18 



The Florists' Review 



Jaxuaby 11, 1917. 



grees in the daytime, with a moist at- 

 mosphere. Some other growers advise 

 a lower temperature, about 55 to 58 de- 

 grees, as the cooler conditions not only- 

 produce more durable flowers, but also 

 aid in the suppression of insect pests. 



Though Mrs. Heal begonias do not 

 demand an excessive degree of atten- 

 tion, they do demand the right kind of 

 attention. As they are semi-tuberous, 

 they should not be treated either like 

 the tuberous or the fibrous-rooted class, 

 but should receive a sort of intermedi- 

 ate or halfway treatment. That is, they 

 should be only semi-dormant during 

 their period of rest. Though they must 

 not be kept growing like the fibrous 

 group, neither must they be dried off 

 like the tuberous section. They should 

 remain in their pots while resting, and 

 should receive just enough moisture to 

 keep the roots plump and the stems com- 

 paratively green ; a few of the leaves 

 will generally retain their fresh color. 

 While resting, the plants are kept in a 

 cool house, with a minimum night tem- 

 perature of about 50 degrees, and it is 

 well to place them on a bench, rather 

 than under it. 



When the Plants Have Rested. 



As spring approaches, the plants 

 should be stimulated with an increase 

 of warmth and moisture. When they 

 have broken freely, they are repotted. 

 Unlike the tuberous-rooted class, they 

 would suffer a severe check if repotted 

 before growth was well started. A 

 rather coarse compost, containing about 

 two parts of loam to one part of leaf- 

 mold, with sand and manure, is used in 

 repotting. It is necessary at this stage 

 that the watering be careful and mod- 

 erate; excessive moisture would cause 



yellowness of the foliage^ probably fol- 

 lowed by decay. 



Propagating Begonia Mrs. Heal. 



When the plants have renewed their 

 growth after resting, and just before the 

 potting is done, some growers take the 

 cuttings for propagation. Other growers 

 wait until later, perhaps until near the 

 middle of May, and continue, if occasion 

 requires, to take cuttings in limited 

 numbers until August. The cuttings 

 root readily if placed in pots of sand 

 and leaf-mold in a temperature of 65 to 

 70 degrees, if the watering is moderate 

 and if precautions are taken to prevent 

 condensation of moisture on the leaves. 

 If strong, sturdy plants are wanted, the 

 early cuttings may be pinched at the 

 points when about six inches high. 



As a Boston Grower Does It. 



One of the Boston exhibitors of Mrs. 

 Heal begonias says that he grows them 

 with Gloire de Lorraine, and in similar 

 soil, consisting of rough fibrous loam, 

 leaf-mold, cow manure and sand. The 

 manure, he says, he collects in the pas- 

 tures and breaks it into lumps, and the 

 plants delight in the resulting coarse 

 mixture. He uses the stripe system for 

 shade, producing much the same effect 

 as if slat shades were used. In potting, 

 the compost should be pressed down 

 with only moderate firmness. The plants 

 bloom satisfactorily in 4-in(h to 7-inch 

 pots. After the pots are well filled with 

 roots, waterings with liquid manure are 

 beneficial. Side ventilation under the 

 benches is recommended, as the air 

 should be kept in circulation without 

 exposing the plants to direct drafts, 

 which are conducive to mildew. 



W 



BUSY WITH BEGONIAS 



SOME SEASONABLE NOTES. 



Tuberous-Rooted Begonias. 



While tuberous-rooted begonias are 

 not good bedding plants except where 

 they can get a fair amount of shade from 

 trees or buildings, they are excellent as 

 pot plants, fine for piazza vases in mod- 

 erate shade and valuable as summer- 

 blooming pot plants. It is to be re- 

 gretted that we are unable'tof^ utilize 

 them for bedding pur])oses, as in Great 

 Britain or even in Xova Scotia they 

 easily surpass geraniums as bedders, and 

 after a heavy rain storm, when the gera- 

 niums look quite wretched, the begonias 

 look as fresh as ever. The tubers are 

 inexpensive and may be had in separate 

 colors, either single or double. It is 

 well to try some of each, although on the 

 whole the singles are preferable. 



To secure some plants in nice bloom 

 before Memorial day, start the tubers 

 now in flats of sand. Place them in a 

 temperature of 60 degrees. Water mod- 

 erately. Pot off into 4-inch pots before 

 they become too much started, using a 

 light but fairly rich soil, containing a 

 good dash of sand. Grow them along 

 in a temperature of 52 to 55 degrees. 

 Give a shift to 6-inch pots when needeil. 

