922 



CURRANT 



CUT-FLOWER INDUSTRY 



in spots looking like small pimples. When the spores 

 are ready to come out the skin breaks and they escape 

 and re-infect other parts. When the foliage drops early 

 on account of this disease the fruit is liable to be scalded 

 by the sun. The fruit may also wither before ripening 

 properly, owing to lack of food or of moisture, as, the 

 leaves having fallen, they are unable to keep up the 

 necessary supply. The premature falling of the leaves 

 prevents the buds from maturing properly, hence they 

 are not in so good condition to bear fruit the next 

 year. Spraying with bordeaux mixture is recommended 

 as an aid in controlling this disease. It would be wise, 

 when currant anthracnose is troublesome, to spray the 

 bushes thoroughly before the leaves appear. A second 

 spraying should be made when the leaves are unfold- 

 ing, and successive sprayings at intervals of ten to 

 fourteen days until the fruit is nearly full grown, and 

 there is danger of its being discolored by the spray when 

 ripe. Paris green should be added to the mixture when 

 the first brood of the currant worm appears. A thorough 

 spraying after the fruit is harvested is desirable. 



W. T. MACOXJN. 



CUSCUTA (origin of name obscure). Convolvulacex. 

 DODDER. Degenerate parasitic twiners, bearing clus- 

 ters of small flowers. They are leafless annuals, with 

 very slender yellow, white, or red stems, which become 

 attached to the host-plant by means of root-like 

 suckers. The seeds fall to the ground and germinate in 



and flax dodder. 



1158. Dodder, twining on its host. 

 Cuscuta Gronovii. 



the spring. Species 100, 

 widely distributed. As soon 

 as the young shoot reaches 

 an acceptable host, the root 

 dies and the plant becomes 

 parasitic. Failing to find a 

 host, the plant dies. Dod- 

 ders are common in low, 

 weedy places. Some species 

 are also serious pests, as the 

 clover dodder, alfalfa dodder, 

 One of the common species (C. 



Gronovii, Willd.), of low grounds, is shown in Fig. 1158. 

 CUSHAW: Cucurbita moschata. 

 CUSTARD APPLE: Annona. 



CUT-FLOWER INDUSTRY IN NORTH AMERICA. 



The feature that most distinguishes American floricul- 

 ture from that of Europe is the great preponderance of 

 the cut-flower trade as compared with the sales of 

 plants. Forty years ago the passion of Americans for 

 cut-flowers was remarked by travelers, but however 



important the cut-flower trade may then have appeared 

 it has had a marvelous growth since that time. Prior 

 to the Civil War it would have been impossible to 

 purchase any considerable quantity of cut-flowers in 

 the winter season in any of the large cities. The green- 

 houses were small flue-heated structures in which a 

 great variety of plants was grown ; hence it would have 

 been impossible to secure a quantity of any one kind. 

 There were no middlemen to collect even the small 

 quantities produced in a locality, and when large 

 numbers of blooms were required, advance notice was 

 expected and the person wishing the flowers had to do 

 the collecting from the various establishments. After 

 the period mentioned, floricultural establishments 

 rapidly increased in number and size. This growth has 

 continued until today. Instead of being concentrated 

 about large cities, there is scarcely a city of 5,000 or 

 even less that does not have its florist. Not less than 

 $100,000,000 is now invested in the cultivation and 

 sale of cut-flowers in America. Although statistics of 

 the cut-flowers alone are not available, a conservative 

 estimate based on the United States census of 1910 

 places their annual value at $25,000,000. 



From forty to sixty years ago the camellia was the 

 most valued cut-flower, either for personal adornment 

 or for bouquets, and sometimes as much as $1, $2 and 

 even $3 were obtained for single flowers at the height 

 of the holiday season. Then came a period of decline 

 during which they were almost forgotten except in a 

 few private collections, but now they are seen upon the 

 market as pot-plants. The florist of the present genera- 

 tion wonders how they could have been admired to the 

 extent that they should lead as cut-flowers. Perhaps 

 no better idea of the requirements of the former cut- 

 flower trade can be given than to quote the record of a 

 leading New York florist establishment for 1867 which 

 shows a product as follows: Camellias about 45,000, 

 bouvardias 20,000, carnations 70,000, double prim- 

 roses 100,000, and tuberoses 50,000. Other flowers on 

 the market in those days were daphne, abutilon, callas, 

 sweet alyssum, poinsettia, eupatorium, heliotrope and 

 a few tea roses. The most profitable white cut-flowers, 

 in the opinion of many florists, were Stevia serrata, 

 Double White camellia, Calla sethiopica, Lilium can- 

 didum, Deutzia gracilis, and Double White Chinese 

 primrose. 



It will be noted that roses were not important in 

 the cut-flower trade of this period. It is a fact that very 

 few were grown under glass. A few florists were grow- 

 ing Bon Silene, Lamarque and Safrano roses, occa- 

 sionally devoting an entire house to them, but more 

 often in houses with other flowers. The rapidly-awaken- 

 ing demand for all kinds of flowers brought good prices 

 for roses and stimulated the florists to give this flower 

 more attention. The time was one of changing ideals 

 and the old formal camellia, show dahlia and Chinese 

 chrysanthemum were passing, while new and less 

 formal flowers were coming into- favor. The flower- 

 buying public, however, wanted something larger than 

 the small tea varieties then grown. Every new variety 

 from Europe that had any promise was tried, and from 

 that day to this scarcely a new introduction has escaped 

 a searching test as to its adaptability for culture under 

 glass. The Marechal Niel was grown for the discrimina- 

 ting trade, and it continued the leading variety until 

 it was supplanted by the everblooming, more prolific 

 and more easily cultivated Perle des Jardins. Likewise, 

 the hybrid perpetuals were tried, and some of them, 

 notably General Jacqueminot, were found to force well. 

 This variety, when it could be had for the holidays, 

 brought $1 and $2 a bud. 



The roses of this time were produced on plants grown 

 in deep beds or in pots or boxes. The latter method 

 enabled the grower better to time his crops, while the 

 former involved less time and attention. The endeavor 

 to secure the advantages of both naturally resulted in 



