Makch 20. I'JOa. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



723 



Corms a little above medium size (not 

 the very large ones) are the most suit- 

 able for forcing purposes. In tlie prep- 

 aration of the bench due regard should 

 be taken of the fact that they are marsh 

 plants and will require au abundance of 

 water during their growing and flower- 

 ing season and consequently should be 

 amply provided with drainage. By us- 

 ing tile bottomed tenches the most per- 

 fect drainage is obtained and as callas 

 can be allowed to remain on the same 

 bench for two or three years without 

 renewing there is no danger of the bench 

 giving way through rot. 



To secure an abundance of perfectly 

 developed, good sized flowers with plen- 

 ty of luxuriant foliage, they being gross 

 feeders require a compost of equal parts 

 of rich loamy soil and well decomposed 

 cow manure. Tlie corms should be 

 planted about 18 inches apart each way 

 and should ha\e the crowns well under 

 the surface. 



They require no watering until the 

 leaves begin to develop and the roots to 

 show through the soil and on the sur- 



positive improvement both in quality 

 and quantity of bloom produced. 



By mulching each alternate month 

 and using liquid manure between times 

 and keeping the right temperature GO 

 or 62 degrees, with a day temperature 

 varying from 70 degrees "during cloudy 

 weather to SO degrees in bright sunshine 

 and giving abundance of ventilation 

 these plants will continue to produce 

 immense crops of bloom until the middle 

 of July, when they should receive a par- 

 tial rest. 



Tlie old method of drying them en- 

 tirely off during the summer months 

 and starting them again in the fall is 

 almost entirely dropped. A partial 

 ripening by gradually diminishing the 

 supply of water and giving all the air 

 possible for a period of three weeks if 

 the weather is hot and drj- or a week or 

 two longer if the weather is dull being 

 all that is necessary. 



If the bench is to be 'carried over a 

 second year (and this is usually the 

 most profitable way) the ripened leaves 

 should be picked off and the surface of 



A Bench of Callas at the Establishment of G. VanBocbove & Bro., KaUmazoo, Mich. 

 Photographed December 28 Last. 



face, there being sufficient food stored 

 in a well ripened conn to sustain them 

 until this takes place. During this 

 period the house should be kept cool and 

 moist, by shading if necessary. As the 

 leaves expand and increase in number 

 the supply of water should be gradually 

 increased and ventilation given freely. 



Being very subject to the attacks of 

 red spider they ought to be thoroughly 

 syringed from both sides of the bench 

 on every favorable occasion. Thrips and 

 greenfly are also much attached to them. 

 Light and frequent fumigation will easi- 

 ly keep these pests in proper subjection. 



By the beginning of September the 

 first real good flowers will begin to ap- 

 pear. At this time a mulch of half 

 rotted cow manure one or one and a half 

 inches thick will help materially to de- 

 velop the crop and strengthen the plants 

 for a succeeding one. Before applying 

 the mulch I have found it of great bene- 

 fit to give a generous sprinkling of bone 

 flour to the surface of the soil. When 

 the mulching is partly exhausted feed- 

 ing witli liquid manure can be resorted 

 to during bright weather, and if this is 

 carefully and judiciously attended to 

 the labor will be amply repaid by the 



the soil cleaned and given a thorough 

 soaking. The remaining leaves should 

 then get a good sj-ringing every day and 

 the house kept cool and moist. This is 

 all the water they will require until 

 root action again commences and fresh 

 leaves push forth, when water can be 

 graduallv resumed and plenty of fresh 

 air admitted. 



To renew the plantation the plants 

 after being partly rested should be 

 lifted and divided, selecting for the new 

 planting the best shaped and firmest 

 roots. These should be planted imme- 

 diately, before they are allowed to drj'. 

 If they are allowed to become too dry 

 it retards the period of starting and has 

 a tendency to weaken the first growth. 



The smaller roots should be potted 

 and placed in a cool frame, shaded and 

 kept moist for two weeks, when they can 

 be gradually exposed to the full sun- 

 shine. The largest of these will make 

 nice specimens for the spring and 

 Easter trade, the smaller ones if care- 

 fully attended to will make good stock 

 for next season's planting. 



During the past few years a disease 

 has developed among callas which in 

 effect and appearance very much resem- 



bles the work of some species of bacteria 

 and which from a very small beginning 

 soon assumes large dimensions. The 

 disease is of a very virulent form and 

 will in a few weeks entirely destroy a 

 houseful of plants. From what data I 

 can gather it seems to break out after 

 the introduction of California grown 

 stock into a house and will soon cause 

 trouble among the established home 

 grown stock if not segregated. Unfor- 

 tunately, like the lily trouble, even a 

 microscopic examination fails to reveal 

 the danger signal and it is only after 

 the plants are well established that the 

 trouble apparently begins. As yet I 

 know of no effective remedy, 



Richardia Elliottiana is a yellow 

 type of this old favorite. The bloom is 

 of a clear orange yellow and very strik- 

 ing, the leaves are beautifully dotted 

 with small transparent blotches. It is 

 a beautiful variety but not quite so free 

 a bloomer as E. africana. 



ElBES. 



NEW ROSES. 



BT E. G. HILL. 



[Presented to the American Rose Society at 

 the Philadelphia meeting.] 



Mr. Presidext a.vd Gentlemen — • 

 There is little to chronicle relative to 

 tiie new additions to the rose family, 

 and especially is this true concerning 

 new varieties suitable for forcing pur- 

 poses. Ivory, introduced last year, is a 

 splendid producer of buds and flowers 

 during the winter months, in fact is 

 considered of unusual merit and value 

 as a white forcing rose. This variety 

 is thought highly of by nearly all the 

 growers who have given it a trial this 

 year, and we hear of large increases to 

 Lie planted of tliis variety; this would 

 seem to indicate its popularity and 

 standing. The variety is lacking in 

 foliage, and this is a very pronounced 

 defect. Xevertheless the variety has so 

 many good qualities that it more than 

 counterbalances this weak point. 



Souv. de Pierre Xotting — This variety 

 was supposed to liave attributes and 

 qualities which would commend it as a 

 forcing variety. The flower is a beau- 

 tiful combination of yellow and pink, 

 with the yellow suffusion predominat- 

 ing; it is of good size, produces finely 

 formed buds, but unfortunately so many 

 of the outer petals are defective and 

 lacking in texture that it practically 

 disqualifies the rose for winter work. 

 This variety should make a fine outdoor 

 bedder in sections where summer bloom 

 is desired. It should also make a fine 

 rose for massing. Its fine foliage, with 

 its deep coloring, lends a charm that is 

 possessed by but few varieties. 



Franz Deegen — ily prediction is that 

 this variet}- will grow in favor as its 

 winter forcing qualities become better 

 and more generally known. It is a 

 good, vigorous grower, producing long 

 canes not unlike those produced by 

 Kaiserin Aug. Victori.t, and is remark- 

 ably free in producing its buds during 

 the winter months. It likes good culture 

 and thrives with good feed and plenty 

 of it. The color is a charming tint of 

 yellow, which has a depth seen in but 

 few roses. Would certainly advise a 

 trial of this rose on at least a limited 

 scale, so that it may liave a universal 

 test over the country. Tin's variety 

 has grown in our estimation, as we 

 have noted its Ijehavior the past iew 

 months. 



Perle Von Godesburg — This was her- 

 alded as a yellow sport from Kaiserin 



