18 



The Florists^ Review 



Dkcbmbbb 26. 1918. 



A SPIKE OF SFEOIOSUM. 



An unusual spike it was, as the illus- 

 tration testifies. In number of blooms 

 it almost reached the century mark, 

 carrying ninety-five flowers and buds 

 early in July, when the photograph 

 was taken. However, it was not pre- 

 cisely a Lilium speciosum, but was the 

 variety of speciosum known as Mel- 

 pomene, which has much deeper-colored 

 flowers than the type, besides being 

 somewhat different in habit of growth. 

 As most florists know, the flowers of L. 

 speciosum are white, more or less suf- 

 fused with rose-pink in the center of 

 the perianth-segments and plentifully 

 spotted with claret-red. But the Mel- 

 pomene flowers have only a narrow mar- 

 gin of white and are elsewhere a rich, 

 bright crimson or carmine-crimson, 

 spotted with red. 



On sending to The Eeview the photo- 

 graph from which the illustration was 

 made, the correspondent referred to the 

 spike as "a fine fasciated stalk of Lil- 

 ium speciosum Melpomene, one of sev- 

 eral stalks in an 8 -inch pot." 



Any florist who wishes to add to his 

 supply of blooms in midsummer, when 

 flowers frequently are scarce, will find 

 that the different varieties of speciosum 

 are well adapted for the purpose. The 

 bulbs from Japan usually arrive late 

 in autumn or in the winter. A satis- 

 factory way to treat them is to pot them 

 in good loam, placing about three bulbs 

 in a 7-inch or 8-inch pot and covering 

 them slightly with the soil. If, without 

 being watered, they are then set under 

 a cool bench where they are not soaked 

 with drip but are only moderately moist, 

 they will remain almost dormant for 

 seven or eight weeks. 



When they have made a few inches of 

 growth they should be removed from 

 under the bench, but should continue 

 to have a cool, shaded, well ventilated 

 position. As they bloom in midsummer, 

 a cool temperature and shade are con- 

 ducive to strength in the plants, and to 

 size and durability in the flowers. They 

 should not receive much water until 

 well rooted. After starting growth, 

 however, they form roots rapidly and 

 thenceforth require an abundance of 

 water. As green fly is partial to them, 

 they need an occasional fumigation. 



Some growers plant speciosums singly 

 in 6-inch pots. Other growers argue 

 that better results can be secured by 

 planting in boxes instead of pots, as 

 the roots are less liable to dry out in 

 boxes. The boxes generally used are 

 six inches deep and the bulbs are placed 

 about six inches apart. 



PITTSBUROH. 



The Market. 



Stock of all varieties has been so 

 scarce that it is difficult to make com- 

 parisons of Christmas business with 

 that of former holiday seasons. A com- 

 bination of circumstances unprecedented 

 has arisen to occasion tmis shortage. 

 Excessive funeral demands, although 

 lessened, continue; cloudy skies, of late, 

 have been a factor; and the majority 

 of growers, owing to fuel restrictions, 

 did not fire their boilers sufficiently 

 early in the season, hoping to make 

 the supply of coal last until spring. It is 

 expected that later, with the elimination 

 of the epidemic, there will be a glut in 

 excess of any previous surplus of the 

 midwinter season. Prices, of course, 



were exceedingly high. American Beau- 

 ties brought $15 per dozen wholesale. 

 While a few of the short-stemmed Beau- 

 ties came in, the dealers made prac- 

 tically no effort to handle them. Russell, 

 Prima Donna and Columbia were listed 

 as high as 75 cents apiece. Carnations 

 were $15 per hundred, while Paper 

 White narcissi were $6 and $8 per hun- 

 dred and scarce. With the one excep- 

 tion of stevia, which was 75 cents per 

 bunch, there was practically no change 

 in the prices for greens. 



Various Notes. 



Our soldiers and sailors at the various 

 home cantonments, naval training sta- 



LiHum Speciosum Melpomene. 



tions, government piers, etc., are coming 

 back to take up again their former life. 

