22 



The Florists' Review 



Mauch 8. 1917. 



the flowers to be smaller and sometimes 

 changing them into single flowers with 

 some pollen-bearing stamens. This pro- 

 cedure is not always successful, how- 

 ever. 



CHICAGO FLORISTS' NEW HOME. 



For a number of years the growth of 

 the wholesale cut flower and florists' 

 supplies business in Chicago has been 

 hindered by the lack of available space, 

 those engaged in the business not being 



willing to risk locations outside a certain 

 center. Eecently a building of sixty 

 feet tv^fitSLge well within the chosen dis- 

 trict became available to wholesale flo- 

 rists through the removal of a surgical 

 instruments house and it now has been 

 occupied by three trade firms: The 

 E. C. Amling Co., dealing in wholesale 

 cut flowers; Ziska & Sons, dealers in 

 florists' supplies and wire, work, ^d 

 the new firm of Wiltgen & IVeiries, deal- 

 ers in cut flowersj located in tne base- 



ment. This addition to the market 

 space, shown in the accompanying illus- 

 trations, relieves the constriction of the 

 market area and already has given Ken- 

 nicott Bros. Co., which had been look- 

 ing for larger quarters, a chance to get 

 the space it needed by taking a part 

 of the store vacated by the Amling 

 concern. There are other changes in 

 prospect, all looking toward caring for 

 increased business, as the wholesale busi- 

 ness in Chicago is increasing steadily. 



DISEASES SCIENTIFICALLY STUDIED 



THE work in flol"icultural pathology 

 is directed along three lines: The 

 diagnosis and suggested treatment of 

 diseases of floricultural plants; the diag- 

 nosis of plant diseases other than flori- 

 cultural ones, upon a request for such 

 information; the experimental investi- 

 gation of those diseases which at present 

 are causing the most serious loss to the 

 grower. A report upon some phases of 

 this work which may have its practical 

 application follows below. 



Carnation yellows, perhaps, requires 

 first consideration. Much of the con- 

 flicting evidence upon this disease 

 among growers and pathologists is due 

 to the similarity between yellows, bac- 

 teriosis and stigmonose. In fact, at 

 certain stages of development it is al- 

 most impossible to distinguish between 

 the three without recourse to the micro- 

 scope and the pure culture methods of 

 the pathologist. A report of the work 

 upon yellows, giving the characteristics 

 which distinguish this disease from stig- 

 monose and bacteriosis, may be found 

 in the proceedings of the American Car- 

 nation Society for 1917. Since the prep- 

 aration of that paper, the data which 

 have been assembled have resulted in 

 additional information. 



Formation and Appearance of Yellows. 



If the forcing of the carnation in the 

 early part of the season has resulted in 



A report by B. M. R. Lamkey, of the Agricul- 

 tural Bxperlment Station of the University of 

 Illinois, to the Illinois State Florists' Association, 

 March 6. 1917. 



cropping, and the removal of all flowers 

 has left only the basal portions of the 

 stems, the young shoots developing at 

 this time have always come in yellowed. 

 The tendency to come in yellowed seems 

 to be especially marked if cloudy 

 weather prevails when the young shoots 

 are making a rapid growth, although the 

 results of this may be seen by none ex- 

 cept the most careful observer until 

 after the flowering buds start to form 

 weeks after. The reason for this is 

 that at first the yellowed areas are in- 

 conspicuous and can hardly be seen ex- 

 cept when held between the eye and 

 the source of light. Later, as the leaf 

 grows and becomes thicker, these spots 

 do not grow in thickness with the leaf 

 and, consequently, appear sunken and 

 are conspicuously yellow or almost 

 white. With an abundance of sunlight 

 the tendency to come in yellowed seems 

 reduced. Yellowed plants have been 

 produced experimentally by the removal 

 of all flowers from plants which have 

 been allowed to crop. The removal of 

 the flowers has resulted in the removal 

 of a great area of leaf surface which is 

 necessary for plant growth. The few 

 leaves remaining on the basal portions 

 of the branches are not suflBcient to per- 



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The New Headquarters of Three Trade Firms at Chicago. 



form the normal functions of the plant. 

 On the other hand, plants which have 

 never cropped and have always been 

 permitted to retain an average amount 

 of foliage have never become yellowed. 

 The evidence seems to indicate that yel- 

 lows is an indication of improper treat- 

 ment. The improper treatment men- 

 tioned above has produced badly yel- 

 lowed plants. Other improper condi- 

 tions are probably capable of producing 

 it. 



Preventive Methods — Not Cures. 



Suggestions offered for the preven- 

 tion of this disease are the discarding 

 of unusually susceptible varieties, the 

 taking of cuttings from perfectly healthy 

 and vigorous plants, an early and fre- 

 quent pinching rather than an occa- 

 sional severe pinching, the prevention 

 of the cropping of the individual plant 

 as well as of the plants as a whole, an 

 avoidance of vigorous forcing during 

 the early part of the season, and indi- 

 vidual attention to each plant to pre- 

 vent the loss of an undue amount of 

 foliage upon the removal of all flowers. 



It is thought, from the observations 

 and the experience of many of the best 

 growers, that an excess of water in the 

 soil and atmosphere at a time when 

 plants are severely or partially cut back 

 will result in the forcing of water, in- 

 tended for a large leaf area, into the re- 

 duced area and result in iniury. This 

 may be partially responsible for the 

 more pronounced appearance of yellows 

 during cloudy weather. This point, 

 while suggestive, remains to be proven 

 experimentally, but might well be kept 

 in mind by the grower. While the work 

 upon yellows is by no means completed, 

 it is deemed wise at this time to give 

 whatever information we have to the 

 grower. One thing to be emphasized is 

 that a plant must receive proper treat- 

 ment, both in regard to soil fertility and 

 methods of culture, at all stages of 

 growth if it is hoped to keep it in a 

 healthy condition. Disease prevention 

 is always more logical and satisfactory 

 than disease cure. 



Fusarium Wilt of Carnations, 



This disease, known as "dry" stem- 

 rot and "branch wilt," varies in se- 

 verity in different sections of the coun- 

 try and often becomes epidemic in na- 

 ture. In the southern states this is a 

 serious disease, which, when once start- 

 ed, shows up year after year, being re- 

 sponsible for the death or failure of 

 plants to develop after benching. In 

 the north and east the disease is more 

 spasmodic, but often becomes epidemic. 



