SUMMEE FLOWEES FOE FLOEISTS 



PAPER READ BY 



MR. WM. HUNT 



ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLI GE, GUELPH. 



THE commendable and increasing- de- 

 mand on the part of the flower- 

 loving public during the last few 

 years, for a greater display of taste in the 

 more natural arrangement of flowers, neces- 

 sitating their more lavish use in the make 

 up of designs and floral decorative work in 

 general, makes it imperative on the part of 

 florists, to consider well as to how they can 

 best supply the wants of their customers in 

 this respect. 



The grouping of palms and foliage plants, 

 as well as the very general use of large 

 quantities of fern fronds, asparagus, etc., 

 for room decorative purposes, often requires 

 the use of large quantities of flowering 

 plants and cut flowers, to brighten up the 

 density of these masses of green. Bright 

 colored foliage plants, such as crotons, pan- 

 danus veitchii, etc., are admirable for this 

 work, but they are not always available, and 

 cannot be used in many positions, even 

 where they are to be had. 



Roses and carnations can of course usual- 

 ly be obtained, but these cannot always be 

 had at prices that will warrant their use ex- 

 cept for the finer points of florists' work. 

 Out of door flowers can usually be had in 

 summer, but with the failure or partial fail- 

 ure of the sweet pea and aster crop, even 

 these during the hottest weather in summer 

 are often very limited both in quantity and 

 quality, and many kinds of out-door flowers 

 are too common almost to allow of their 

 being used satisfactorily. 



It seems to me that the empty benches so 

 commonly seen in many florists' establish- 

 ments, could be more profitably used than 



they are, to supply this demand for a better 

 class of flowers than is often obtainable out 

 of doors during the summer months. 



Japan lilies, more especially lilium speci- 

 osa alba, lilium rubrum and lilium aura- 

 tum, as well as other varieties of this class 

 can be, and are grown in large quantities, 

 but these sometimes, like our at one time 

 reliable and beautiful Easter lilies, have of 

 recent years become more fickle and uncer- 

 tain in their character, and are at the best 

 too costly, except for the very best class of 

 work. 



Although it is impossible to attempt even 

 to fill the place of the gorgeous beauty of 

 roses and carnations, as grown at the pres- 

 ent day by our florists, or the more chaste 

 and delicate beauty of the lily, there are 

 some plants that I have found most useful 

 as accessories and auxiliaries to these indis- 

 pensable florists' flowers mentioned. I have 

 reference more particularly to begonias. 



For many years past I have grown Be- 

 gonia Weltoniensis and Begonia MacBethii 

 and Begonia Weltoniensis alba in as large 

 quantities as desired, and although these 

 varieties have been known to most of us for 

 over a quarter of a century, or at least two 

 of them, — they cannot in my opinion be sur- 

 passed by any of our newly introduced va- 

 rieties, taking ease of culture, handling and 

 keeping qualities, as well as profuseness in 

 flowering habit into consideration. By win- 

 tering over a few old plants and starting 

 them in April or May, and propagating as 

 soon as the cuttings are ready, a fine batch 

 of plants can be had early in August, that 

 will furnish a good supply of bloom or pot 



