U2 



THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



Border of Pennisetum Longistylum around a bed of Cannas. 



gentines and temperate South Amer- 

 ica, thriving grandly in California, 

 from whence we get our plumes. It 

 seems as though with the protection of 

 a stout box filled in with dry leaves 

 and with a movable cover, this orna- 

 mental plant could be wintered safely, 

 and in the decoration of fine grounds 

 well repay the labor. We assuredly 

 go to greater expense in preserving 

 some plants that are not of- so much 

 value/ 



Arundo Donax: This is the noblest 

 of the hardy grasses, growing in one 

 summer eight to ten feet in height. It 

 needs no protection. In the spring 

 cut off close to the ground the last 

 year's canes and mulch with a few 

 inches of manure. 



A. Donax versicolor or variegata is 

 not quite so hardy, but is much more 

 ornamental. It should be protected in 

 the winter months with a covering of 

 six inches of litter over the crowns. 

 It is identical in every respect with 

 the type except that its leaves are 

 beautifully variegated. 



Eulalias are the most useful grasses 

 and are so hardy they need no pro- 

 tection. The tops are usually left 

 standing during winter and removed 

 by cutting or burning off in the spring. 



Eulalia japonica: The flower is or- 

 namental but it is the long, narrow, 

 4-foot leaves that make this grass 

 such an acquisition to the garden. 



E. j. zebrina: The leaves are very 

 handsome, having bars of yellow 

 across them. 



E. j. foliis striatis: In this sort the 

 creamy band runs lengthwise of the 

 leaf. 



E. j. gracillima univittata: This is 



the narrowest leaved and most grace- 

 ful of all, but not such a robust grower 

 as the others, and is more suitable for 

 a choice place in the border than to 

 form a mass on the lawn. 



Erianthus Ravennae: This might 

 be called a small Pampas grass, throw- 

 ing up handsome plumes. It is quite 

 hardy. 



Arundinaria tecla: ^A very orna- 

 mental grass, but should" be planted in 

 moist ground or given water very 

 freely. It does well on the margins of 

 lakes. 



Pennisetum japonicum: Well worthy 

 a place in the mixed border and per- 

 fectly hardy. 



Pennisetum longistylum: This pret- 

 ty plumed grass is very effectively 

 used in bedding. It can be grown 

 from seed, but is usually propagated 

 by division. Take up several clumps 

 in the fall, trim off the foliage, place 

 in a box and set under a bench in a 

 house with a temperature of 40 to 45 

 degrees. In March shake out the soil, 

 tear the clump to pieces and pot two 

 or three runners in a 3 or 4-inch pot. 

 Place in a house with a temperature 

 of 60 degrees. They make plants in a 

 short time and may be bedded out the 

 latter part of May or early in June. 

 The accompanying engraving shows a 

 border of this pennisetum around a 

 bed of cannas. 



GREENHOUSE BUILDING. 



In step with the growth of our busi- 

 ness, the demand for flowers and their 

 rapid production, and the high quality 

 now demanded, the science of building 

 our greenhouse structures has kept 

 well tp the front When we see the old 



dark structures of twenty-five years 

 ago, with their heavy wood work, 8x10 

 glass, and 4-inch cast iron pipe, we 

 feel a chill, especially if we own them. 

 We believe it would be almost impos- 

 sible to produce the roses and carna- 

 tions of to-day in the quantity and 

 quality they are, had not our flower 

 growers the modern houses of to-day. 



Houses for the private establishment 

 I shall not mention. They can be built 

 with all the ornamentation as well as 

 substantial and useful appointments 

 that the owner desires, and should be 

 always in keeping with the grounds 

 and mansion with which they are as- 

 sociated. I will say this much: That 

 whenever a range of glass is to be 

 erected, let it be a costly and extensive 

 range or but one small conservatory, 

 it is far cheaper in the end and a hun- 

 dred times more satisfactory, to have 

 them built by horticultural builders, 

 whose specialty it is, and who have 

 made a life study of the business, con- 

 stantly devising new and better meth- 

 ods, employing expert workmen, who 

 know accurately every detail of the 

 structure. 



Building a greenhouse or conserva- 

 tory is as distinct a business from the 

 ordinary house building as is ship 

 building, and the local carpenter, glaz- 

 er and steam fitter are the most unfit 

 people to employ. I have had local 

 painters put a piece of tin against the 

 bar when painting the roof, "to keep 

 the paint off of the glass," thereby 

 entirely neglecting the one important 

 place for paint, the space between the 

 glass and wood occupied with putty. 

 The local steam fitter is learning some 

 thing about steam, but his knowledge 



