March 14, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



327 



Points on Field and Indoor Cul- 

 ture of Carnations 



In a short talk which I gave before the Boston Gar- 

 deners' and Florists' Club, on the evening of Febmary 

 25th, I put all carnation varieties into classes, mention- 

 ing three different classes which appear to me. The first 

 class with heavy foliage and leaves which incline to be 

 curly. Winsor and Lawson are the two best examples 

 of this class, for which there is nothing, in my opinion, 

 but indoor culture. 



The second class which I made includes the varieties 

 which have thin foliage and a tendency to greater 

 length between the joints. In naming varieties which 

 would be typical of this class, I should mention Mrs. 

 Patten, for the reason that as a general rule it con- 

 forms to these conditions of growth, i. e., thin foliage 

 and long joints. As a variety to grow inside, it has 

 uot been the most successful, making a • very small 

 plant early in the year and not filling up until along in 

 the winter. The best Mrs. Patten that I ever saw (and 

 they were not grown by me) were field-grown plants. 

 Aristocrat was grown to perfection this year in the 

 West, the method of handling being field culture, and it 

 has not been with us a successful variety to grow inside. 

 The poor success which we had with Aristocrat we at- 

 tribute partly to tliat cause, as it failed to make a large 

 enough plant early in the season to stand the strain of 

 blooming. 



White Perfection also makes a very small plant with 

 inside culture. Wliile we have not grown it in the 

 field, we believe it would make a better plant if benched 

 early from the field. I mentioned Enchantress as one 

 of the varieties which could be gro'mi either inside or 

 outside. Eose Pink^ Enchantress, as well as White En- 

 chantress would do equally well with the same treat- 

 ment, the Enchantress family being typical of the third 

 class. 



Among the new varieties which we have in stock Miss 

 Sarah Hill seems to be a promising candidate for in- 

 door culture; a short, thick cutting, inclining to break 

 from the bottom, or very low down. For a plant of 

 this character, to secure the best results, I believe we 

 should have indoor culture. 



Splendor seems to be a very free grower, and one 

 which will, if grown inside, make very thin shoots, and 

 I believe that field culture will give a more substantial 

 plant for benching. 



Winona, of which we shall grow 1,000 plants, will, I 

 think, be a good variety for either field culture or indoor 

 culture, as the young plant is taking somewhat the 

 nature of Enchantress with us, being a little more free 

 and vigorous in growth than either Lawson or Winsor, 

 and yet making plant enough to warrant its being sub- 

 stantial, without its being put into the field to force a 

 bottom growth. 



President Seelye has not made enough growth yet in 

 pots so that we can determine its character. 



I trust that this will explain to the satisfaction of 

 your several correspondents all the points on which they 

 have asked for fuller details. 



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Fashion in Flowers 



In the issue of March 7 Horticulture presented 

 to its readers an interesting illustrated article entitled 

 •'Flowering Apples." 



The article being apropos, considering the vast amount 

 of just such material being used at the present time, a 

 few words regarding the various uses to which these 

 marvelous blooms are put may be of concern to tho^ge 

 interested in fair Flora's fashions, for fashion in flowers 

 as in ail things else, is assured. 



It is safe to say that at any event of importance the 

 pyrus, the prunus, the lilac and kindred dwarfed plants 

 in blossom play an excellent part. Nor does the use 

 of these gems of admiration stop at the decoration of 

 homes, as bouquets and other forms of floral decoration 

 claim an important part of their possibilities. 



Much is being done in the way of bunches tied care- 

 lessly together and composed of these fruit blossoms. 



The bouquets are frequently tied with gauze or other 

 dainty ribbon to match or in pleasing contrast with 

 the flowers. The wh(de effect is beautiful, and when 

 the bunch is carried, as most of them are this season, 

 the result is striking if not wonderful. 



Imagine a debutante laden down with floral offerings, 

 too many to carry at one time, and who with a desire to 

 do honor to each donor, takes advantage of the opportuni- 

 ty to release herself from a burdensome duty and at the 

 same time imwittingly sets an example which in time 

 becomes a fashion, and you will behold the girl of the 

 hour with bouquet tucked under lier arm (the left arm, 

 usually), the flowers pointing heavenward and the stems 

 in the opposite direction, thus giving freedom to both 

 hands. Such a bunch of flowers is generally known in 

 New York as the "Arm bouquet," although it is no 

 doubt sailing about under an alias. 



But let not the gentle ones be deceived; the arm 

 bouquet has not become a monopoly and never will, as 

 the fonnal bouquet, like the brook, will keep on forever. 

 The shower bridal bunch is yet in vogue, although the 

 prayer book with a bookmark of lilies of the valley has 

 been used more this season than formerly. 



And history will repeat itself in fair Flora's affairs 

 as in all others, for how many of the present generation 

 are aware that the Camellia Japonica, the fashionable 

 flower of today, is but the resurrected cast-off, but once 

 recognized indispensable gem of the conservatory. 



