April 4. 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



445 



THE BOSTON VIOLET 



The people today are looking for New Violets just as much as they are for new roses 



or carnations. 



THE BOSTON VIOLET 



For the past two years has been placed before the most sceptical buyers in America 



and they prefer it to any other. 



THERE'S A REASON 



The Boston Violet is the largest, the most fragrant, it has a very pleasing color, 



and it is a great keeper. 



THE BOSTON VIOLET 



Is a variety that is early grown, it is the strongest grower and is in crop from September 



to May. 



THE BOSTON VIOLET 



Was awarded a First Class Certificate of Merit by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society 

 and a Report of Superior Merit by the Gardeners' and Florists' Club of Boston. 



Distribution will Commence in April, Order Now. 



PRICES- $2 per 12; $12 per 100; $100 per 1000. 



WILPJAIYI SIIYI, CLIFTONDALE, lYIASS. 



the hardness to be guarded against is 

 of the older wood caused by too low 

 a temperature and not enough syring- 

 ing. How this operation varies with 

 the seasons. Commencing now with 

 the increasing sun and still lots of 

 fire heat at night, evaporation is rapid 

 and good heavy syringings are in or- 

 der to keep the foliage clean and 

 large. Special attention should be 

 given to ends of benches where pipes 

 may be nearer the plants and dry 

 walks should be damped down every 

 day. If a general syringing is not 

 given every day the plants should at 

 least get a spraying through the bot- 

 tom from every other walk. I believe 

 in afternoon syringing in the summer 

 time, especially for young and re- 

 planted stock. I would not do this 

 later than four o'clock and not on 

 cold or wet days, and would discon- 

 tinue it as soon as the nights get 

 cool. As the fall approaches it must 

 be done early in the morning so that 

 the plants can dry off before night 

 or mildew and black spots will soon 

 make tiieir apjjearance. In the winter 

 when the plants will not dry, the 

 syringings have to be cut down to 

 about one a week and even then some 

 varieties have to be shaken to remove 

 the surplus moisture or they remain 

 wet over night. At this time we rely 

 on frequent damping down of the 

 walks and boards, combined with 

 spraying through the bottom of the 

 plants to keep the wood soft and in- 

 d\ice it to break. Disbudding If an- 

 other thing which must be done at the 

 right time. When the plants are grow- 

 ing fast this should be gone over at 

 least every other day. 



Mulching is another important mat- 

 ter. Right now is the time to apply a 

 coat, if not already done, if good flow- 

 ers are wanted for the next three 

 months. I believe that Sept. 1st is late 

 enough to mulch for Christmas flowers. 

 If applied later when the days are 

 shortening it is difl5cult to dry the 

 plants out and make them break 

 properly. We apply a light dusting 

 of bone flour— about lUO lbs. to 2000 

 square feet of bench surface — and then, 

 for the same space, from one half to 

 three quarters of a cord of good cow 

 manure chopped up with dry loam and 

 a little lime. In a few weeks this be- 

 comes a part of the bed as it will 

 crumble and can be leveled down and 

 is in good condition later to receive 

 liquid manure. If top dressing has 

 to be done later I would lay it in 

 ridges rather than blanket the whole 

 bench with it. We find pails of wood 

 or zinc the handiest things to use for 

 applying top dressing. Here, again, 

 five or six men can work together to 

 good advantage and will cover about 

 5000 square feet in a day. 



Fumigation and Ventilation. 



Fumigation must be attended to 

 regularly and the proprietary articles 

 sold are cheaper in the end than the 

 old-fashinned tobacco stems. A little 

 sulphur should always be kept on the 

 pipes to keep down the mildew, always 

 remembering that prevention is better 

 than cure. When flowers are not sell- 

 ing well the plants require particular 

 attention, as poor stock is of no value 

 In a falling market. 



Ventilation is of the utmost impor- 

 tance in rose growing. Commencing 



now with the warm spring day.s ao- 

 proachiug, a little air should be given 

 early in the morning. Soon the tem- 

 perature will begin to rise before 7 

 o'clock and, if air has not been carried 

 all night, the night man can put on a 

 IitUe on his last round. I like to an- 

 ticipate the rise, and by frequently 

 raising the ventilators a little alwavs 

 keep ahead of the game, and bv this 

 method the houses never get so iiot In 

 the springtime and the plants are kept 

 healthy and clean. It is important 

 that the houses be kept clean at all 

 times, with no muddy places or water 

 standing in the walks, especially when 

 the firing is reduced to a minimum. 

 The flowers should be cut as early as 

 possible in hot weather and be placed 

 at onc3 in clean water. It is notice- 

 able that every man's stamp is on his 

 own products. A man handling roses 

 in a store can tell you without any dis- 

 tinguishing mark who grew this lot or 

 where these flowers came from. 



In conclusion, a few words about the 

 new varieties. It is the part of wis- 

 dom to go slow unless you know what 

 they are; descriptions are ofien mis- 

 leading, and the only way to find out is 

 by experience. I think that undoubt- 

 edly when White Killarney comes on 

 the market, if it proves to be a good 

 shipper, it will be an acquisition, as it 

 possesses the good growing qualities 

 of its sister, Killarney. 



lu tLat soft season of descending showers 

 Call fortn the greens, and wake the rising 



flowers. 

 When opening buds salute the welcome 



day. 

 And earth relentlne feels the genial ray. 



— Pope. 



