February 12, 1903. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



435 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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BANQUET DECORATION. 



We present herewith an engraving 

 from a photograpli of a simple banquet 

 decoration. As will be seen by the pic- 

 ture small vases of roses and carna- 

 tions were used at intervals on the 

 tables and these were supplemented by 

 sprays of asparagus on the cloth. In 

 the center of the speakers' table, at the 

 right in tlie picture, was a plateau of 

 roses, while to the cloth on the inner 

 side of the central triangle chrysanthe- 

 mums were pinjied, the bloom rising Just 

 above the edge of the table and the 

 stems slanting dow'nward. Some drapery 

 of asparagus was also used here as will 

 Ije noted. In the center of the triangle 

 was a low mound of palms, some of 

 the plants being tilted over to finish 

 the group at its base. 



Tlie decoration was for the last an- 

 nual lianquet of the Chicago IHorists' 

 Club in the banquet room of the Audi- 

 torium hotel last November, and was 

 arranged by Sir. P. J. Hauswirth. 



The placing of the tables in the form 

 of a triangle appealed to us as an ex- 



This is a usual cause of complaint 

 during the winter season and of course 

 the long sunless period we have had this 

 season makes it more aggravated and 

 no doubt the receipts from Beauty 

 houses %vill be considerably smaller than 

 in former years. There may be some 

 consolation in the fact that we are all 

 experiencing the same kind of weather. 



To help check the growth and encour- 

 age the formation of buds the soil on 

 the benches should be allowed to become 

 dry almost to the wilting point, and the 

 temperature reduced to 54 degrees for a 

 week or so. A strict watch will have to 

 be kept so that the tips do not wilt 

 when the sun does shine. If the foliage 

 is very dense so as to exclude the rays 

 of the sun from the surface of the soil 

 a judicious picking off of the bottom 

 leaves and plenty of ventilation on all 

 favorable occasions will materially help. 

 As the busy season of potting is now 

 on. tying, taking off laterals and keep- 

 ing the benches tidy should not (as is 

 f I equently the case ) , be neglected as 

 blooms, however good the quality may 



early in December in ordinary rose soil 

 and given ample drainage. The soil 

 should be thoroughly moistened. 



Underneath a bench where there is 

 plenty of head-room and light in a house 

 with a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees 

 is a suitable place for tliem until the 

 eyes begin to break. During this period 

 they must receive careful attention, 

 syringing them at least every alternate 

 day and keeping them clear of any 

 over-head drip. When the eyes begin 

 to break and root action has well ad- 

 vanced they should be transferred to a 

 light, airy bench in a house' with a 

 night temperature of 55 or 56 degrees. 

 As the leaves expand the temperature 

 can be raised to GO degrees. 



When the pots are well filled with 

 roots liquid manure can be applied with 

 advantage, beginning by giving it very 

 weak and increasing in strength as the 

 plants increase in vigor. If they appear 

 to be coming into bloom too early they 

 can be retarded by reducing the tem- 

 I>erature, but this must be done very 

 gradually, as any sudden reduction will 

 result in mildew. Ribes. 



GRAFTED BEAUTIES. 



Are grafted Beauties better than 

 those on their own roots? I am not 

 particular about six and seven-foot 

 stems, but prefer three or four-foot 

 stems with good flowers, and thought 

 probably grafted stock would produce 

 such blooms more abundantlv. 



H. T. 



Mass. 



A Simple Banquet Decoration. 



ceedingly good idea. The speakers' table 

 is at the right and by this arrangement 

 every one of the banqueters faced this 

 table and there was no necessity for 

 anj- one to turn around in order to 

 see or hear. As will be seen by the 

 chairs guests were seated on the outer 

 side of the triangles only. 



ROSES. 



Seasonable Hints. 



American Beauties will now begin 

 their spring growth and should be en- 

 couraged by liberal supplies of liquid 

 food. This season there are many com- 

 plaints because of the wood continuing 

 to reach in length instead of forming 

 buds. 



be otherwise, are reduced in grade by 

 crooked and unshapely stems. The lat- 

 erals should be removed while they are 

 quite small, say two inches in length, as if 

 they are allowed to become strong they 

 deprive the hud of its nourishment and 

 spoil the gracefulness of the stem. Brides 

 and Maids particularly will be likely to 

 suffer as the growth is soft and in 

 order to obtain straight stems tying 

 should be strictly attended to. 



I have recently had several inquiries 

 as to the best method of forcing 

 Beauties and other roses in pots for the 

 Easter trade. It is too late in the sea- 

 son for this to be regarded as a "season- 

 able hint" as these require a much 

 longer period than the few weeks now at 

 our disposal. To force Beauties suc- 

 cessfully in pots they should be potted 



It is still an undecided question if 

 grafted stock of Beauties are any better 

 than stock on their own roots. . Some 

 experts prefer them grafted, while oth- 

 ers again do not. My own experience 

 with grafted stock is that they do pro- 

 duce finer canes and better quality of 

 blooms, but ■ are behind those on their 

 own roots in productiveness. 



As far as length of stem is concerned 

 I have never been able to detect any 

 difference that could be credited to the 

 mode of propagation, the selecting of 

 close jointed wood for propagating pur- 

 poses either by cutting or grafting 

 ha^^ng more to do with the character 

 and quality of the future stem. By 

 carefully selecting this class of wood 

 from the freest-Howering plants and 

 persisting in it year after year, a freer 



