October 9, 1919. 



The Florists^ Review 



21 



ground "<or the season, moderate mois- 

 ture will do. 



In my own tests of varieties, one 

 that does not begin to bloom within two 

 or three years from planting is discard- 

 ed, and it must be a distinct and unusu- 

 ally good variety to be retained and of- 

 fered here if it does not bloom well and 

 regularly every season after having be- 

 come established. It is true that there 

 are some varieties which are tardy in 

 beginning to bloom. Take, for instance, 

 Eichardson's Rubra Superba, a variety 

 we scarcely ever get flowers from the 

 first two seasons after planting, but it is 

 such an unusually fine peony, and bloom- 

 ing when practically all other peonies 

 are gone, it must be retained. 



Of course, there will always be some 

 blind growths, even on well established 

 plants. A fruit tree does not mature all 

 its blossoms, and some years a potato 

 plant yields three times as much as in 

 another season; but, taking it all in all, 

 the peony is a plant of easy culture, and 

 year in and year out will, with ordinary 

 care, give a good account of itself. 



CORPUS OHRISTI, TEX. 



Losses from the Gulf Storm. 



Though the losses of the florists in 

 this city from the gulf storm were 

 heavy, the full extent of the damage 

 is even now uncertain, because the ef- 

 fect of the salt water on the plants and 

 ■oil has not yet fully shown itself. 



The stock of the W. H. Caldwell Flo- 

 ral & Nursery Co. is on South Bluff and 

 was out of reach of the tidal wave, ex- 

 cept that part of his garden which was 

 terraced from the bluff to the water. 

 Mr. Caldwell reports that there he lost 

 the stock of over 6,000 feet of land, 

 which was planted in roses, chrysanthe- 

 mums, oleanders and bulbs. The wind 

 blew out a third of the glass in the 

 greenhouses and a great many of the 

 pot plants were ruined. The salt spray 

 covered everything, but a rain after- 

 ward washed some of the salt into the 

 soil. After the storm three years ago 

 the plants grew for several weeks and 

 then died from the effects of the salt. 



The downtown store and fixtures of 

 Ourtis the Florist were entirely ruined, 

 being in the center of the business sec- 

 tion, which was from twelve to fifteen 

 feet under water. His range is located 

 at Nueces Bay Heights and was not 

 affected by the tidal wave, but the 

 wind, which reached a velocity of nine- 

 ty-five miles per hour and lasted for 

 twenty-five hours, broke about three- 

 fourths of his glass. It blew down the 

 framework of the north house, ruined 

 the boiler room and heating apparatus 

 and completely blew away the lath 

 houses. The damage to the stock was 

 great, but has not yet been estimated 

 in detail. 



LANCASTER, PA. 



October 2 the Lancaster County Flo- 

 rists' Club held an automobile run to 

 the establishment of R. Vincent, Jr., & 

 Sons Co., White Marsh, Md. Forty-six 

 from Lancaster made the trip, which 

 number would have been much increased 

 had the weather been more favorable. 



The dahlia show at White Marsh was 

 one of the best we have ever seen. 

 Abundant rains throughout the growing 

 seasons made a luxuriant growth; conse- 

 quently, a wonderful wealth of blooms. 

 A section of the farm was set aside for 

 trial purposes, and there we saw the 



WHO'S WHO Ke^- AND WHY 



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WALTER L. ARMACOST. 



AFTER serving an apprenticeship in the trade in Baltimore, Jamestown, N. Y., 

 and Ohio, Walter L. Armacost took Horace Greeley's advice in 1903 and 

 went to Los Angeles, Cal. There he was soon put in charge of E. J. Vauter's fields 

 of carnations. In 1906 Mr. Armacost and Lewis Wolfley leased a few acres 

 of land on Marine street, Ocean Park, where they grew outdoor flowers and ferna. 

 Some time later, after his partner's death, Mr. Armacost leased from Mr. Vauter 

 part of his gardens at Sixth and Rose avenue, Ocean Park. There he had two 

 small houses, some plumosus under lath and outdoor stock. Soon he gave up the 

 Marine street lease and devoted his attention to the Rose avenue property till 

 1911, when he formed a partnership with F. E. Royston and invested in the prop- 

 erty at Sawtelle, where seven additional houses were recently completed. The 

 Los Angeles store of Walter Armacost & Co. lately moved into new quarters, on 

 East Fourth street, so that both growing and selling departments of the business 

 are amply provided for a prosperous season. 



newer varieties, staked and carefully 

 trained and disbudded. The result was 

 a revelation t6 all dahlia lovers. We 

 were particularly interested in a white 

 variety called Jean Kerr. Nearly all 

 the white and light pink dahlias suf- 

 fered earlier from attacks of aster 

 beetles and other insects, but Jean Kerr 

 was not molested. It is a fine white, 

 named after the daughter of the genial 

 manager of Burpee 's sweet pea depart- 

 ment. 



The canna plantings at this place are 

 extensive and in most vigorous, healthy 

 condition. Innumerable quantities of 



geraniums in 2i4-iuch pots were fine, 

 and immense stocks of choice lantanas, 

 begonias, heliotropes, fuchsias and many 

 other bedding plants were inspected. A 

 considerable portion of the Vincent 

 houses is occupied by Scottii ferns im 

 many sizes, in extremely clean, healthy 

 condition. Other choice ferns are alss 

 grown. 



The return trip from White Marsk 

 was more pleasant, owing to clear 

 weather, and the ride through the 

 autumn-tinted woodlands along the Sus- 

 quehanna river was much enioyed. 



H. K. B. 



