For September, 1923 



ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN 

 PRODUCTS 



AZALEAS, Rhododenclriiiis and Lioxwood are beiiii]; 

 ■^^ grown in different sections, but this is a slow op^en- 

 tioti at best and they are not yet available in anything like 

 adequate commercial quantities. There is a question 

 whether they can be j-.roduced on a profitable basis. How- 

 ever, we understand that a few growers are making prog- 

 ress in growing Indian Azaleas in different sections, 

 some in the East and some on the Pacific Coast, and par- 

 ticularlv the new Kurume type of Azalea, which promises 

 to Ijeconie an important plant when produced in sufficient 

 quantitv. 



The inclination has generally been to substitute quick 

 growing plants, such as Cyclamen, Begonias, Hydrangeas, 

 fKDt Roses and a few other plants, which can be produced 

 quickly and cheaply. When it comes to growing plants 

 that take a long period of time to produce, our growers 

 have not the inclination to work along these lines, nor have 

 they the skilled labor needed to produce them. This is 

 particularly true around the large industrial centers where 

 the labor situation is acute. 



The promulgation of Quarantine 37 was sudden and 

 drastic and there is a wide difference in opinion in regard 

 to the necessity and advisability of this action. There is a 

 tendency to still further restrict the importation of the few 

 plants that are now permitted. \\'e understand that the 

 Federal Horticultural lioard is now getting expressions 

 of opinion in regard to the advisability of an embargo on 

 Manetti stocks. This is one of the most important of the 

 few remaining articles that are now permitted and one of 

 the most important articles imported by florists ; an em- 

 bargO' on it would be a serious blow to the greenhouse 

 Rose growing industry of the country. There are no sup- 

 plies of Manetti available in this countrv' and an embargo 

 on this material would aft'ect every Rose grower in the 

 country, as grafted Roses are now considered absolutelv 

 essential. We have accommodated ourselves to the pres- 

 ent restrictions as far as i>ossible. but any further embargo 

 on the few articles now permitted would be a catastrophe, 

 until it had proved and developed that we could furnish 

 adequate home-grown supplies. 



So far as the successful home production of Lilv bulbs 

 from a commercial standpoint is concerned, there is reason 

 to question whether they can be grown here. Forty vears 

 ago claims were made that Lilv bulbs would be grown in 

 this country and plantings were made in California. Geor- 

 gia, Florida and various other places in the South, and at 

 that time there was every incentive on account of the 

 scarcity and high prices of bulbs, but although 40 years 

 have elapvsed, no substantial progress has been made in 

 their cultivation. 



In regard to Xarcissi. while undoubtedly there mav be 

 more opportunity for growing these successfully, still at- 

 tempts have been made to grow them for several years. 

 One particular case is recalled where a number of experi- 

 enced Guernsey growers located in \'irginia with the idea 

 of grow inc varieties of Narcissus in this country : but after 

 several years the experiment proved a failure. 



Claims have been made that Tulips are being grov.'n 

 successfully here, but in nothing like adequate quantities : 

 and the blooming qualities of the bulbs still remain to be 

 proven. \\'hile some varieties of bulbs may be grown 

 here, it must be remembered that there is only a certain 

 area in Holland where Tulips can be grown to produce 

 good blooming bulbs for forcing purposes. The Hol- 

 landers found this out to their sorrow when they tried to 

 .grow Tulips in other sections of Holland, and it still re- 

 mains to be proven whether the easier .grown Narcissi, 

 like the Paperwhites, can be grown and will produce satis- 

 factorv flowering bulbs for forcing. Particular climatic 



conditions and soil are necessary to produce .good flower- 

 ing stock. 



Of course, in the production of new varieties of plants, 

 there is a great field and opportunity for our hybridizers. 

 This is particularly true in the case of Roses. At the 

 present time, most of the principal commercial varieties for 

 Winter-flowering are varieties v.diich originated in this 

 countr}'. and many of the most imjx)rtant are products of 

 E. G. Hill. This shows what skill and enthusiasm will 

 accomplish. ]\Ir. Hill calls attention to several new Roses 

 which he saw on the Pacific Coast recently. The one out- 

 standing variety, which he saw at Portland, was Bonnie 

 Prince : this with another new Rose called Imperial Poten- 

 tate, offer two charming additions to our collection. — Ex- 

 tracts frniii a report submitted by F. R. Picrson before 

 com-entioii of Society of American Florists. 



DAHLIAS FROM SEED 



MOT every one is aware of the fact that dahlias may be 

 raised in one season from seeds as readily as from 

 tubers, and moreover the seeds have the advantage of 

 being less exj^ensive. Definite named varieties cannot he 

 expected from seeds as the plants are variable, but when 

 flowers of various forms and sizes are permitted in the 

 garden the results are very satisfactory. It might be well 

 to mention, however, that the best plants can be expected 

 from selected seeds of double varieties which most seed 



(Cottrtesy of Mo. Botanic Garden BuHetin) 

 Dahlias from seed slarlcd March 27, picked Seplember 20, 1922 



firms feature. Of course, some single varieties will- ap- 

 pear, but frequently they are pretty enough to be worth 

 saving. Dahlias raised from seed usually produce good 

 tubers the first season, and when a particularly fine varietv 

 is secured it can be perpetuated by dividing the tubers in 

 subsequent years. Some .gardeners raising dahlias from 

 ■;esd and securing a great variety of good flowers are 

 tempted to name them and place the tubers on sale. The 

 varieties of dahlias, as well as of many other flowers, are 

 already so very great and many of them so similar that 

 an\' attempt to introduce new kinds without first register- 

 ing them with the particular flower society should be dis- 

 couraged. 



To obtain be^t results the dahlias should be started in- 

 (Continiied on page 228) 



