4° 



HORTICULTURE 



July 8, 1905 



THE USES OF HARDY SHRUBS 

 FOR FORCING 



Edwin Matthews bclore the Florisl-' Club of Phila- 

 [delphia. June 6th, igo5 



I feel I must first of all tender an apology 

 for bringing such an unseasonable subject 

 before you, but I can only ask you to keep 

 cool and try for a few moments to forget that 

 it is June month with the temperature at 

 forcing-point. Secondly, it is not with any 

 feeling of intrepidity that I ajJijroach the 

 subject this evening and endeavor to present 

 it to men of age and experience. Had I the 

 lucid i)en of a W'atson, backed up by the 

 rich experience of a Lonsdale or a Harris, 

 my feelings would undoubtetlly have in them 

 the elements of confidence. .-Xs it is, I trust 

 you will deal gently with the stranger that 

 is within your gates. 



Hardy shrubs used under glass have for 

 many years brought color and fragrance to 

 us ill the very depth of winter, but perhaps 

 it is only in recent years that they have been 

 resorted to so largely and used with so good 

 effect as at the present time. If I may be 

 allowed to recall reminiscences of the past, 

 I would Uke to take you in imagination to 

 the great spring show of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society of England, held annually in 

 the Temple Gardens, which is situated on 

 the Thames Embankment. Refreshing, in- 

 deed, is the memory of the many beautiful 

 groups of forced and spring flowering trees 

 and shrubs, staged and grouped to good 

 advantage by the leading nurserymen. 



Here, one would come upon a large group 

 of the different kinds representing the genus 

 pvTUS, and prunus. There, a display of 

 standard wistarias, their racemes of white 

 and purple hanging in rich profusion. 

 Again, one would be attracted to a large 

 display of the many hybrid clematises in 

 their varied colors, while groujis of spiraeas, 

 deutzias, viburnums, pbjladelphuses, azaleas, 

 rhododendrons, and many others of the 

 ericaceous section would compel admiration 

 and attention from all. Undoubtedly this 

 show, together with the fortnightly displays 

 of this society have been responsible for 

 much of their present popularity in England. 

 Large quantities are now grown by the trade 

 for flowering under glass, and there is a con- 

 siderable trade in them between that coun- 

 try and Holland, as there are also large im- 

 portations to this country I believe, from the 

 latter place, especially in ericaceous plants. 



So many shrub families are available and 

 adapted for gently forcing into bloom before 

 their usual time that it is unwise, I think, to 

 lay down hard and fast rules with regard 

 to culture. It has to do largely with the kind 

 of plant you handle and the kind of roots 

 the plants possess. With those which make 

 dense fibrous masses of roots, they can be 

 lifted from the open ground in autumn, 

 potted, and will scarcely feel the check of 

 removal. Some shrubs, however, transplant 

 so badly that it is better and really needful 

 to grow them entirely in pots or tubs. 

 Azaleas may be taken as the type of the 

 former; magnolias of the latter. Some cul- 

 tivators prefer to grow a great many of their 

 forcing plants permanently in pots, plunging 

 them out during the sunmier in a good open 

 position and giving them special attention in 

 the way of watering, feeding, eti . This may 

 be regarded as a modification of pot culture 

 and planting out. Although a few rooU are 

 passed out over the rim and also through 

 the hole in the bottom of pot, this treatment 

 has the effect of keeping the plants some- 

 what compact, while the chei k of removal, 

 when taken up, is not near so great as would 

 be the case had they unliinitetl root-room. 

 This partial confinement also tends to pro- 

 mote bud foniiation. In any case, however, 



where shrubs are grown for this purpose 

 whether confined to pots or planted in the 

 field, they should be afforded a position 

 where air and sunshine can freely reach 

 them, strictly avoiding over-crowding, as this 

 tends to leaves instead of flowers, while they 

 should never be allowed to suffer through 

 drought. The returns for careful and Uberal 

 treatment at this juncture will be seen at 

 flowering time. 



If the plants are being grown in the open 

 ground, that is to say, not confined to pots, 

 the best time to lift them, «ith few excep- 

 tions, is as soon as possible after the leaves 

 have fallen in autimin. When done at this 

 time the young roots have a chance to re- 

 cover from the check and get a hold on the 

 new soil before flowering time. The ad- 

 vantage gained by early potting is clearly 

 shown in the case of azaleas; the flowers of 

 the early potted remain nearly twice as long 

 in beauty as produced by those not potted 

 till late. 



After potting they should be plunged in 

 ashes or any other material to keep them in 

 an even condition of moisture until taken 

 inside. Whether the plants be wanted for 

 early forcing or later, it is best to place 

 them first, only in a cool temperature, sub- 

 mitting them to greater -heat by degrees. 

 The lower the temperature, however (say 

 from 55 to 60 degrees), the more beautiful 

 the flower coloring, while if they are only 

 required to bloom a little in advance of their 

 natural season, mere protection from frosts 

 is only necessary. 



The cultural requirements during the forc- 

 ing period are simple and may be summed up 

 in the following items, namely, a humid 

 atmosphere — yet not a stuffy one, for air 

 must be admitted when the conditions out- 

 side warrent it — copious supplies of water to 

 the roots and frequent spraying overhead. 

