14 



The Rorists' Review 



July 24. 1919. 



Along Comes the Scientist. 



When the scientist showed the cul- 

 turist the value of fresh air, there was 

 an improvement in the quality of the 

 plants grown. Larger, more airy houses 

 were built and these were located on 

 more exposed elevations, where good air 

 circulation could be obtained and larger 

 supplies of fresh air given the interior 

 of the houses. 



The plant grower, however, is more 

 concerned with soil and fertility ques- 

 tions than with almost any other prob- 

 lem in science. He grows a wide range 

 of plant species, each with its own re- 

 quirements not only in rftgard to the 

 chemical constituents of the soil, but 

 the physical character of the soil as 

 well. It is generally known that plants 

 under glass grow best if the soil con- 

 tains a mixture of medium sand, silt 

 and clay. The proportion of these varies 

 with different crops, and all species' 

 requirements have to be studied care- 

 fully. They are learned largely by 

 investigation and experimentation. Ex- 

 periment stations, in connection with 

 the agricultural colleges and the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, have 

 done much valuable scientific work in 

 determining correct conditions for vari- 

 ous species of plants. Yet much remains 

 to be learned. 



Probably no cultivated plant is more 

 particular regarding proper physical and 

 chemical constituents of the soil than 

 is the rose. The best commercial rose 

 growers in America today are those men 

 who have kept closely in touch with the 

 scientific work of the experiment sta- 

 tions. 



The Chemist's Limitations. 



The chemist, especially the agricul- 

 tural chemist, is rendering valuable as- 

 sistance to the flower grower. Unfor- 

 tunately, he is handicapped to a certain 

 degree and his limitations will not al- 

 ways permit him to fulfill the expecta- 

 tions of practical men. Only a few days 

 ago the writer received a sample of soil 

 with the request that it be analyzed 

 and the sender informed as to what he 

 should apply to make it a good soil for 

 violets. Many men fail to realize that 

 all mineral elements must be rendered 

 soluble before they can be used by 

 plants, and that organic substances 

 must exist in correct combination be- 

 fore they are of value to plants. A soil 

 may contain a quantity of food elements 

 and yet the plant may starve. For this 

 reason chemical analysis is seldom satis- 

 factory from the grower's viewpoint. 

 The chemist can determine the minerals 

 which compose the soil, but he is not 

 familiar with the food requirements of 

 plants of different species and the avail- 

 ability for these plants of the minerals 

 and organic substances in the soil. This 

 is a problem to be determined only by 

 experimentation for each particular crop 

 and for each type of soil, and it is the 

 function of the scientists in our experi- 

 ment stations to work out these prob- 

 lems for the benefit of the practical 

 grower. 



The chemist is, however, teaching the 

 flower grower the sources of plant food 

 and how to treat his crops so they will 

 receive the proper amount of nutrition. 

 The chemist is also giving the flower 

 grower a better knowledge of the so- 

 called "commercial fertilizers" and 

 their effect on plant growth. 

 [To b« continued.] 



TULIPS FOR CHBISTMAS. 



What is the best red tulip to have for 

 Christmas and when should the bulbs 

 be started? Also, what red sweet pea 

 do you recommend for Christmas cut- 

 ting? E. S. L.— Me. 



Scarlet Due van ThoU is the earliest 

 of all the red tulips and the only red 

 that can be depended upon to flower for 

 Christmas, but red tulips are strictly a 

 novelty for Christmas and, as a rule, a 

 poor one. Those that are generally seen 

 have short stems with a poor flower 

 peeping above scant foliage. The grow- 

 er is not to blame, neither are the bulbs. 

 The trouble lies in the fact that Christ- 

 mas is too early to have tulips that are 

 worth while. If this were not the case, 

 with the ability of the present-day 

 growers, we would have just as good 

 tulips for Christmas as are seen during 

 February and March. For the bulbs to 

 flower at all, they must be well rooted 

 and should therefore be started as soon 

 as they can be had. 



Christmas Meteor is the earliest of 

 the red grandiflora type of sweet pea. 

 Scarlet Emperor and Burpee's Early 

 King are two other fine red sweet peas. 



M. P. 



considerable number will go by auto- 

 mobile, as the roads are reported to be 

 in excellent condition. 



A committee, consisting of Irwin 

 Bertermann, Adolph Baur and Oscar 

 Carlstedt, has been appointed by A. H. 

 Nehrling to look after transportation 

 and other matters pertaining to the 

 convention. This committee has prac- 

 tically decided on a night trip via the 

 Big Four railroad, leaving' Indianapolis 

 at 9 p. m. August 18 and arriving in 

 Detroit early next morning. Informa- 

 tion regarding rates, etc., may be ob- 

 tained by consulting members of the 

 committee. 



INDIANA WILL BE THERE. 



