THE SPRING TRADE OF THE FLORIST* 



WAI. GAM MAGE, LONDON, ONT. 



ONCh the Christmas holidays are over 

 preparations for the next great 

 event in the florist's year, that is Easter, must 

 be attended to. The varying dates on which 

 Easter falls iinist ahvays be borne in mind 

 so that you may govern your crop accord- 

 ingly. For the Easter holiday a number 

 of different varieties of plants, than those 

 forced for the Christmas holidays, will be 

 used. First and foremost are Easter lilies, 

 either the Longiflorum or Harrisii. 



For pot plants I consider the seven to 

 nine-inch bulbs the best size. There is a 

 difference of opinion how these should be 

 grown : some contending that they should 

 first be potted in a four or four and a half 

 inch pot and then shifted up into six or 

 seven inch pots, as the plants come along. 

 Others again that they should be potted in 

 the pot in which they are to bloom. The 

 only difference that I can see is a slight 

 economy of space in their early stages. 

 From my several years of experience in 

 growing and handling these I see but little 

 difference in the result when handled by a 

 careful grower. 



There is one essential point to always bear 

 in mind ; from the time the lily starts growing 

 it should never receive a check, for if it does 

 any germs of disease that are lying dormant 

 are sure to develop. Nor can you guage 

 its date of flowering with the same degree 

 of success as if it had not received a check. 

 There are a number of brands of Lilium 

 Longitlorum on the market, but I do not 

 think that there is any material difference 

 between any of them. 



GOOD BULBS REQUIRED. 



The main object is to have good, sound, 

 well ripened bulbs. Under the same con- 

 ditions Longiflorum will come in if started 

 from four to five weeks later than Harrisii. 

 While the lily is the Easter flower par ex- 



cellance, it is also the most expensive to 

 grow anf] hardest for the store man to 

 handle. 



Other plants that will need immediate at- 

 tention are hydrangeas, crimson rambler 

 and hybrid perpetual roses ; these should 

 be brought in and started into growth in a 

 moderate temperature, gradually increasing 

 it, governed by the time at your disposal. 

 Azaleas that are to be held for Easter should 

 be kept in a cool house with an even tem- 

 perature, free from drip or excessive mois- 

 ture. Other varieties of plants, such as 

 metrosideros, lilacs, rhododendrons, deut- 

 zias, etc., 'will not need to be brought in be- 

 fore the last week in February or the first 

 in March. 



Amongst the soft wooded plants the im- 

 proved varieties of pelargoniums are go- 

 ing to take a prominent place as an Easter 

 plant. These, if propagated during Sep- 

 tember and October and kept growing, will 

 make fine bushy plants in five or six-inch 

 pots, with six to ten large trusses of flower, 

 by April. They are easily handled, very 

 floriferous, and find a ready sale, giving 

 customers as good satisfaction as an azalea 

 or a crimson rambler, and will yield a bet- 

 ter profit to the grower. Spirea, or Asti- 

 bula, are also a prominent Easter plant and 

 are sold in large quantities. Dutch bulbs 

 should not be lost sight of. Pans of hya- 

 cinths, tulips and narcissus, in their various 

 varieties, are sold in large Cjuantities and 

 are easily brought in at the right time ; 

 three w-eeks in a moderate temperature is 

 all that -is required to bring them to perfec- 

 tion. 



rjlies of the valley and forget-me-nots in 

 pots and pans are also desirable. It will be 

 necessary to prepare a few foliage plants, 

 such as Boston and Pierson ferns, palms 

 and rubbers, but let vour main effort be to 



Kxtract from ;i paper read at the annual convention of the Canadian Horticultural .Association, held in Ottawa last August. 



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