 The higher the temperature the more mois- 

 ture will the plants require and vice versa, 

 while a cooler and dr\-er atmosphere should 

 be given them as soon as they come into 

 flower, as the chief object at this point is to 

 prolong as much as possible their flowering 

 period. 



Generally speaking, those plants which 

 have been forced hard to get them into 

 bloom early, cannot be depended on to give 

 satisfactory results the -second year, no matter 

 how careftdly they may have been treated. 

 Those, however, which have been only gently 

 forced will undergo the same ordeal the fol- 

 lowing season, pro\iding they are treated 

 well. Too often when the flowers are over, 

 the plants are thnist awav in some corner 

 and their existence forgotten, the result being 

 injured leaves and general dilapidation. 

 Xow, plants that have been forced in any 

 degree, are invalid and should be treated as 

 such. Shrubs that have finished blooming 

 under glass before the time of fros! and cold 

 winds are over should be carefully protected 

 and gradually hardened off before commit- 

 ting them outside, while those things which 

 are grown in pots permanently would be 

 greatly benefitted with occa,sional doses of 

 liquid manure during their growing season. 



The florist who, while winter still lingers, 

 displays in his store some few bright colors 

 in the forced shrub line acts wisely I think, 

 for this, as in other things, as fruit and 

 vegetables out of season, ajjpeals to many 

 people in a most fascinating way and espe- 

 cially to those who can well afford to be a 

 little prodigal in this direction, and this, of 

 course, should be fostered by all means. 

 Without in any way disparaging the two 

 present-day favorites, the rose and carna- 

 tion, which certainly have the hearts of the 

 people, I cannot help but think there should 

 be more variety, for is there not some truth 

 in the old proverbial saying, "variety is the 

 spice of life." Let us, then, give variety. 

 (To be continued.) 



BALTIMORE GLEANINGS 



"To err is human; to forgive divine," is 

 an old saw and a wise. Will Feast, who 

 has been enjojing his new automobile this 

 summer, thinks it might be improved on: to 

 wit: 



"To speed is human: to get caught is — 

 fine." 



Frank Fritz, who has held the position of 

 foreman at the conser\-atories of Samuel 

 Feast & Sons for some time, has started in 

 for himself. He is builchng a range of glass 

 near the Feast establishment and expects 

 to be properly equipped by next fall. The 

 best vrishes of his old employers, and the 

 trade generally, go with him in the new 

 enterprise. 



Fred Bauer of Govanstown is a specialist 

 in Cochet roses. He has some ten thousand 

 planted out ready for fall trade that look 

 very promising. Peonies have paid him 

 well this year, but he is not prepared to give 

 the names of the best varieties. He promises 

 to have the proper data next year. 



Some are born to fortune, some achieve 

 fortune, and some have fortune thrust upon 

 them. .Among the latter w^e think Edwin 

 .\. Siedewitz may be fairly classed — as the 

 Wabash has taken over his entire property 

 at .Arlington — paying a good round sum 

 therefor. It is rumored that Mr. Seidewitz 

 is again in the field as a candidate for the 

 Secretaryship of the S. .\. F. May the best 

 man win. It is a healthy sign for a society 

 to have eager aspirants for its offices. 



One of the finest collections of evergreen 

 and deciduous trees and shrubs in the vicinity 

 of Baltimore can be seen on the grounds of 

 Jno. Cook at Uplands. \ warm welcome 

 always awaits the inquiring visitor to this 

 interesting establishment — but look out for 

 the coUie dogs — they draw blood! Our 

 editor has been enjoying Mr. Cook's hos- 

 pitahty these twenty years and never got 

 bit but then — think who he is! A humble 

 itenerant fares differently. 



It is rumored that Chas. Seybold, the able 

 and popular superintendent of Patterson 

 Park, is slated for the new position of super- 

 intendent of the park system of Baltimore. 

 A chief engineer has held the reins hereto- 

 fore; but this has been found incompatible 

 with advanced ideas, and th( Board of Com- 

 missioners have wisely decided to place the 

 landscape-gardener at the head of affairs. 

 Mr. Seybold is the logical man for the job, 

 and we trust the powers that be will act 

 wisely. 



WilUam Eraser of Ruxton is a man after 

 Charles Ingram's own heart. He looks out 

 for the landscape end of the florist business 

 in good shape, and has more work in that 

 fine this season than he can properly attend 

 to. He is extending his facilities and hopes 

 by ne.xt year to be in a position to say yes 

 to all comers. 



The mason, the bricklayer, the carpenter, 

 the mechanic, are the king bees in Baltimore 

 at yjresent. It's a paradise for them! And 

 the general business resulting therefrom (in- 

 cluding the florists) is highly gratifying. 

 Where all the millions come from is a mystery 

 but things are humming all right. Halliday 

 Bros, informed me that business had never 

 been better with them. Our genial confrere 

 — modest and manly "Bob" Halliday — as 

 he prefers to be called — is unusually cheer- 

 ful over the outlook. 



Good old Baltimore! conserv-ative, courtly, 

 yet enterprising and generous, she has many 

 lessons for the sympathetic student, and in 

 her own way is a striking example by which 

 we all may profit. 



G. C. Watson. 



