Mabch 13, 1019. 



The Florists^ Review 



19 



I 



I 



BRITISH COKFEBENOE. 



At a recent conference of the British 

 Carnation Society, C. Engelmann, who 

 is well known in the United States, 

 said he looks forward to the time when 

 British-raised varieties will for all pur- 

 poses equal and even surpass the Ameri- 

 can varieties. From the market point 

 of view the latter now predominate. 

 He said he is preparing a trial of the 

 varieties he can obtain. He has some 

 150 varieties or more at his nurseries, 

 and these, with others he hopes to ob- 

 tain, he proposes to plant in a special 

 house, giving them all the same treat- 

 ment. Regarding statistics of carna- 

 tion growing in England at the present 

 time, Mr. Engelmann mentioned that 

 the secretary of the American Carna- 

 tion Society has asked what effect the 

 war has had. In reply he ventured to 

 say that the stocks of carnations in 

 England had been reduced seventy-five 

 per cent and that the quality was about 

 fifty per cent below pre-war standard. 

 In France, matters were much worse, 

 while in Belgium, he assumed, nothing 

 remained in the carnation-growing es- 

 tablishments. 



Gfiorge Allwood said it is largely a 

 question of climate that enables the 

 Americans to produce successful varie- 

 ties. When in the States he knew a 

 raiser who from two seed pods raised 

 four varieties, and he kept them to him- 

 self. The flowers from all four were 

 sent continuously to New York for five 

 years. This man got more results in 

 one year than his own firm could in five 

 years. The American climate allows 

 earlier crossing and better ripening of 

 seed. The English raiser is not to blame. 

 He would mention, however, that in 

 America it is customary for a raiser to 

 allow friendly growers to try out novel- 

 ties. The XJ. S. A. raisers trust such 

 growers absolutely, and it often hap- 

 pens that, after a trial, the grower will 

 book up 10,000 cuttings from the raiser, 

 and perhaps the cuttings will be actu- 

 ally on the grower's place. 



J. Page, who had some seven years' 

 experience in America, stated that 

 American growers were going back to 

 Mrs. Lawson and Winsor. The U. S. A. 

 growers aim at getting their crop by 

 Christmas and do not hesitate to ruin 

 their plants to get the crop. British 

 growers are too much concerned about 

 making a plant instead of aiming at a 

 quick and paying crop. 



DISCOLOBED PBIMULA FOLIAGE. 



"Will you please tell me if a blight has 

 affected the leaves of the enclosed prim- 

 roses? What can be used to prevent 

 this condition f I am afraid Bordeaux 

 mixture will ruin the flowers. 



J. R. F.— Ga. 



Primulas are not usually attacked by 

 fungous diseases, being, as a rule, free 

 from both insect pests and these dis- 

 eases. I am inclined to think that the 



browning of the edges of the leaves may 

 be due to overwatering, keeping the 

 plants in too close and humid a house, 

 or to injudicious feeding. C. W. 



WILD FLOWEBS OF LONO ISLAND. 



In Colonel Roosevelt's autobiography 

 there is an interesting account of the 

 flowers of Long Island. We are sure 

 the florist following of this wonderful 

 man would be pleased to read of this 

 side of his great fund of knowledge. 



Gullett & Sons. 



hold always plucks a little bunch of 

 mayflowers to send to a friend working 

 in Panama, whose soul hungers for the 

 northern spring. 



"Then there are shadblow and deli- 

 cate anemones, about the time of the 

 cherry blossoms; the brief glory of the 

 apple orchards follows; and then the 

 thronging dogwoods fill the forests 

 with their radiance; and so flowers fol- 

 low flowers until the springtime splen- 

 dor closes with the laurel and the evanes- 

 cent, honey-sweet locust blooms. The 

 late summer flowers follow, the flaunt- 

 ing lilies, and cardinal flowers, and 

 inarshmallows, and pale beach rosemary; 

 and the goldenrod and the asters when 

 the afternoons shorten and we begin to 

 think of fires in the wide fireplaces." 



LADIES' S. A. F. 



