364 



TheWeekly Florists' Review. 



jAxtAKv ;;'.}, 1003. 



as soon as the pipe sags the smallest 

 fraction they will bind and cause no 

 end of trouble and worry. 



As to the amount of piping necessary, 

 it is a question of what is to be grown, 

 climate, exposure, temperature to be 

 maintained, etc. For growing carnations 

 in this climate we find that from 135 

 to 140 feet of radiating surface to 1,000 

 feet of exposure is about the right 

 amount to maintain a night temperature 

 of from 52 to 58 in coldest weather. 



We use l^-inch pipe for all of our 

 heating coils, reducing to |-inch where 

 pipe enters main return for economy in 

 valves. We do not use the single pipe 

 system at all, believing the two pipe 

 to be more satisfactory under all con- 

 ditions. In using the single pipe sys- 

 tem I think 100 feet is the limit for 

 li-inch pipe and 150 feet for 11-inch. 

 Although about this I am not sure and 

 would refer anyone contemplating the 

 use of this system to some one who has 

 it in operation, or to one who is more of 

 an authority on steam heating than I 

 am. 



In returning the water to the boiler 

 the srravity system, where possible, is, 

 of course, the cheapest and most sim- 

 ple. Where this is not possible water 

 will have to be returned either by a 

 .steam trap or pump an<i receiver. Never 

 having had any experience with steam 

 traps, I am not in a position to discuss 

 them, but am told by parties using them 

 that they are very satisfactory. We use 

 the steam pump and receiver and are 

 very well satisfied. In using the pump 

 we also have the advantage of being 

 able to pump water from a pond which 

 we intend to build just outside of our 

 lx)iler shed, thus getting double service 

 out of it. 



For coal we have always used pea, 

 nut and slack, but this year are using 

 what is known as Xo. 3 washed — a small 

 lump having all dust and dirt washed 

 out and al>out the size of hazel nuts or 

 pecans. It is more expensive than the 

 nut and slack, but we think we can 

 get through the season with a car or 

 two less than of the cheaper coal and 

 save a few dollars in tlie end, and that 

 is what we are all after. 



HOLLYHOCKS. 



We send witli tliis a liollyhock plant. 

 The seed was planted about August 1. 

 We wish to know if the plant-s are large 

 enough to flower, or make any kind of 

 show the coming season. Would it be 

 safe to sell them for good flowering 

 plants this spring? W. & N. 



Tlie plant received has all the soil 

 washed from its roots. As it comes 

 from New Jersey, it may have been 

 lifted from a cold frame. In our cli- 

 mate to be in its present condition, it 

 would need be in a 3-inch pot in a cool 

 house. It is a fine, strong plant, healthy 

 in every way. 



If they are in a cold frame, planted 

 out, you must, of course, leave them 

 there until spring opens, but if they are 

 in a cool house, in pots, you cannot do 

 any hotter with them than give them 

 a shift at the end of February, but 

 still keep them in the coolest, lightest 

 house. 



I cannot answer the questions given 

 me better than to say, that you do not 

 want any better plants for next sum- 

 mer's flowering, than the sample sent. 

 The best hollyhock flowers and plants I 



ever saw were treated as follows: The 

 seed was sowm at tlie end of August, the 

 plants kept in a cold frame until the 

 end of November. Then they were kept 

 in a cool house during winter. In 

 April they were in 4-inch pots; end of 

 April were planted out in a stiff clay, 

 with plenty of manure. By end of July 

 the central spike was 7 feet high, and 

 the lateral growths made a plant 5 feet 

 across. They were grand in every way. 

 We have not been able to duplicate this 

 performance of late years, not because 

 the method was not followed, but dis- 

 ease has attacked the young plants in 

 the winter. 



I would advise you to dust these 

 plants with Fostite or syringe them 

 with some copper solution. You can 

 prevent the fungus, but if it once gets 

 started on the plants it is difficult to 

 subdue. Your plants are all right. 



William Scott. 



EXPRESS RATES. 



As a literary production the resolu- 

 tions that were printed in our Boston 

 notes last week are entitled to com- 

 mendation, but as far as any practical 

 result is concerned they niiglit as well 

 have been thrown into Boston harbor as 

 soon as adopted. 



There is just one argument that will 

 appeal forcibly to the trafhc managers of 

 the express companies and that is that 

 the inereaseil rate will so curtail ship- 

 ments as to reduce their revenue from 

 the tralhe, or that it will prevent its ex- 

 pansion. The JIadison and Chatham rose 

 growers who established a wagon express 

 of their own to New York City, took the 

 most effective step possible. 



And if a strong committee could pre- 

 sent the matter to the next meeting of 

 the Express TrafTic Managers' Associa- 

 tion we feel sure there would follow a 

 reversion to the old rate. 



All will remember that at one time the 

 rate on plants was doubled. In looking 

 into this matter at the time the writer 

 of this, while in conversation with the 

 traflic manager of one of the companies, 

 learned that the increase came almut in 

 this way: One of the traffie managers 

 happened to visit one of the New York 

 stations when the men were loading an 

 immense rublier tree that a certain well- 

 known florist was shipping up the Hud- 

 son. Tlie tree had no packing whatever 

 — simply a tag attached to the stem. To 

 get it into tne ear it had to be laid 

 down, and it took up half the car. He 

 asked : "What rate do you cet for carry- 

 ing that?" And when told single mer- 

 chandise rate he raved and said it was 

 worth seven times single rate. At the 

 next meeting he proposed the increased 

 rate on plants, and the matter not being 

 carefully considered the increase was 

 made. 



