HORTICULTURE 



December 20, 1919 



lime. Maurice Hamar is a good light 

 pink, also easy to force and is early. 

 Lilie Mouillere, a bright carmine rose 

 is one of the best of the darker pink. 

 Gen. De Vibraye is also an excellent 

 rose pink and is one of the earlier 

 forcing varieties. Bouquet Rose has 

 always made good and is particularly 

 valuable on account of its deep pinK 

 color. I don't think there is another 

 of the pink flowering ones that carries 

 a more pleasing shade. 



While I don't like Avalanche as well 

 as Mouillere, it would not be fair to 

 omit that variety. Although a good 

 many growers handle only Mouillere, 

 1 find some that would not be without 

 Avalanche. 



Of course there are other good forc- 

 ing varieties, but I only mention a few 

 of those which I find grown generally. 

 Any of you who have not stocked up 

 with French Hydrangeas for Easter 

 trade will do well to buy as soon as 

 you can. As I said before, there are 

 still some to be had, but they prob- 

 ably will not last long. I know of one 

 large plantsman who has for years 

 supplied these in large quantities, 

 sending out in some cases carload lots 

 who has sold out clean for this season, 

 and this is unusually early for this par- 

 ticular firm. 



carnation grower, but I must compli- 

 ment him on his ability also as a plant 

 grower. Besides the Cyclamen which 

 were so well done, bis Cincinnati and 

 Melior Begonias were also of high 

 class and he is offering a general line 

 of plant stock for the holidays which 

 would be very pleasing to any retail 

 florist. 



I have a number of times spoken o. 

 the Macaw Fern and have good reason 

 to believe the many good things that 

 are said about this variety, but I can't 

 help adding just a little bit more on 

 the keeping qualities. It certainly is 

 a tough customer as it stands all kinds 

 of abuse. L. J. Reuter showed me 

 the other day a plant which he has 

 carried around for about twelve weeks, 

 during which time it has not been in 

 the greenhouse to recuperate. It has 

 been bumped around in an automobile, 

 left in baggage rooms, out of doors on 

 the piazza until it got too cold, and as 

 a matter of fact has spent most of the 

 time wrapped up in newspapers, and 

 today that fern is a mighty nice speci- 

 men. It is of excellent color, no yel- 

 low or dead fronds; the only place 

 where it shows its abuse is on the new 

 tiiis. 



It is rather a surprising fact that 

 stock which is much in demand in 

 one city may be used hardly at all in 

 another. In Boston, for example- 

 very little use is made of forced lilac, 

 but in Philadelphia, on the other, has 

 a great liking for lilac. As a matter 

 of fact, there seems to be no good 

 reason why it should not be employed 

 in the much larger way. One prom- 

 inent dealer points out the merits of 

 lilac as follows: 



"We know of few flowers that can 

 be handled to better advantage than 

 White Lilac. It can be used in con- 

 nection with most any other flower, 

 and it will make a fine combination 

 and a good showing. Lilac has al- 

 ways been considered an exclusive 

 flower and will appeal to most any 

 lover of flowers. It can be used to 

 good advantage for basket work; in 

 combination with other flowers for a 

 table decoration. We have seen it 

 used in funeral work. A few sprays 

 in a wreath made out of Galax makes 

 something different from what is gen- 

 erally offered by the retailer. It ap- 

 peals to the buyer, and the retailer 

 can always get a good price for his 

 work. 



"Valley is practically off the mar- 

 ket at the present time, and lilac cer- 



tainly makes a fine substitute for a 

 bridal bouquet. There is a variety 

 that is pure white, and an experienced 

 florist can make very fine bridal bou- 

 quets by using lilac. 



"Lilac Is a flower that is not used as 

 much as it should. So many of the re- 

 tailers confine themselves to the 

 staple flowers such as Roses, Cara- 

 tions and Sweet Peas, and they do 

 not realize it is necessary for them 

 to always have those flowers In stock 

 that are not in season all the year. 



"Yet we know of retailers that are 

 never without lilac. They would not 

 carry lilac in stock, unless they found 

 it a profitable flower for them to 

 handle. It is not necessary for 

 the retailer to buy lilac in quan- 

 tity. If he would buy a small sup- 

 ply and add it to his daily display, 

 there is no reason whatever that he 

 will not dispose of it In a short time, 

 and that he cannot get the price for it. 

 Lilac always has better keeping quali- 

 ties than a great many other flowers, 

 and can be shipped safely within most 

 any reasonable distance and arrive In 

 perfect condition. It is very unusual 

 to have a complaint on lilac arriving 

 in bad condition." 



It is interesting if a little tantaliz- 

 ing to read about the shipments of 

 Belgian azaleas which have been com- 

 ing into Canada. We think with re- 

 gret of the days when similar ship- 

 ments gladened the hearts of Ameri- 

 can florists. Now, thanks to the pater- 

 nalism of the Federal Horticultural 

 Board we must cross the line to see 

 these plants. 



It is to be feared, however, that 



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A retail florist who to my mind is 

 very much in luck is A. A. Pembroke, 

 whose retail branch store is in Salem 

 Mass. He has one full bench of 

 ( 'ydamen in excellent condition 

 and just the ideal size for retail 

 work. There are many who cannot 

 dispose of the large, high-priced plants, 

 and it isn't always that a grower is 

 able to get the medium size with good 

 foliage and plenty of bloom. Mr. Pem- 

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