Apbil 13. 1016. 



The Florists^ Review 



53 



Bulb Classes and Some Trade's Exhibits at the New York Show. 



water in abundance is fncrnished and 

 all the buds will open juat as well as 

 though the plants had net been sub- 

 jected to any disturbance. 



The Boses. - 



Next to lilies, roses now are the most 

 popular of Easter plants. Those of a 

 pink color sell best. It is not many- 

 years since the old Crimson Bambler 

 had this field almost to itself. For quite 

 a period of years since its introduction, 

 some twenty-one years ago, it h«d a 

 tremendous sale, but, while many still 

 are sold, they do not move as they did 

 over a decade ago. Hiawatha as a 

 scarlet, Lady Gay, Tausendschon, Dor- 

 othy Perkins and other pinks; White 

 Dorothy and Mrs. M, H. Walsh, pure 

 whites, are a few that are popular. 

 Then the polyantha roses, more often 

 called baby ramblers, although they do 

 not ramble at all, such as Baby Tau- 

 sendschon, Erna Teschendorff, Phyllis, 

 Orleans, Catherine Zeimet, Clothilde Sou- 

 pert and Mile. Cecile Brunner, now meet 

 with an immense sale, and with this 

 type it is safe to tell customers that 

 they should plant them out in the flower 

 garden when the flowers have faded, 

 as they all make good garden plants. 



At one time the hybrid perpetuals 

 were more popular than they are today. 

 They still are grown in considerable num- 

 bers, and if they can be offered with one 

 or two flowers just showing color they 

 will be in the best stage. Frau Karl 

 Druschki, the incomparable white; the 

 old Magna Charta, Baroness Eothschild, 

 Mme. Gabriel Luizet, Prince Camille de 

 Rohan, the old General Jacqueminot, 

 John Hopper and Ulrich Brunner are 

 specially good for Easter. It is good 

 to note that hybrid teas are beginning 

 to be appreciated as pot plants. All 

 who saw Dreer's wonderful garden at 

 Philadelphia must have appreciated 

 their value as pot plants. Their im- 

 mense flowers, which last well even 

 when fully expanded, many delightful 

 colors and delicate odors should soon 

 place them in the front ranks of Easter 

 plants. Their price comes a little higher 

 than that of the hybrid perpetuals, but 

 customers will surely be willing to pay 

 the little extra price demanded. The 



yellow, copper and orange shades, which 

 are almost entirely lacking in the other 

 types of roses, are here abundantly rep- 

 resented and they are popular. 



Genistas. 



Genistas are easily grown Easter 

 plants and make an effective show in 

 the store, provided they receive an 

 ample water supply. Once let that be 

 neglected and the plants become un- 

 salable. While the closely cropped and 

 topiary-like genistas have the leading 

 call, plants more naturally grown are 

 far more beautiful, and I am surprised 

 so few growers can be made to realize 

 that many customers prefer this latter 

 type of plant to the closely sheared-in 

 brand. It is well to state that genistas 

 are beautiful while in full bloom, but 

 that they are poor house plants. Even 

 at this season their beauty is all gone 

 in four or five days, no matter how 

 carefully they are tended. Do not tell 

 purchasers that they will flower for 

 weeks in a warm room if well watered. 

 A single week is their absolute limit. 



Azaleas. 



Even for a late Easter it is an easy 

 matter to have plenty of azaleas. Van- 

 der Cruyssen, bright rose, has a greater 

 sale than any other variety. Others in 

 favor are Empress of India, double 

 white and salmon; Vervseneana alba 

 and Niobe, white, and the little Charles 

 Encke, pink and white. The many beau- 

 tiful varieties of Azalea mollis are pre- 

 ferred by many to the more common 

 A. Indica in spring. These come in 

 golden yellow, orange and other attrac- 

 tive colors not to be found in the Indica 

 section, and their single flowers are pre- 

 ferred by critical customers to the 

 double flowers carried by most of the 

 commercial Indian azaleas. Why do not 

 the Belgian growers send us more 

 single-flowered azaleas? They are vastly 

 more beautiful and keep just as well 

 as the doubles. Is it because our grow- 

 ers here demand the doubles? 



Astilbes, or Spirseas. 



Astilbes still are commonly called 

 spiraeas. The white varieties meet with 

 a fair sale, but since the advent of the 

 many beautiful pink varieties, such as 

 Queen Alexandra, rubra. Peach Blossom, 

 Ceres, etc., these latter have enjoyed 

 the greater popularity. They require a 

 longer season to come into flower and 

 must be sold at a little higher price, 

 but they are well worth the difference. 

 They hold their flowers in good condi- 

 tion longer than the old Japonica and 

 Gladstone. Keep these pink varieties, 

 when the flowers start to open, in a 

 house where they can be broken from 

 the direct sun; some shade is needed 

 to keep the lovely pink flowers ^rom 

 fading. Astilbes need much water, not 

 once, but twice a day, and keep a 

 saucer below them. Never mind if there 

 is some water in the saucer; it will not 

 cause any loss of foliage on astilbes, as 

 it would on almost any other plants. 



Hydrangeas. 



Hydrangeas were never popular 

 Easter plants until the advent of the 

 French type, which can be bloomed well 

 even for an early Easter. More of the 

 French varieties will be offered this 

 Easter than in any previous year, and 

 they will prove much better sellers than 

 the good old Otaksa, which comes into 



Two fo the Seedsmen's Trade's Exhibits at the New York Show. 



