THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



Erica, in celluloid basket dressed with red ribbon. 



rhododendrons and kalmias, is much 

 averse to lime in either the soil or 

 water, and this should be remembered. 



They are propagated by cuttings 

 from the tips of the young growths in 

 spring. They do not warn, bottom 

 heat, but should be put in well-drained 

 flats or pans with a layer of light loam 

 and leaf-mould, and on the surface an 

 inch of clean sand. They should be 

 kept rather close, away from draughts 

 or too much ventilation. Give them a 

 good soaking when first put in. If the 

 cuttings are 1 or 1% inches long of the 

 young, tender growth stripped of the 

 bottom leaves they will root in seven 

 or eight weeks. As they show signs of 

 growth give them more air. Don't pot 

 off till they are well rooted, and keep 

 them only just moist till they are 

 rooted. 



The young plants will do very well 

 in a cold-frame during the fall months 

 and in a cool, dry house during win- 

 ter. In May they can be planted out in 

 the open ground, where they will make 



a good growth, and must be lifted in 

 September or October. When first lift- 

 ed and potted be careful not to let 

 them wilt. Careful lifting, to get all 

 their roots and fibres, is the essential 

 object. They will do finely in a tem- 

 perature of 40 degrees, but will do 

 with more heat as their flowering time 

 approaches. 



Two-year-old plants that are unsold 

 should be cut down to within a few 

 inches of the pot after flowering and 

 again planted out. The young plants 

 will need stopping when they first be- 

 gin to root, and perhaps again when 

 planted out, but not after that. 



Some of the best ericas for florists 

 are B. caffra (small flower, but very 

 free), E. gracilis, E. hybrida, E. hyem- 

 alis (a beautiful pink that flowers in 

 early spring; one of the best), E. mel- 

 anthera (flowers in winter), E. perso- 

 luta (May), E. ventricosa, E. Wil- 

 moreana (spring; a grand hybrid). All 

 of these are fine commercial kinds. 



ERIOSTEMON. 



This beautiful plant belongs to that 

 class of Australian shrubs that for 

 years were called New Holland plants, 

 of which the pimelia is another well- 

 known member, and there are many 

 more. With us they are seldom seen 

 in commercial places, but they are 

 fine, interesting plants and are not dif- 

 ficult to grow. In Europe the long 

 sprays of eriostemon are much valued 

 for cut flowers, but with us that would 

 not pay. 



The leaves are small, and the flow- 

 ers, which are mostly white and pink, 

 are borne in great profusion. All the 

 species flower in March, April, May or 

 June. As small plants they are not 

 atttractive, but when of a good size, 

 and slightly trained to stakes, they are 

 fine ornamental plants^ Like most 

 hard-wooded shrubs, they root freely 

 from the young growths in spring. 



Though coming from Australia these 

 shrubs want by no means a tropical 

 temperature. They are much the best 

 plunged out of doors in summer, and 

 in the winter 40 to 45 degrees will suit 

 them. As with the acacia, metrosid- 

 sros, pimelia and all that class, a 

 good turfy loam with some rotten 

 manure or leaf-mould will grow them. 

 As they will remain several years in 

 the same po ; t they sihlould be well 

 drained. 



There are many species, and Nicho'- 

 son selects the following as being the 

 most desirable: E. buxifolius, pink, 

 April to June; E. intermedius, white 

 and pink, April; E. neriifolius, rose, 

 April; E. salicifolius, pink, June; E. 

 scaber, white tinged pink, April and 

 May. 



EUCHARIS. 



Hot-house evergreen bulbs bearing 

 beautiful, fragrant flowers, which 

 either cut as stalks bearing four or 

 five flowers or as single flowers, are 

 invaluable to the florist. Their white, 

 star-shaped, elegant flowers are ad- 

 mired by all, but are not seen in quan- 

 tity ,~ as they should be. In Europe 

 they figure most prominently in all the 

 cut flower markets, but in this country 

 I have not heard of their being grown 

 systematically in large quantities any- 



H, D, DARLINGTON, 



FLUSHING, N. Y. 

 The largest grower of 



ERICAS in America. 



Varieties Gracilis, Melanthera, Fersoluta, 

 Wilmoreana, Mediterranea, Regrerminans, 

 etc. In Bud or Flower. Prices reason- 

 able. Satisfaction guaranteed. 



3, 4. 5. 6, 7, 8 and 10-inch pots. 



We also grow an abundance of hard-wooded 

 stock, including Epacris, Boronias, Dios- 

 mas and Acacias. 



pp*- Write us for particulars. 



