343 



H K T T C IT L T TT R E 



March 20, 1920 



RAMBLING OBSERVATIONS OF 

 A ROVING GARDENER 



I am. interested to note that the 

 American Seed Trade Association is 

 to launch a campaign similar to that 

 carried on for the past two years by 

 the American Nurserymen's Associa- 

 tion to Increase the planting of flower 

 seeds. The Association has organized 

 a National Garden Bureau which will 

 have headquarters in Chicago and a 

 publicity manager who will carry on 

 an advertising campaign as well as 

 secure the publication of the garden 

 articles in papers and magazines the 

 country over. An effort will be made 

 also to obtain the support of Garden 

 clubs and educators. With ail the 

 different branches of horticulture 

 working for the common Interest of 

 making America bloom from ocean to 

 ocean, the demand tor horticultural 

 products of all kinds ought to be 

 widely Increased. 



And quite apart from the commer- 

 cial end of the campaign, it will be 

 a matter of satisfaction to flower 

 lovers everywhere to find more gar- 

 dens being made and more flowers 

 grown, for a country filled with flower 

 growing enthusiasts is more likely to 

 escape the dangers Incident to great 

 social upheavals. 



I notice that Conard & Jones In 

 their catalogue for 1920 are listing the 

 so-called German iris under the name 

 of Fleur de L.is or Liberty iris. A 

 change of this kind was warmly advo- 

 cated during the war, just as many 

 growers thought that Frau Karl 

 Druschki and other roses with Ger- 

 man names should be rechristened. It 

 will be interesting to learn how many 

 of the other growers follow this cue 

 as regards the iris. Really there is no 

 reason why it should be called Ger- 

 man, for it is just as much a native of 

 France, but when conditions settle 

 back Into the old rut, it is sometimes 

 difficult to carry through an innova- 

 tion of this sort. 



I also find that Conard & .Tones are 

 listing the new iris Sherwin Wright, 

 which was introduced by Dreer from 

 England just before the war. Prob- 

 ably no other iris has so perfect a 

 golden-yellow hue, so that it becomes 

 most desirable for garden culture. 



On several occasions I have had 

 something to say about seedsmen who 

 have gotten out catalogues of unusual 

 beauty. Now I wish to pay a tribute 



to the skill and good taste of Richard 

 Diener Co., of Kentville, Cal. While 

 .\lr. Diener's catalogue is not a large 

 one, and is confined to comparatively 

 few subjects, namely, gladioli, dahlias 

 and petunias, it is a veritable work of 

 art. The colored illustrations, and es- 

 pecially those of the frilled petunia 

 Earl of Kentfield, can hardly be sur- 

 passed. The colored illustration of 

 Diener's Ruffled Monster Petunia on 

 the front cover is splendidly done, and 

 the individual reproductions of gladioli 

 forming a full page centerpiece consti- 

 tute a very unusual feature of cata- 

 logue embellishment. Altogether the 

 catalogue is one of which Mr. Diener 

 may well be proud. 



THE MARKET 



During the past week the market 

 has stiffened perceptibly, which has 

 brought about an easier feeling all 

 along the line. The way prices tum- 

 bled the week before was most discon- 

 certing. But there is every evidence 

 that there will be a general rallying 

 from now until Easter. This doesn't 

 mean that flowers are short or prices 

 high, however. As a matter of fact, 

 the market in all the cities reporting 

 is thoroughly well supplied. Prices 

 do not differ greatly from those of a 

 week ago. 



Roses in Boston are selling from 

 $4.00 to $20.00, which in the poorer 

 grades is a little below that of some 

 other cities, especially Pittsburgh. 

 Ophelia and Columbia are selling well 

 towards the top when the quality gives 

 them an opportunity. As it happens. 



high quality has not been a strong 

 point in roses this season. In most of 

 I he markets carnations sell freely at 

 six cents. Callas have dropped to the 

 low point of $1.00 and $2.00 a dozen, 

 with a somewhat higher price for very 

 fine cuts. The big old-fashioned cal- 

 las do not seem nearly as attractive as 

 in former days when comparetl with 

 the neater Godfreys which will soon 

 have the market alone. Sweet peas 

 have sold as low as 50 cents in Boston. 

 Snapdragon in Boston and in other 

 markets run from 75 cents to $3.00. 

 Practically none have been offered in 

 Pittsburgh the past week. Freesias 

 are getting scarce and Stevia is gone. 

 ^'iolets show no improvement. You 

 can buy plenty of them at r>0 cents, nh 

 though they are commonly rated at 

 $1.00. Daffodils and tulips are being 

 offered sparingly and sell readily. 



BOSTON 



The regular meeting of the Boston 

 Gardeners' and Florists' Club was 

 held in Horticultural Hall, Tuesday 

 night. The attendance was not large, 

 but those present were given a very 

 interesting talk by Mr. John Watson, 

 of Princeton. N. J., secretary of the 

 National Nurserymen's Association. 

 Mr. Watson, who is an unusually easy, 

 pleasant speaker, talked freely about 

 the present nursery conditions, and 

 dwelt especially on the handicap 

 created by quarantine .37. He said 

 that if the present tendency was not 

 checked the chances are that before 

 long there would be so many quaran- 

 tines between the states that it would 

 be difficult if not impossible to carry 

 on the nursery husiness at all. He 

 thoroughly believed that some active 

 effort should be made to check this 

 rlisposition on the part of the state au- 

 thorities to pile on quarantine meas- 

 ures on the slightest excuse. 



THE ST. MARTIN 



The Finest All-around Strawberry That Grows 



Color — Rich, deep red 



Size — Sixteen berries to a quart jar 



Flavor — Unsurpassed 



Long season, good canner, perfect blossoms and strong 

 runners. Awarded the silver medal of the Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society 



PRICE 



$10.00 PER DOZEN 



LOUIS GRATON 



Originator and Sole Owner 

 309 Bedford Street WHITMAN, MASS. 



