April 13, 1907 



HOKT iCULTURt 



491 



WHOLESOME CHESTNUTS. 



We know too well that there is but 

 a small' enough margin of profit in 

 tedding plants when all or practically 

 all the stock grown is sold, but if a 

 surplus of large proportions is left on 

 hand a serious matter is up for con- 

 sideration. Invariably the cause of 

 much of this left-over business can be 

 attributed to poor stock, plants not in 

 blcx>m or faulty guessing in regard to 

 best sellers. The latter condition we 

 may not always be able to control, but 

 the two former are without doubt of 

 our own making. 



Always aim to have every plant in 

 flower that should be in flower. It will 

 be of little use entering into a lengthy 

 discussion with a customer in regard 

 10 superior or equal merits of a plant 

 not in flower; the average customer 

 considers such the same as buying a 

 pig in a bag. 



Geraniums in 3 1-2 or 4 in. pots 

 placed pot to pot and left in the same 

 place four or five weeks at this time 

 of the year cannot reasonably be ex- 

 pected to show up stocky and furnished 

 with foliage down to the rim of the 

 pot when taken up. Move the plant 

 occasionally, letting air in around 

 them. Leave a little space between 

 each plant; it will help so much to 

 bring the plant up to what will be ex- 

 pected of them. Don't check geran- 

 iums or anything else by a sudden ex- 

 posure to a radical change of tempera- 

 ture, because such action will affect 

 their blooming propensities. Admit 

 air gradually after the plants are in 

 frames if such disposition is made of 

 them. 



Pansies are always favorites with 

 the fair sex when out shopping early 

 in spring and should be displayed in 

 full view of passersby. Pansies grown 

 in flats right along can be exposed for 

 sale without being disturbed; just lift 

 the plants from out the flats with suffi- 

 cient soil attached to insure their 

 subsequent well-being. Plants lifted 

 out of frames should have enough soil 

 ■clinging to the roots and made some- 

 what additionally adhesive with the 

 hand. These plants should be placed 

 moderately close in flats and displayed 

 the same way as the others. 



Salvias should, by selling time, be 

 in new pots but should have been long 

 enough in that size to cause them to 

 be pot bound, because in that case the 

 foliage will not have that soft green 

 appearance essential to the good 

 health and thrifty condition of the 

 stock. 



Cannas, when ottered for sale at re- 

 tail, should be well started into 

 growth either by placing the clumps 

 on a bench and lightly covering them 

 with soil, and tien after tliey have 

 started potting them into 4 in. pots, or 

 dividing them right away and placing 

 portion divided into a 4 in. pot. One 

 eye will be sufficient for the formation 

 •of a plant. Another method of start- 

 ing cannas is that of dividing the roots 

 and then placing them in flats 3 1-2 in. 

 in depth, leaving them in these until 

 planting time. Pots are more gen- 

 erally satisfactory for several reasons. 



STENANTHIUM ROBUSTUM. 



Please discontinue my geranium ad. 

 I have so many inquiries for plants 

 and I am sold out of the small sizes 

 1 advertised. WM. DOEL. 



Pascoag, R. I. 



The remarkable hardy perennial is. 

 without doubt, one of our best new 

 introductions, and may be classed 

 with the showiest of all herbaceous 

 plants. As the buds begin to unfold 

 in early August they are quite upright. 

 and of a light green tinge, gradually 

 becoming whiter until at last they 

 burst forth into a veritable snow- 

 bank of drooping, fleecy bloom of 

 purest white, the panicles often 2 to 

 3 feet long. In September the flow- 

 ers, as they ripen, turn to shades of 

 pink and purple. It is a vigorous 

 perennial, attaining a height of from 



Courtesy of H. /'. Kelsey, 



5 to 8 feet when well established, 

 and is absolutely hardy throughout 

 the United States and Canada. 



The Mountain Feather Fleece is of 

 easy cultivation, and, if given plenty 

 of food, makes a wonderful show 

 equaled by few plants of any descrip- 

 tion. Give' rich soil and ordinary 

 border location. 



The illustration gives some idea of 

 the wonderful effect of Stenanthium 

 when in full bloom, but inadequately 

 conveys the beauty of the delicate, 

 featliered, drooping flowers. When 

 known, it will be planted by thou- 

 sand.s. 



NOTICE TO FLORISTS' CLUBS. 



At your next meeting get a list of 

 your members who would like a carna- 

 tion measure. Mail the list to Kroes- 

 chell Bros. Co., 35 Erie Street, Chicago. 

 111., and they will mail each a meas- 

 ure free of charge. 



PERSONAL. 



.Tames Shea of Lowell has taken a 

 position with Quinn of Brookline, 

 Mass. 



H. D. Brooks of Manchester has 

 taken a position with E. P. Stannard 

 of Westbrook. Ct. 



"Any one of the.se vases of flowers. 

 SI. 00, inoludiug vase." 



The above sign is displayed in the 

 window of A. Warendorf on Broad- 

 way. New York, in connection with a 

 number of vases of long-stemmed 

 flowers tastefully arranged, each 

 showing a different combination of 

 colors. The vases are of clear glass, 

 of graceful form, but inexpensive, and 

 the idea seems to be a good one, es- 

 pecially at the present time, when all 

 flowers are so low-priced in the 

 wholesale market. 



F.. A. Bartlett of Hampton, Va., has 

 taken a position as manager of Kilra- 

 vock farm, Litchfield. Conn. 



M. Stanch leaves Council Bluffs, la., 

 for a position with the Pittsburg Rose 

 and Carnation Co.. Bakerstown, Pa. 



Joseph E. Rolker, of August Rolker 

 & Sous. New York, sailed on April 4 

 for Europe to superintend the filling 

 of orders and look for novelties in 

 the florist forcing line. He expects 

 to be absent about six weeks. 