Tlie chances are that the cut flower 

 rate was increased in some such way. 

 The traffic manager of some company 

 that had had numerous claims on ac- 

 count of freezing and delay, or had 

 noted some huge box of light weight for 

 its bulk, probably introducett a resolu- 

 tion that resulted in the increase. 



Traffic managers are human and they 

 make mistakes. They are sensible busi- 

 ness men and are amenable to reason. 

 See that the facts — the actual facts — 

 reach the understanding of these men 

 and the mistake will be corrected. 



Tliat the increased rate will lessen the 

 number of shipments is a foregone con- 



clusion. How much will it lessen them?- 

 All know how the shipments have in- 

 creased and multiplied under the old 

 rate. How seriously will this growth be 

 checked by iiie increase? These are the 

 matters that interest the traffic mana- 

 gers. And aside from these questions 

 that of being reasonable and just has a 

 bearing. Reach the right men and pre- 

 sent the ca.se in a proper light. Don't 

 stand off at a distance and call names. 



THE "S. A. F. PAEONY ASS'N." 



Following we print a communication 

 that is self-explanatory : 



THE S. A. F. PAEONY ASSOCIATION. 

 Some mild criticism of the S. A. F. Paeony 

 Association has recenti.v been indulged in. Noth- 

 ing vital has been eTolved and it is hardly 

 worth noticing except that some might think 

 that, saying nothing, there was nothing to say. 

 For the information of the public, therefore, the- 

 following points are resi>ectfully submitted: 



1. The Paeony C<)mmittee appointed by Presi- 

 dent Burton bad ixnvor to add to its numbers. 

 A committee having that right of associating 

 with itself other members of the parent body 

 became "an association." It is only anotlier 

 name for that itlnd of a committee, but it pub- 

 lishes better the breadth and depth of the com- 

 mittee's work than the title of committee q3 

 usually understood. 



2. Any member of the S. A. F. may ask a 

 friend to join the S. A. F. Because one is a 

 member of the Paeony Association does not de- 

 prive blm of that right. If a candidate for 

 membership in the S. A. F. happened to be a 

 paeony enthusiast, the Paeony Association would 

 naturally want him in their ranks, and they 

 would have a iwrfect right to ask him. and it 

 would ntit c^tst him anything additional. Why 

 should it? If he pays ?5 the $o goes into the 

 treasury of the S. A. F. The Paeony Associa- 

 tion does as any other committee does as to- 

 finances — it draws on the parent lK)dy. 



X The advantage of having the paeony Inter- 

 ests under the wing and the control of the S. 

 A. F. is. briefly, that it avoids the policy of a 

 practlcall.v self-constituted dictatorship in that 

 section of the society's field of work. The 

 IKtwers given to the committee to gather to it- 

 self those especially interested within the S. A. 

 F. are ample and subject only to the proper 

 control of the executive officers of the S. A. F. 

 They can also gather those outside the S. A. F. 

 by the simple process of having thera become 

 members of the S. A. F. While that helps the 

 paeony Interests, it also helps to build up and 

 broaden the S. A. F., and it is a practical solu- 

 tion of that vexed problem, "closer relations," 

 which has been troubling the society for the 

 past ten years. 



4. The work of revising the nomenclature of 

 the papon.v will be a most difficult one and will 

 take .vears to accomplish. That fact was early 

 realized, as was the fact that to do it properly 

 facilities for growing and comparing the dif- 

 ferent varieties (there tore perhaps l.tioo named' 

 varieties of the herbaceous secthin alone now lu 

 commerce) would have to be provided. An ama- 

 teur paeony enthusiast offered to do this, hut 

 his place was a little difficult of access to vis- 

 itors. 'U'hile the committee was holding the 

 matter under consideration a gratifying solution 

 was presented to them by the Commi-ssloners of 

 Fairmount Park through Oglesby Paul, the 

 landscape gardener of the park. It is now ar- 

 ranged to have the collection in the park under 

 the care of Mr. Paul. Each contributor's dona- 

 tion will be carefully labeled and kept separate, 

 and all the benefits accruing from a permanent 

 exhibition will thus be secured to the donors at 

 a central point easy of access. This arrange- 

 ment relieves the society of all expense In 

 caring for the plants, and removes all suspicion 

 of self-interest from the members of the asso- 

 ciation. Field notes can be secured readily and 

 frequently by the officers and by anyone inter- 

 ested. Further particulars as to this and to 

 the matter of an exhibition will be given out 

 later as things develop. 



5. In conclusion, those who are working for 

 the S. A. F. and the paeony at present are do- 

 ing so at a sacrifice of their time and means 

 for the benefit of all, and they will gladly wel- 

 come assistance from any source whatever. They 

 feel neither prejudice nor malice towards any- 

 one, and they also feel that they have some 

 right to be treated with similar consideration. 

 Let everyone with the welfare of the S. A. F. 

 at heart turn in and do something. There Is 

 plenty of work for all and no time for fault- 

 finding. Life is short and there's a great deal 

 to be done. GEORGE C. WATSON. 



Sec'y S. A. F. Paeony Association. 



This explanation reads well and there 

 might be no serious objection to the 

 turn given the matter were it not an 

 evident effort to head off the gentlemen 

 who had already begun the formation 

 of a national peony societv. The com- 

 mittee having been charged with exceed- 

 ing its powers, it will bo well to refer to- 

 the wording of the motion through- 



