds tlie cuttings are inserted singly 

 in 2 or 3-inch pots filled with light opeii 

 soil and plunged in sand in a close glass 

 frame. The only attention required until 

 they are rooted being an occasional 

 watering or sprinkling and ventilation 

 for an hour or two in the early morn- 

 ing. 



Potting and Subsequent Treatment. 



When the plants are fairly established 

 and liardeued ofl", repot them into 5- 

 inch pots, using a good open soil and 

 well drained pots. The soil need not be 

 too rich, as only a moderate growth is 

 desirable at the present stage. Fincli 

 out the leading shoot at this time, thus 

 causing the side buds to break and fur- 

 nish the necessary leading growths. The 

 plants are plunged in sand in an open 

 svinny position and progress rapidly, so 

 that by the second week in November 

 they are ready for 7-inch pots, when a 

 little richer soil than that previously 

 used for the 5-inch move can be substi- 

 tuted, in which they may remain until 

 the first week in January. Now, instead 

 of removing them into larger pots, break 

 a good-sized hole in the bottom of the 

 pot in which they now are, and plunge 

 down to the rim in a well drained and 

 sheltered bed. placing under them some 

 good prepared soil (such as a mixture of 

 heavy loam. ])eat. sand and manure), 

 say in the following proportions: One- 

 fourth heavy loam, one-fourth peat, one- 

 fourth sand and one-fourth horse drop- 

 pings, adding some crushed bones, good 

 ashes and a little soot. (Should heavy 

 loam not be procui-able, clay can be used 

 as a substitute.) 



By this method an opportunity is af- 

 forded of feeding them with liquid ma- 

 nure, much earlier and oftener than 

 could be done if planted out in the open 

 ground, and the plants will not attain 

 such a lieiglit provided they are fii-mly. 