* * Long Island is not as rich in flowers 

 as the valley of the Hudson. Yet there 

 are many. Early in April there is one 

 hillside near us which glows like a 

 tender flame with the white of the 

 bloodroot. About the same time we 

 find the shy mayflower, the trailing 

 arbutus; and although we rarely pick 

 wild flowers, one member of the house- 



The following ladies have been ap- 

 pointed by the president to serve for a 

 term of two years on the board of di- 

 rectors: Mrs. J. F. Ammann, Illinois; ^ 

 Mrs. J. J. Hess, Nebraska; Mrs. Chas. 

 H. Totty, New Jersey. Also the follow- 

 ing ladies from Michigan to serve on the 

 introduction committee at the coming 

 convention: Mrs. Fred Breitmeyet, 

 chairman; Mrs. Philip Breitmeyer, Mrs. • 

 E. A. Schribner and Mrs. Robert Jean. 

 Mrs. H. G. Berning, Sec'y. 



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MOTT-LY MUSINGS 



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The Whiting Greenhouses, of Hart- 

 ford, Conn,, notice a marked improve- 

 ment in orders for window boxes for 

 indoor decoration and a bright outlook 

 for spring business, says Carl Petersen. 



• • • • 



William Sim, of Clif tondale, Mass., is 

 so pleased with Carnation Pink Delight 

 that he will plant an additional house 

 for next season. The single violet and 

 the polyanthus are also among the 

 money-makers this season. 



• • • • 



If any one thing stands out preemi- 

 nent at the Thomas Roland establishment 

 at Nahant, Mass., it is the grand lot of 

 French hydrangeas, in perfect shape 

 for Easter, not a single stake necessary. 

 Next are the ramblers, chiefly Tausend- 

 schoen, and the final of the trio is 

 Erica cupressina. While these three 

 leaders form the main supply, there is a 

 fine batch of Erica melanthera and 

 persoluta and cytisus that is sold as 

 quickly as blooms open; in fact, this 

 applies to everything in the shape of a 

 blooming plant at this time. Attention 

 was called to a miniature Japanese 

 cytisus, described by Mr. Roland as a 

 ''fussy little plant," but of which he 

 is justly proud. It is a perfect yellow 

 ball-shape, very cute. Of acacias there 

 are some notable specimens^ possibly 

 without their equal in any commercial 

 or private collection anywhere; the 

 special care of their owner, who admits 

 a greenhouse has a peculiar charm for 

 him and this undoubtedly is the secret 

 of his success as a grower. The loss of 

 azaleas will be felt, although there are 

 many various items to help fill the void. 

 Begonias, cyclamens and oranges are ia 

 time for Christmas. 



J. M. Ward & Co., of Peabody, Mass., 

 express the opinion that had it not been 

 ■for the "flu," business would have been 

 far below normal, owing to the absence 

 of social functions. This is proof of the 

 necessity of constant publicity. Fu- 

 neral work keeps them busy. 

 • • • • 



Warburton 's, of Fall River, Mass., re- 

 ceived a shipment of azaleas from Cali- 

 fornia in rather poor shape, owing to 

 the long period of transit. It is be- 

 lieved, however, that after this flrst ex- 

 perience the method of packing will be 

 improved upon to meet such a condi- 

 tion. The plants were fine and sold 

 readily. "In fact," observes Chatter- 

 ton Warburton, * ' we find if we have but 

 one azalea on view and put a fancy 

 price on it, we are able to sell other 

 plants in competition." Among the ', 

 few varieties of plants for Easter, is 

 seen a fine lot of Deutzia gracilis, al- . 

 ways a good seller and easy to grow. 

 Schizanthus and nemesia are among the 

 annuals, now in 4-inch, will soon be 

 in 5-inch and 6-inch pots for Easter. 

 Schizanthus is excellent as a cut flower, , 

 while the nemesia is the best pot plant. 

 These are being grown as a catch crop, 

 so to speak, following the rescinding of 

 the fuel order. It will be a good Easter 

 line. Carnations and roses are in fine 

 condition, with heavy cuts in sight. A . 

 sport from Columbia is held in high re- 

 gard, showing no tendency to form bull- 

 heads, as does the parent. The color is 

 pleasing. James Warburton^ is down 

 with the "flu," but it is hoped Lent 

 will find him in shape for the Easter 

 push'. Chatterton Warburton says it ia 

 a rush, though, all the time so far thia 

 season. W. M. 