According to reports coming to the 

 office of State Vice-President Nehrling, 

 Indiana will be well represented at the 

 coming 8. A. F. convention. It is esti- 

 mated that about fifty from northern 

 Indiana alone will make the trip. A 



NOTICE BY LADIES' S. A. F. 



Mrs. C. H. Maynard gives notice to 

 amend Ladies' 6. A. F. constitution 

 and by-laws, article VI, section 4, by 

 adding after the words, * ' President and 

 Secretary, ' ' the words : * ' She shall give 

 bonds in such sums as the Executive 

 Board may from time to time deem suf- 

 ficient. The expenses of furnishing 

 such bond to be assumed by the so- 

 ciety. ' ' 

 Mrs. H. G. Berning, Sec 'y, L. S. A, F. 



BRIEF ANSWERS. 



W. D. G., N. Y.— Thrip Juice is manu- 

 factured by Hammond's Paint & Slug 

 Shot Works, Beacon, N. Y., and sold in 

 most seed stores. 



J. P., 111. — The standard remedies for 

 plant lice under glass are whale oil soap 

 or nicotine extract. There are direc- 

 tions for use on the package. 



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WHERE TO STOP AT DETROIT 



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DETROIT HOTELS. 



The S. A. F. convention headquarters 

 will be at Hotel Statler, on Grand Circus 

 park, ten minutes by the Woodward ave- 

 nue car line from the convention audi- 

 torium (Arcadia hall), 615 Woodward 

 avenue. 



It ia highly important that everyone 

 intending to come to the convention, 

 August 19 to 21, make hotel reserva- 

 tions here as soon as possible, as there 

 are to be two other big conventions held 

 here the same week. The hotel commit- 

 tee of the local florists will aid all who 

 will make known their prospective re- 

 quirements, addressing the chairman, 

 E. A. Fetters, 17 East Adams avenue, 

 Detroit. 



A list of the principal hotels and their 

 rates per day and distance from head- 

 quarters. Hotel Statler, follows: 



HOTEL STATLER. 



Room with shower, for 1, $2.50. 



Room with shower, for 2, double bed, $3.50. 



Room with tub and shower, for 1, $3.00 to 

 $5.00. 



Hoom with tub and shower, for 2. double bed, 

 $4.50 to $7.50. 



Room with tub and shower, for 2, two beds, 

 $5.50 to $7.50. 



Room with tub and shower, for 4, three beds, 

 $8.00. 



HOTEL TULLER. 



Grand Circus Park, adjacent to headquarters. 



Double rooms only, inside, $4.00 and up. 



Double rooms only, outside, $5.00. 



HOTEL PONTCHARTRAIN. 



Woodward avenue, five blocks from head- 

 quarters. 



Room with single bed and running water, $3.00 

 and up. 



Room with double bed and running water, 

 $4.00 and up. 



Room with bath, $6.00. 



HOTEL CHARLEVOIX. 

 Near Grand Circus park, one block from head- 

 quarters. 



Room with single bed and bath, $2.00. 

 Room with single bed, without bath, $1.50. 

 Room with double bed and bath, $4.00. 



HOTEL CADILLAC. 



Michigan avenue, four blocks from headquar- 

 ters. 



Room with twin beds and bath, $5.50, $6.00. 

 $7.00 and $8.00. 



Room with double bed and bath, $5.00. 



Room with twin beds, without bath, $2.00. 



Room with double bed, without batli, $3.50. 

 HOTEL GRISWOLD. 



Grand River avenue, two blocks from head- 

 quarters. 



Room with single bed, without bath, $1.50. 



Room with single Ix-d and bath, $2.00, $2.50 

 and $3.00. 



Room with double bed and bath. $3.00, $4.00 

 and $5.00. 



Room with double bed, without bath. $2.50. 

 HOTEL PLAZA. 



John R. street and Madison avenue, four blocks 

 from headquarters. 



Room with single bed, $2.50 and up. 



Room with double bed, $3.00 and up. 



HOTEL MADISON. 



Madison avenue and Randolph street, five 

 blocks from headquarters. 



Room with single bed and bath, $1.50 and up. 



Room with double bed and bath, $2.50 and up. 

 HOTEL FORT SHELBY. 



Lafayette and First street, seven blocks from 

 headquarters. 



Room with single bed and bath, $1..'>0 and up. 



Room with double bed and bath, $2.50 and up. 



Parlor, bedroom and bath, $4.00. 



HOTEL STB. CLAIRE. 

 Monroe and Randolph street, six blocks from 

 headquarters. 



Room with bath, $1.25 to $2.50. 



There are, of course, many smaller ho- 

 tels at which accommodations may be 

 had, but the list above includes the 

 best and largest. 



J. F. Sullivan, 

 President Detroit Florists' Club. 



