SOME LOVELY FLOWERS. 



321 



very favorable weather all through the early- 

 part of the season gave them such a splendid 

 start that a moderate drouth will do them lit- 

 tle harm. Sweet peas are remarkably dwarf 

 in this vicinity, but the flowers are good and 

 moderately plentiful. I hope later to be able 

 to give comparisons of some of the best varie- 

 ties. Asters are fairly plentiful. Queen of 

 the Market is about the only one for which we 

 have any demand. Perennial phlox is ap- 

 pearing in quantity all over the city. This 

 class of plants is getting very popular. 



DISTRICT NOTES. 



iMr. H. L. Jansen, of Berlin, has his place in 

 excellent condition ; probably the features are 

 two houses of tomatoes and two houses of 

 cucumbers in full bearing. Mr. Jansen reports 

 an excellent market for these products. 

 Chrysanthemums are looking fine, the early 

 ones especially being well advanced. Carna- 

 tions are grown partly in the field and partly 

 inside. Both lots of plants are looking well. 

 The Boston ferns in 5 and 6-inch pots are the 

 best seen for some time. 



Mr. Wilson Her, the aipairy specialist, has a 

 most extensive and lively stock in this line. His 

 greenhouses are filled with a miscellaneous 

 stock in good condition. 



Mr. G. L. Peltz, of Preston, is also looking 

 well and reports the late bedding trade as ex- 

 cellent. It is worthy of note that red and 

 crimson geraniums were invariably scarce in 

 •this district the past season. 



Mr. John Wells, of Gait, has a collection of 

 Rex begonias that is most complete. A limited 

 number of Ibig specimens gi-own especially for 

 the local exhibition are magnificent. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL 



iSOCIETY. 



I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from 

 my old friend Mr. Geo. A. Robinson, president 

 of the Canadian Horticultural Association, on 

 convention matters. He tells me the meeting 

 will be a banner one, and I can quite believe 

 him. I also had a letter from another old 

 friend on Lake St. Louis. He says they are 

 contracting for a supply of ice to keep the boys 

 cool, and amongst other things that they have 

 a newly imported Scotch plant down there 

 called " The Epicure," that the committee is to 

 reiport on. "We shall all be glad to see it. I 

 also got the information that the Montreal 

 growers were going to try and lift the Toronto 

 chrysanthemum cup this year. Wonder what 

 they want to butt in for. 



In reference to transportation, the London 

 delegation will go by boat from Toronto. I 

 have to go that way. My wife won't let me go 

 by train this time, and it's all Willie Hall's 

 fault. We shall leave Toronto on Saturday 

 and arrive at Montreal — later. 



Of course our friend Tom Manton will be 

 along. Recollect the Montreal " bounce," Tom, 

 and take a spare pair of trousers along this 

 time. — (Fred. Bennett. 



Some Perennials of Note 



Charles "Webster, of the Webster Floral Com- 

 pany, Hamilton, says : " I consider Campa- 

 nula Persicaefolia Moerheimi the most meri- 

 torious perennial of recent introduction. In 

 comiparison with the variety Aliba Grandifiora 

 Plena it is a great improvement. The flower 

 stems are clothed with flowers from top to bot- 

 tom. Each flower is large and as well formed 

 as a camellia. It is the strongest growing 

 variety grown in this section. 



"The little Thrift (.ictatica Armeria) is beau- 

 tiful at this time of year for borders, or, in fact, 

 in any position where the surrounding plants 

 are not too tall. Having noticed that some of 

 the plants raised from seed co^me a washy pink 

 color, I am no'W propagating by divisions from 

 bright colored plants only. Sedum Maxium 

 (Atra purpureum) reminds one in general 

 growth of the iSedum iSipectahile (Live-for 

 Eiver), ibut it is strouiger and larger growing 

 and the foliage is brilliantly colored, sometimes 

 crimson and sometimes dark maroon. It seems 

 to he hardy anywhere. 



" The Gaillardia Grandiflora has in recent 

 years undergone development not unlike that 

 seen in the Cactus Dahlias. Some of the flow- 

 ers are oddly quilled, but none of the varieties 

 seem to take as well as the large, broad-petalled 

 flower, showing plenty of crimson coloring. 

 Two shrubs which are worthy of note are Acacia 

 Hispida, commonly known as the Rose Acacia. 

 It Ls perfectly hardy here and its large clusters 

 of pink sweetpea-like flowers make it one of the 

 very prettiest shrubs. A little pruning is 

 necessary to keep it in symmetrical shape, TDUt 

 it well deserves a lot of attention. Weigela 

 Eva Rathke is a beautiful red variety and fully 

 merits every word of praise which has been 

 given it. It is hardy, as dark in color as the 

 variety Lavali, but it is a clear crimson with 

 well opened flowers, which show the color well. 

 It is too bad that the heautiful Weigelas are 

 not hardy in northern Ontario and the west. 

 They are certainly among the very showiest 

 shrubs that can be planted." 



Toronto Florists 



" The season has just opened for asters and 

 gladioli," said Mr. H. G. Dillemuth to The Hor- 

 ticulturist. " They are coming in fine. 

 Weather conditions have Ibeen favorable and 

 these flowers should be good all season. Roses 

 are scarce, and what do come in are a small 

 grade of inferior flowers. Carnations are fairly 

 good but are being replaced by asters. Lilies 

 are plentiful. They are being grown more ex- 

 tensively than ever before in this section at this 

 season. Lilium speciosum, Lilium album and 

 Lilium roseum are all good sellers. 



" There has been a great run on centaurea 

 this season. These beautiful flowers appear in 

 white, mauve and yellow shades and are very 

 saleable. Sweet peas are excellent and in good 

 demand. Local growlers are busy getting car- 

 nation plants in from the field. The young 



