288 



HORTICULTURf: 



September 15, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



watering cart will be found sufficient to keep them 

 permanently so. 



AN ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL 



DEVOTED TO THE 



FLORIST, PLANTSMAN, LANDSCAPE 



GARDENER AND KINDRED 



INTERESTS 



HORTICULTURE PUBLISHING CO. 



II HAMILTON PLACE, BOSTON, MASS. 



T>l»phani, Oxford 292 



WM. J. STEWART. Editor and Manager. 



Reports Irom the Rhinebeck violet region. 

 The violet up to the present time indicate a more 

 outlook favorable outlook as to the healtii and 

 productiveness of the stock and a much 

 more confident feeling among the violet growers. A 

 great deal depends upon the next few weeks. Rampant 

 growth and dull, muggy, weather furnish ideal condi- 

 tions for fungous troubles and when these swoop down 

 ■on a violet house there is no telling what the end may 

 be. But unless weather vagaries should thus conspire to 

 aggravate existing conditions it is probable that the 

 large increase in glass area made during the past season 

 will fully offset any shrinkage in product that may 

 occur and there will be violets enough in that enchanted 

 land for all demands. 



In connection with the account of the 

 A new experiment in road oiling described in 

 dust-laying our Newport notes it may be interesting 

 process to some of our readers to know that 

 Superintendent Pettigrew of the Boston 

 park system has been working on a new process, orig- 

 inal with him, which has thus far given very encourag- 

 ing results. Several pieces of driveway in the Back 

 Bay Fens and on the Riverway and Commonwealth 

 avenue have been treated with the substance, which is 

 simply Texas oil emulsified and mixed with water in the 

 proportion of ten or twenty per cent. Different from 

 the Pennsylvania petroleum, which has a parafine 

 base, this Texas oil has an asphaltum base and the 

 result of its application is a skim of asphaltum surface 

 which mixed with tlio fine dust under the pressure of the 

 wheels becomes very smooth, of a pleasing brown 

 color, and it is hoped that the oil being used in so 

 small proportion it will rapidly volatilize and allay crit- 

 icism regarding its odor. The dust is thoroughly laid 

 on the roads treated and it is thought possible that as 

 low as a five per cent, solution applied weekly from a 



The 



parcels post 



movement 



In another jiart of this pai;)er we 

 present the proposition of Secretary 

 James L. C'owles of the Postal Progress 

 League whereby he claims the rural 

 free delivery mail service can be made 

 a means of profit to the government instead of a heavy 

 burden as it is at present. No man in the country has 

 made a more exhaustive study of the postal service of 

 this and all other countries or is better qualified to speak 

 intelligently on any phase of this important subject. 

 His proposal involves a very modest appropriation when 

 the possible results are considered. Were it not for the 

 express companies we should have had parcel post ac- 

 commodations long ago. That they will spend money 

 freely to O2>pose Mr. Cowles' scheme is certain; but this 

 or something similar is bound to be tried sooner or later 

 in spite of the opposition of express company senators 

 and their lobby. It will be a great boon to the flower 

 nursery and seed trade when it comes and our readers 

 should take every opportunity to make their demand 

 hoard. We have no animosity towards the express com- 

 panies and no quarrel with them except when as in the 

 case of Piatt's L". S. Express at the present time, they 

 impose extortionate rates on our flower growers and add 

 to the injury by insulting our national and local organ- 

 izations when they have appealed for justice. We hope 

 to see Mr. Cowles' plan put into operation. 



The date for the numerous fall exhi- 

 A word bition is approaching and tiie selection 



for the judges of judges is now in order. This duty 

 is too often done hastily, as everybody 

 knows. Aj)pointments should be made well in advance 

 so that each judge may acquaint himself intimately 

 with the nature of his duties and also that each pros- 

 jK'ctive exhibitor may be informed as to who is to pass 

 upon his exhiliit and, if not fully satisfied as to the 

 proficiency and fairness of the appointee, given an 

 opportunity to make prompt ol^jection or abstain from 

 entering into a competition where his failure to get first 

 prize will be tlic signal for protest and ill-feeling. The 

 office of judge at these affairs is usually a gratuitous 

 service undertaken by reason of good-nature and a 

 willingness to assume a difficult duty in a self-sacrificing 

 spirit for the general w'elfare. Having accepted and 

 been accepted, everything possible should be done to 

 facilitate his work, rules as to entry and staging should 

 be enforced to the letter and all possibility of diverse 

 interpretation of the intent of the schedule dispelled. 

 Above all. give the judges a clear hall ^nd plenty of 

 time in which to make their awards with due care and 

 deliberation. This can be done if wise rules as to time 

 limit for staging are made and enforced. Then, \mless 

 a glaring and unmistakable blunder has been made in 

 the awarding let the losing exhibitors hold their peace 

 and take comfort from the fact that they will have 

 another chance next vear. 



I 



