12 



The Florists' Review 



JANUABT 4, 1917. 



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TO PUT COLOR IN FERNS. 



I should like to know what will give 

 a dark green color to Asparagus 

 pluniosus and Boston ferns. 



G. B.— Wis. 



H^ 



of keeping this pest down is to give 

 weekly sprayings with either nicotine 

 solution or extract of tobacco, the nico- 

 tine solution to be composed of one 

 part nicotine to 500 parts water, or 

 the tobacco extract one part to fifty 

 parts of water. It also would be a 

 good plan to cut off the worst fronds 

 and burn them, W. H. T. 



Give the plants an occasional water- 

 ing with cow manure to which has been 

 added some Scotch soot. The latter it- 

 self is splendid for putting color in 

 unhealthy looking plants. In making 

 the liquid it is best to put the cow ma- 

 nure and soot in a bag and immerse it 

 in a barrel of water. Let it stand a 

 day or two; then give the bag a few 

 squeezings. Dilute the liquid with clear 

 water before applying it. C. W. 



SPORT OF NEPHROLEPIS. 



Under another cover we are sending 

 you some fronds of a fern which we 

 have had for three years and which we 

 think originated with us. It is a sport, 

 and the leaves never grow over eighteen 

 inches long. Will you kindly advise us 

 as to the varietv of this fern? 



C. P. D. & B.— Kv. 



The fern in question looks like a sport 

 of Nephrolepis superbissima, this va- 

 riety having sported on several occa- 

 sions, in growths similar to tlio fronds 

 received. We would suggest tliat the 

 correspondent send some specimens to 

 Professor Benedict, of the Brooklyn Bo- 

 tanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y., who has 

 made a special study of the varieties 

 of nephrolepis and could give a ])ositive 

 opinion on the question. W. H. T. 



COMPOST FOR BOSTON FERNS. 



I would like to know what is the 

 best compost for Boston ferns. What 

 temperature do Boston ferns require 

 and is much ventilation necessary? I 

 planted 1,000 runners last July, but, 

 while they all took hold, the growth 

 is slow. The soil was four parts sandy 

 loam and one part well rotted cow ma- 

 nure. W. C. H.— Pa. 



A proportion of one-fourth cow ma- 

 nure in the soil is rather too strong 

 a compost for small Boston fprns. The 

 manure may have soured the soil be- 

 fore the plants were established in it. 



About one-sixth of old and well rotted 

 stable manure, such as from a hotbed 

 that had been in use the previous 

 spring, would be better for this pur- 

 pose. The best thing now to do would 

 be to water the plants rather lightly 

 and keep the surface of the soil stirred, 

 or lightly cultivated, so that the air 

 may get into it. Give the plants a 

 night temperature of 60 degrees. 



Ventilation will depend on the weath- 

 er, but it usually is quite safe to give 

 a little air during the day, whenever 

 the temperature in the house runs up to 

 75 degrees. W. H. T. 



STARTING FERN RUNNERS. 



Is it better to start fern runners in 

 small pots or in flats? Should they be 

 cut back? A. R. G.— O. 



These will start somewhat better in 

 flats or in a raised bench where a little 

 bottom heat ruiis below them in winter 

 — just sufficient heat to warm the soil 

 moderately. Some leaf-mold and sand 

 should be added to the soil. Long 

 fronds do better if cut back part of 

 their length. C. W. 



DIVIDINO BIG BOSTON FERNS. 



Will you tell me how to take care of 

 some large Boston ferns? They are in 

 half-barrels and the fronds are extreme- 

 ly thick. Some of the fronds are yel- 

 low and full of seeds or spores, while 

 others are young, vigorous and well 

 colored. Should they be taken out of 

 the tubs and the clumps divided and 

 put in fresh soil, or would it be just as 

 well to cut out the old fronds and leave 

 the young ones? What would be the 

 best fertilizer for ferns in this condi- 

 tion? H. L. H.— Mo. 



SCALY INSECT ON FERNS. 



I am sending you one of a number of 

 ferns that seem to be infested with 

 some sort of insect. A white substance 

 that somewhat resembles mealy bug set- 

 tles on the foliage of the plants. How 

 should I treat the plants to get rid of 

 this enemv? A. G.— Okla. 



The fern in question is infested with 

 a scaly insect that is decidedly in- 

 jurious and one that is frequently met 

 with by fern growers. The best method 



It would be better to postpone the 

 division of these old plants until spring, 

 as the plants would not grow away so 

 freely at this season. In the meantime 

 the worst fronds should be cut out, thus 

 giving more light and air to the young 

 growth. Give the plants full exposure 

 to the sun during the winter, and a 

 night temperature of 60 degrees. A 

 moderate top-dressing with pulverized 

 sheep manure or shredded cattle ma- 

 nure will help to encourage the growth 

 and give the ferns a darker color, but 

 a light top-dressing once in two or three 

 weeks is usually more satisfactory than 

 a heavy dose applied at one time, par- 

 ticularly during the dark days of 

 winter."^ W. H. T. 



.News from 



roQ« 



London, England. — The National 

 Chrysanthemum Society helil its annual 

 show November 9 and 10, but it was 

 considerably smaller than in ante-bellum 

 days. The notable new varieties were 

 Golden Champion, yellow, and Louisa 

 Pockett, white, Australian varieties 

 that are to be disseminated this season 

 ill America and England. 



St. Michael, Azores. — A few years ago 

 moderate quantities of longiflorum bulbs 

 were sent to the United States from the 

 Azores and one still hears of Azore 

 freesias in America. It therefore is of 

 interest to note that Consul William 

 Bardel states that the total value of the 

 bulbs for export to the United States 

 from this ])lace in 1914 was invoiced 

 at $487 and that in 191;") this declined 

 to $347. 



Tamatave, Madagascar. — The exports 

 of raflia fiber from this country in 1914 

 liad a value of $469,(nL', and' in 1915 

 this increased 1o $500,262. The ship- 

 ments direct to the United States in 

 1914 had an invoice value of $12,108, and 

 in 1915 of $2."?, 856. Consul .Tames G. Car- 

 ter states that "the increased raflia 

 shijiments were the result of the efforts 

 of American firms to purchase raffia di- 

 rect from Madagascar producers" in- 

 stead of from European second hands. 



Colchester, England. — P. Wallace & 

 Co., Ltd., are introducing Lilium regale 

 (L. myriophyllum) to the trade by 

 means of a distribution of seeds, stat- 

 ing thafib'"the main factor for the pres- 

 ent consideration of the variety is that 

 it is easily raised from seed, flowering 

 the third year from sowing." 



Londoa, England. — Tlie largest meet- 

 ing of horticultural traders ever brought 

 together in the British Isles, recently 

 was held to discuss preparations for the 

 preservation of the trade after the dec- 

 laration of peace. It resulted in the 

 adoption of the following resolution: 

 "In the event of a general commercial 

 import tariff being adopted in this coun- 

 try at the close of the war, this meet- 

 ing of representatives of all branches of 

 the horticultural trade requests the pres- 

 ident and council of the R. H. S. to urge 

 upon the government the necessity of 

 taking steps to safeguard British horti- 

 culture from being undersold with prod- 

 uce of foreign origin, such steps being 

 (a) the prohibition of all horticultural 

 imports from the enemy nations; (b) the 

 establishment of a reasonable customs 

 duty with neutral countries; and (c) the 

 granting of most favored nation terms 

 and conditions to nie produce of all al- 

 lied countries." 



