Fbbbdabx 8, 1917. 



The Florists' Review 



21 



is of rough cement. An abundance of 

 daylight gets through the windows, but 

 probably little direct sunlight falls on 

 the wall itself. 



I am desirous of growing some kind of 

 vine on this wall, flowering preferred, 

 of an evergreen nature, either clinging 

 or one that needs support. Your sug- 

 gestion as to the best vine for this pur- 

 pose would be appreciated. 



G. M.— la. 



There could be no better plant for 



your purpose than Ficus repens, which 

 grows rapidly and clings closely to 

 stone, brick or wood. This vine would 

 soon cover the entire wall, if given 

 proper care. I cannot recommend any 

 evergreen flowering plant that would 

 thrive under such conditions as you 

 describe. The ficus can be planted in 

 boxes seven inches deep, eight inches 

 wide and of any given length, or in a 

 bed, if such could be provided. 



C. W. 



FLOWER SHOW PUBLICITY. 



In the publicity work for the New 

 York spring flower show a lithographed 

 design is being used in many ways, as 

 a poster, as a posterette and as the cover 

 for the ofiicial catalogue, which is full 

 of ads. The design is shown in the ac- 

 companying illustration. The idea is 

 that by using the same i)icture for the 

 several purposes the publicity is co- 

 ordinated. 



GROWING EXHIBITION MUMS. 



[A paper by Elmer D. Smith, of Adrian, Mlcli., 

 read at a meeting of the Cleveland Florists' Club, 

 in Cleveland, O., February 5, 1917.] 



Strong cuttings make strong plants; 

 let us first consider the care of the old 

 plants from which we intend to propa- 

 gate. The method employed by most 

 gardeners on private estates, setting 

 aside pots of the previous year in a 

 light, airy position, giving them a low 

 temperature with careful attention to 

 watering, will supply excellent cuttings. 

 Those who are not so fortunate as to 

 have pot-grown stock can, by careful 

 selection from bench-grown plants, pro- 

 duce fine blooms, provided they fully ap- 

 preciate that light, air, moderate water- 

 ings and a temperature of 40 to 50 de- 

 grees are most congenial. 



When shall we begin propagating! 

 This depends upon the varieties to be 

 grown. All kinds requiring early or 

 crown buds — say the first week of Au- 

 gust — to produce double flowers, should 

 be inserted in the propagating beds by 

 the middle of the present month. The 

 varieties referred to are Alice Lemon, 

 Bob Pulling, C. H. Totty, Cheltoni, F. S. 

 Vallis, Hon. Mrs. Lopes, James Fraser, 

 Morristown, Mrs. Gilbert Drabble, Mrs. 

 H. J. Jones, Mrs. James Gibson, Mrs. 

 R. C. Pulling, Mrs. R. H. Boggs, 

 Pockett's Crimson, Wm. Rigby, W. 

 Woodmason and some others. All of 

 these should be disbudded on or a few 

 days before August 10. Then there are 

 many which give better blooms from 

 buds selected between August 10 and 

 August 20, and cuttings from these 

 should be in the sand by approximately 

 March 1. The remainder of the exhibi- 

 tion sorts give smoother and better 

 blooms from buds reserved August 25 to 

 September 5. These should be inserted 

 about March 15, and would include such 

 varieties as Adonis, Calumet, Daily Mail, 

 Elberon, Lady Hopetoun, Mankato, 

 Mrs. Paul Moore, Nakota, Nerissa, 

 Ogontz, Odessa, Reginald Vallis, Silver 

 King, Wm. Turner, Yellow Turner, and 

 possibly others. 



Growing Them in Pots. 



Chrysanthemums root so easily it seems 

 scarcely necessary to go into detail, un- 

 less it is to guard against the use of too 

 strong bottom heat. They are much 

 slower in making roots when no heat is 



given underneath, but are better, as this 

 course does not draw or weaken them. 



Before the cuttings are rooted, soil 

 for potting must be provided, and for 

 this, do not make it extra rich, but of 

 a friable nature. Avoid heavy compost, 

 as this retards the roots from reaching 

 the side of the pots. As soon as the 

 small plants show the roots are begin- 

 ning to crowd, they should be repotted 

 into the 4-inch size, and if they are to 

 be flowered in pots — which is accepted 

 as giving the best results — this opera- 

 tion will have to be repeated until they 



OFFICIAL CATALOGUE 



25 CENTS 



FLOWER SHOW 



MARCH 1^-2Z. 1917 



G RAN DCFNTRAl, PALACE 



AKMISMOS '%« (IMS 



The New York Show Poster. 



receive the final j)otting, which is 

 usually into 8-inch pots. Here I wish to 

 say, some of the finest flowers I saw at 

 Philadelphia last fall were flowered in 

 6-iuch pots. 



For each subsequent repotting, tliat is, 

 from the smallest to the largest pots. 



slightly richer and coarser soil should be 

 used. There are conflicting opinions re- 

 garding the amount of manure or other 

 material to be incorporated, but we pre- 

 fer to be moderate in this matter, inas- 

 much as the feeding with liquids be- 

 gins as soon as the final pots are filfed 

 with roots, and these repeated applica- 

 tions furnish about all they can prop- 

 erly assimilate. 



Growing Them in Benches. 



Before going further, let us go back 

 to the plants in 4-inch pots. There are 

 many who cannot conveniently adopt 

 the pot system, and so must resort to the 

 commercial method of benching. When 

 the 4-inch pots begin to fill with roots, 

 it is time the mums should be planted, 

 and the soil should be the same as for 

 final potting — somewhat coarse, with 

 plenty of fiber from the half decomposed 

 sod, and to insure good, strong plants, 

 they should not be planted nearer than 

 twelve inches apart each way. 



We are aware of the importance of 

 keeping the pi-ants free of insects of all 

 kinds, but I take it for granted you are 

 familiar with the methods necessary for 

 their destruction. However, should any- 

 one present desire advice for extermi- 

 nating aphis, thrips, leaf-tiers and the 

 chrysanthemum midge, or gallfly, I will 

 glady give my experience at the con- 

 clusion. 



Doubtless you are all familiar with 

 the methods of staking and tying, so 

 I will not take up your time witli a dis- 

 cussion of these operations. 



Discretion in Feeding. 



The chrysantliemum, when in a 

 healthy, growing condition, is about 

 ninety jjcr cent water; hence it will be 

 seen they should liave a liberal sup])ly, 

 and when the soil is of such a nature as 

 to afford perfect drainage and the roots 

 aie in good condition it is almost impos- 

 isible to overwater, especially in hot 

 R'eather. The best index for this oper- 

 ation is the appearance of the plants, 

 and so long as they are bright green, 

 showing no signs of yellow foliage, it is 

 safe to conclude the amount being ap- 

 plied is in accordance with their needs, 

 but at the first indication of yellow 

 loaves the supply should be curtailed, 

 giving water only when the plants show 

 dryness, and even then with discretion. 



