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20 



The Florists^ Review 



March 2, 1916. 



FROSTS IN MIDSUMMER. 



In this latitude, in the high altitudes 

 of Wyoming, it is impossible to plant 

 carnations outdoors, as we have occa- 

 sional frosts during June, July, Au- 

 gust and September. In such circum- 

 stances, could carnation plants be 

 shifted from 2-inch to 3-inch or 4-inch 

 pots in the early spring, instead of 

 planting them outdoors, or would they 

 thrive satisfactorily if set out in 

 benches out of 2-inch pots in the 

 spring? Our outdoor temperature in 

 summer seldom rises above 85 degrees 

 on bright days and 30 or 40 degrees at 

 night. A definite answer to this would 

 be greatly appreciated, as I intend to 

 build a greenhouse in the near future 

 and grow nothing but carnations and 

 pot plants. Our altitude is 6,700 feet 

 above sea level. L. B. W. — Wyo. 



Carnations are frequently planted on 

 the benches from pots, and with excel- 

 lent results. One of the principal rea- 

 sons why it is not done more generally 

 is that the benches usually are not avail- 

 able early enough. If you can plant 

 the benches by April 1, then you can 

 plant from 2-inch pots, but if the 

 benches are not ready until May or 

 June, then you should shift into 4-inch 

 pots. 



After the first season, you would 

 likely prefer to leave the old plants in 

 the benches until later in the summer 

 and I would suggest that you plant 

 the young plants in frames, where yon 

 can cover them with sashes in case of 

 frost. There they would grow until 

 early July, when they would be equal 

 to any field-grown stock in this section 

 and would be benched and handled in 

 the same way A. F. J. B. 



CARNATION YELLOWS. 



■ We are sending under separate cover 

 u carnation plant which is badly af- 

 fected with some disease. Our crop 

 looked perfectly healthy until recently, 

 when pale green spots appeared on the 

 foliage, and, as they developed, seemed 

 to destroy the vitality of the plants. 

 In some cases these spots elongate 

 into larger areas of infection, causing 

 the leaf to become hard and brittle. 

 The disease is developing rapidly and 

 threatens to destroy the entire crop. 

 We are satisfied that the cultural con- 

 ditions are correct, as we have pursued 

 the same methods as in past seasons. 

 We have sprayed the benches occa- 

 sionally with salt, to ward off spider. 

 Some of the stock we bought, and 

 benched it with our own, in August, but 

 both are similarly affected. The soil 

 ia a compost of pure turf and rotten 

 manure, heaped up the year previously. 

 It seems strange that the disease ap- 

 peared everywhere simultaneously and 

 not in isolated areas. Scarcely a plant 

 has escaped. As the crop is at the 

 height of florescence, we are anxious to 



know whether we can successfully com- 

 bat the disease. Any information relat- 

 ing to its nature and elimination would 

 be greatly appreciated. 



W. M. M.— Can. 



nation, instead of calling it for one of 

 the florists' newrich customers; but the 

 Chicago Florists' Club did better than 

 that — it expressed its approval of the 

 variety itself by scoring it eighty-nine 

 points at its novelty show, February 10, 

 Baur & Steinkamp, the raisers of 

 Merry Christmas, say: "We feel that 

 in this variety we have the best thing 

 in sight in the way of a scarlet car- 

 nation. It is from a long line of scar- 

 let seedling crosses, starting with Vic- 

 tory and Eobert Craig. It seems to 

 have all the qualities requisite to a 

 high-grade commercial scarlet. Visit- 

 ing growers at once pick it out as the 

 best thing on our place." 



The specimen forwarded was badly 

 affected with carnation yellows, a dis- 

 ease which is being widely discussed 

 and investigated. Its origin is not defi- 

 nitely known; there is more than one 

 theory in regard to it and in regard to 

 its control. The next year should re- 

 veal some interesting and instructive 

 developments, which will be of great 

 value to the carnation industry. The 

 best treatment known at this time is 

 to keep it in check by selection of the 

 cuttings, taking cuttings only from the 

 plants showing the least signs of the 

 disease. It is also known that over- 

 watering in dark weather will aggra- 

 vate it. After a plant is once badly 

 affected, it is impossible to change these 

 spots, as they are the result of broken 

 down and decayed cells in the leaf. 



A. F. J. B. 



CARNATIONS FOR OUTDOORS. 



Please tell me the best carnations, 

 either white or pink, for outdoor bloom- 

 ing. E. C. M.— N. J. 



In white, either Matchless or White 

 Enchantress; in light pink, Enchant- 

 ress or Alice; in deep pink, Ward or 

 Rosette. C. W. 



CARNATION MERRY CHRISTMAS. 



The Review some time ago expressed 

 its approval of the choice of Merry 

 Christmas as the name for a new car- 



VARIOUS BARNYARD MANURES. 



What do you think of using horse 

 and hog manure in making liquid for 

 carnations? I have a tank that holds 

 fifty barrels of water. Would it hurt 

 a good, healthy bed of carnations to 

 water it with this mixture? Would 

 you advise the use of it in potting 

 soil? What do you think of using 

 chicken manure as a compost for bed- 

 ding stock, carnations and chrysanthe- 

 mums? C. H. J. — Mass. 



Liquid manure made from stable 

 and hog manure should not harm your 

 carnations in the least. Use about 

 twice as much of the stable manure as 



Carnation Merry Christmas. 