 Young Samuel McClements, who has 

 been serving at Pier 19 since the begin- 

 ning of hostilities, returnea to Pitts- 

 burgh a fortnight ago, but has been un- 

 able to have much conversation with 

 his father, owing to the latter 's stren- 

 uous life in anticipation of the holiday 

 season. On Baum street near the firm's 

 building, Randolph & McClements used 

 a large vacant lot for the sale of Christ- 

 mas trees, 



Samuel P. Gidas has returned from 

 seven months of service in uniform and 

 is again installed at his old post with 

 the Alpha Floral Co, Following six 

 months' training with Company 25, of 

 the U, S. Infantry, at Camp Dix, Mr, 

 Gidas spent a month at the embarkation 

 Camp Merritt, whence he was on the 

 point of sailing when the war ended. 



Thomas McKee Elliott has returned 

 from his brief sojourn at Camp Joseph 

 E. Johnson and is again installed in 

 charge of the office of the Elliott Nurs- 

 ery Co. 



William Andrews, an old-time ac- 

 countant and shipper for the E, C, Lud- 

 wig Floral Co,, together with Mrs, Lud- 

 wig's nephew, Roy C. Engel, was in the 

 designing department during the holiday 

 season. 



Boy Scout officials here have been no- 

 tified to cease the hunt for black walnut 

 trees, although the planting of the wal- 

 nut for future purposes is recommended, 

 not for the ends of war but for the aims 



of peace. The walnut wood is to be used 

 for blades for propellers in the aircraft 

 industry. The purpose of the govern- 

 ment, as set forth in the communication, 

 is the restoration of the walnut to its 

 normal commercial position. What 

 Uncle Sam now has on hand will be 

 turned into aircraft material or gun- 

 stock blanks. 



John Matsukes, who has been making 

 a ten days' visit with friends in Chi- 

 cago, returned home in time to resume 

 work on the staff of the Liberty florists. 



George C. McCallum returned home 

 unexpectedly from New York December 

 23, having been released from the serv- 

 ice upon his request just as he was about 

 to be assigned to an ocean-going 

 steamer. Earl Tipton, who is identified 

 with the salesroom of the McCallum Co., 

 is again on duty following a week's ab- 

 sence. E. E. S. 



INDIANAPOUS. 



The Market. 



Roses and carnations were the main- 

 stay of the Christmas market. They 

 cleared readily at the highest prices 

 ever known in this city, ranging from 

 $5 to $35. Carnations varied in price 

 according to quality from $8 to $15, all. 

 good blooms making the latter. 



The demand for funeral work con- 

 tinued unusually heavy throughout the 

 week. Calla lilies were in good supply 

 and were used largely for this purpose. 

 Callas of quality r^ke $2.50 and $3 per 

 dozen. Easter and rubrum lilies have 

 been scarce. 



Poinsettias were limited in quantity 

 at from $3 to $6 per dozen. Both yellow 

 and white narcissi were in the market, 

 the white at $5 per hundred, the yellow 

 at $6. Some good stevia was available 

 at 50 cents per bunch. Sweet peas and 

 violets were rare. Marguerites, calen- 

 dulas, mignonette and pansies in small 

 quantity were offered. 



The Christmas greens market was 

 good, the supply being limited, while 

 the demand was brisk and prices high. 

 Loose holly has been in evidence at from 

 $8 to $10 per case. Laurel has been 

 short, also lycopodium, Christmas trees 

 were few in number and high in price. 

 Frieze roping and all artificial orna- 

 ments met with ready sale. Mistletoe 

 was practically out of the market by 

 the first of the week. 



Various Notes. 



Frank Hasselman was brought home 

 the other day from his farm at Wave- 

 land, Ind., ill with pneumonia. He is 

 on the road to recovery now. 



The early part of the week, John Rie- 

 man was at home sick, but is back on 

 the job again now. 



Harry Bookedis, the Claypool Hotel 

 Florist, has infiuenza, and Frank Sohles, 

 of the same firm, also has been ill. 



A. Wiegand's Sons Co. had its win- 

 dows arrayed in Christmas attire and 

 made an attractive display. A frontage 

 on Illinois street of 125 feet was gay 

 with seasonable plants, including be- 

 gonias, azaleas, cherries, poinsettias, 

 made-up pots, hampers, etc. In the main 

 store window a color scheme of red, 

 green and silver was carried out in 

 red and silver ruscus, poinsettias and 

 baskets featuring candles. 



Another unusual display was staged 

 in Green's Flower Shop. Here fancy 

 pottery and fruits, featured with Christ- 

 mas plants, showed what can be done 