 When these pots become well filled with 

 roots, apply some liquid manure. Some 

 staking will be necessary to hold up the 



slioots as the flowering season ap- 

 proaches. Protect the plants from hot 

 sunshine, not to the same extent as glox- 

 inias, but enough to prevent any burn- 

 ing of the foliage. Batches of tubers, 

 jf plants are needed for bedding out or 

 for piazza boxes, need not be started be- 

 fore March. Try a few of the frilled 

 varieties, which are quite attractive. 



Fibrous-Rooted Begonias. 



While the tuberous begonias are not, 

 as a rule, adaptable for bedding pur- 

 poses, the fibrous-rooted varieties of the 

 Vernon type make ideal bedders and 

 succeed equally well in sunshine or 

 shade. These can be propagated either 

 by cuttings taken from carricd-over 

 stock plants, or by seeds. Where a large 

 number are needed, seed sowing is much 

 to bo preferred. As begonia seeds are 

 quite small, they cannot be sown in the 

 same way as the seeds of stocks, asters 

 or verbenas. Prepare some pans; be 

 sure they are clean. Put ample drain- 

 age in them; place a layer of moss over 

 this, then a mixture of fine, light com- 

 post, which should be at least one-half 

 leaf-mold. Add some sand. After plac- 

 ing this compost in the pans and spread- 

 ing it evenly, then press down and 

 water. Now dust some sand over the sur- 

 face and there sow the seeds with great 

 care. Do not cover them at all. Place 



squares of glass over the pans and keep 

 them dark until germination starts, then 

 give light. Sow petunias, gloxinias and 

 other fine seeds in the same way as be- 

 gonias. 



These seedling begonias will need 

 pricking off into flats first, and' later 

 potting singly. They grow rapidly once 

 the weather becomes warm. All the 

 Vernon and Erfordii section, Gloire de 

 Chatelaine and La Vesuve make ideal 

 bedders as well as excellent pot plants. 



Rex Begonias. 



Rex begonias, while they have pretty 

 flowers, depend on their foliage almost 

 entirely for their popularity. They are 

 easily propagated at this season by cut- 

 ting well matured leaves in pieces and 

 standing them edgewise in a warm prop- 

 agating bench. Discard the thinnest 

 or outer parts of the leaves, as being the 

 least likely to root. There are many 

 beautiful varieties of Rex begonias. 

 They should be stocked by every coun- 

 try florist, for they are easy plants to 

 grow in the average home and seem to 

 give about as much satisfaction as any 

 colored-leaved plants. 



THE FAKER. 



Does He Harm or Good? 



At a recent meeting of the Pittsburgh 

 Florists' Club E. J. McCallum, a com- 

 mission dealer, defined the several 

 grades of cut flower retailers and in 

 part said of those not conducting stores: 

 "I believe that all these people do both 

 harm and good to the true florist. Harm, 

 because there are instances where as a 

 result a florist will get a 'call down' as 

 being a robber, which undoubtedly is 

 bad for the business, and good because 

 they create ultimate customers for the 

 florist. I mean by this that there are 

 thousands of people who do not feel 

 that their love for flowers is enough to 

 overcome the loss of a dollar bill or even 

 a 50-cent piece. This class of people 

 will gladly spend 25 cents on the corner. 

 IV few such purchases convinces him, 

 or her, that these flowers are not as nice 

 as the ones on the stands at a higher 

 price. He thus becomes a customer of 

 the stands, and if anyway well-to-do 

 probably begins to patronize the legiti- 

 mate florist, where he gets service and 

 art as well as flowers. In any event, if 

 he does not patronize them he certainly 

 never would have anyway, and so the 

 florist is not out anything, even if he 

 did not gain anything. 



Seasonable Prices. 



The consumer of any commodity will 

 always purchase where his taste dic- 

 tates. Will we go into a cheap restau- 

 rant if we want a good meal ? Will we 

 buy a pair of shoes from the curb 

 dealer? Will we step into the phoney 

 jewelry store for a watch? Will you 

 buy your fruit from the peddler's push 

 cart? So, where will flower buyers buy 

 their flowers? 



"Little explaining is necessary as to 

 why prices are lower or higher than 

 last time if we only take the trouble to 

 tell customers what conditions such as 

 sunshine, weather, crops, seasons, etc., 

 have to do with the supply. Does the 

 customer question the price of straw- 

 l)erries in March because they are cheap 

 in June? 



The Wholesaler's Position. 



"Now a word for the wholesaler who 

 is accused of conspiring with the street 



