"^ 1 



14 



The Fbtists' Revievtr 



July 17, 1919. 



i see that the Nutmeg state boys have 

 contributed $1,164.50, which is good for 

 a population of less than a million. On 

 the same page I observe that the Blue 

 Hen chickens have only been able to 

 scrape up a 5-spot, which is not so good 

 for a state with a population of about 

 one-fifth of a million. I speak, of course, 

 by the census of 1900, but the increase 

 of population in both states is probably 

 relatively equal and therefore does not 

 affect the five to one proportion. 



Now, if Delaware wants to show that 

 she's a spunky bird, she will get busy 

 right away and scrape up more than a 

 5-spot. About fifty 5-spot8 would be 

 more like a game chicken. Maybe this 



comparison might be carried further 

 afield than Connecticut and Delaware, 

 but I have not had time to look others 

 up yet. You can do that for yourselves. 

 But to stick to the text — my idea for 

 the present is to stir up my near neigh- 

 bors, who have been enjoying an era of 

 great prosperity the last five years. 

 Every chicken in the florists' business in 

 the state of. Delaware ought to do its 

 share of scratching for publicity, and 

 not live on the scratching done by the 

 less lazy birds in other parts. Get into 

 the Publicity Garden and do your share! 

 Get after that Nutmeg, dear old Blue 

 Hen I George C. Watson. 



CX7TTING PEONIES. 



In The Review for July 3 J. S,— Pa. 

 asks how far peonies should be cut from 

 the ground. We find that we can safely 

 cut two-thirds or even all the blooms if 

 two or three leaves are left below the 

 cut. Long-stemmed varieties are in 

 better favor than the dwarf ones. 



Cow manure should never be used 

 until the plants are 1 year old, and 

 it would be better if it were not applied 

 until they are 2 years old. 



Mrs. Wm. Crawford. 



we see the proud possessor of six plants 

 sprinkle them every day, when they 

 need to ripen and get ready to produce 

 the new eyes that will bring the flowers 

 next season ! Be sparing with fertilizer 

 and water until the new growth starts 

 in Augfust. Mrs. Wm. Crawford. 



BEOWN SPOTS ON PEONIES. 



We are mailing some peony foliage 

 showing brown spots, which seem to be 

 some sort of fungous growth. Will you 

 kindly state what should be done to get 

 rid of themt W. H. C. & C— Kan. 



The fungous growth which appeared 

 on the leaves sent is one with which we 

 have not been troubled and 'for which, 

 therefore, we have had no occasion to 

 learn of a remedy. 



If the plants are in well-drained soil, 

 planted not too deep, and have plenty 

 of sunshine, I do not think this difficulty 

 would arise. W. A. Peterson. 



SEASON FOB BIiASTED PEONIES. 



In The Eeview for July 3 A. D. C— 

 N. T. asks why five out of six peony 

 roots sold to a customer failed to bloom. 

 The experience of five out of six peony 

 clumps blasting is not uncommon where 

 too much fertilizer is used. I would ven- 

 ture a guess that the customer has used 

 bone meal freely or barnyard manure as 

 a covering during the winter. Either 

 one wiU cause "indigestion" and pro- 

 duce the condition described. Cream is 

 good for children, but too much causes 

 much suffering and anxiety. 



After the blooming season peonies 

 should rest until August 1. How often 



BUSINESS EMBABBASSMENTS. 



Eureka, Cal. — G. Vanden Abeele, re- 

 ceiver for the Cottage Gardens Nurs- 

 eries, Inc., under date of July 11 ad- 

 dressed a letter to stockholders and 

 creditors in which he said in part: "Un- 

 less some relief comes immediately we 

 shall lose practically all our young stock 

 on hand. With the exception of a hand- 

 ful of men the crew has been on a three 

 weeks' strike. No work is being done 

 on the bulb farm and only a little water- 

 ing is done at the Eden plant. The or- 

 ders are piling up in the office and I am 

 unable to get ready to deliver them. 

 Already $28,000 worth of orders have 

 been accepted and I am positive to reach 

 the $100,000 mark. As I have stated in 

 my former statements, only $20,000 is 

 needed to save the situation and to guar- 

 antee the creditors dollar for dollar on 

 their claims. The local merchants have 

 subscribed for $7,500, but it cannot be 

 used unless the full amount is sub- 

 scribed. It seems ridiculous that with 

 assets of over $300,000 I have been un- 

 able to sell the certificates which were 

 ordered by the Superior Court of Hum- 

 boldt county and which constitute a first 

 lien upon the crops. It seems to me 

 that, with 200 creditors and stockhold- 

 ers, they should at least cooperate and 

 be able to raise that small amount, which 

 is all that is necessary to protect them- 

 selves. Unless some action is taken 

 there is only one way left for me to fol- 

 low and that is to ask for my release as 

 receiver and after that I cannot vouch 

 for the outcome. I cannot keep on this 

 way and work without funds and see the 



s'ock starve on my hands, as the losses 

 since the strike are already over $1,000 

 a day. Meetings of local creditors have 

 been held, but without any results." 

 The statement which accompanied the 

 letter showed total liabilities of $304,- 

 500.32 and assets of $691,428.36, with 

 the explanation that the land and build- 

 ings are inventoried at cost price and 

 the bulbs and nursery stock at thirty- 

 five per cent less than the wholesale 

 price list. The list of secured creditors 

 shows that C. W. Ward holds a mortgage 

 for $124,350.39 and interest. 



BOSTON. 



The Market. 



Last week was cool, in striking con- 

 trast to its predecessor. As a conse- 

 quence, business recovered a little from 

 the lethargy into which it had sunk and 

 flowers cleaned up better. The present 

 week opens with high temperatures and 

 their continuance will again stagnate 

 flower selling. Boses are the leading 

 flower in the market and are moving 

 fairly well at midsummer prices. Amer- 

 ican Beauties are of good quality and 

 selling quite well. Double White Kil- 

 larney and Kaiserin are both good. 

 Columbia is turning out a good warm 

 weather variety and both Ward and 

 Ophelia are fairly good. Miller, Hearst, 

 Milady and Francis Scott Key are other 

 good sellers. Carnations are few in 

 number and of inferior quality; they 

 will soon be replaced by asters, which 

 are now arriving in small lots. The 

 variety coming in is Queen of the Mar- 

 ket. Good sweet peas sell as well as 

 anything, but there is only a moderate 

 supply available. 



There is a good supply of gypsophila, 

 both elegans and paniculata. The double 

 form of the latter is most in demand. 

 A few lilies and small lots of lily of 

 the valley are seen. Miscellaneous an- 

 nuals, such as cornflowers, sweet sul- 

 tans, larkspurs, calendulas and Shirley 

 poppies, are seen in small quantities. 

 Cattleyas are decidedly scarce and are 

 mostly C. Gaskelliana. Prices on these 

 vary from $12 to $18 per dozen. A few 

 gardenias are arriving. Gladioli from 

 outdoors are more plentiful and are 

 chiefly Halley, Mrs. Francis King and 

 America. There has been a fair de- 

 mand for asparagus the last week. In 

 the principal retail stores nymphseas, 

 as usual, are used in quantity for win- 

 dow decorations. 



Farquhar's Employees Have Picnic. 



The fourth annual outing of the em- 

 ployees of Farquhar's store and nurs- 

 eries was held July 5. The picnic was 

 held at Thompson's island, through the 

 courtesy of Charles Bradley, superin- 

 tendent of the farm and trade school. 

 Nearly 125 employees and their families 

 gathered at the City Point boat landing:: 

 at 9 a. m., where a specially chartered 

 boat conveyed them to the island. On 

 arrival a ball game was at once started 

 between the store and nursery. It was 

 a hotly contested game, the nursery 

 finally winning by a score of 10 to 9- 

 The feature of the game was the batting 

 of Fletcher, of the nursery team. With 

 the bases full in the last inning he drove 

 a home run, winning the game. After 

 the ball game dinner was served on 

 tables set under the trees on the lawn. 

 During dinner the school band fur- 

 nished musical selections. After dinner 

 A. L. Dix, acting superintendent of the 



