L>IQCEMBER 9, 1920 



The Florists^ Review 



39 



To the Patrons Who Ask for'Such Arrangements, this One of Poinsettias Will Appeal. 



more so unless a revision of Quaran- 

 tine 37 occurs. A few, however, are 

 being offered, but at fancy figures. 

 Erica melanthera is a welcome plant 

 and a good stock of it is offered. This 

 is the heath par excellence for com- 

 mercial use. Its propagation and cul- 

 ture are simple. It flowers over a 

 period of several months and there are 

 few flowering plants that last so long, 

 always provided it is not allowed to 

 become dry at the root. Some of the 

 long-tubed ericas also are offered, as 

 well as a few bougainvilleas. Camel 

 lias drop their flowers rather easily 

 and are bruised unless carefully packed. 

 There is always a call for them, how- 

 ever, at this season and their popularity 

 is once more on the ascendant. I liave 

 noticed one or two plants of Acacia 

 Baileyana in flower. This variety, how- 

 ever, grows too tall for commercial 

 purposes, although the cut sprays are 

 acceptable before the graceful A. pu 

 bcscens comes in. 



Berried Plants. 



There seems to be a shortage of Ota- 

 heite oranges this sc;ison ami their 

 prices rule high. These plants can bo 

 depended upon to hold their fruit for a 

 long time. Another beautiful berried 

 subject for Christmas, which also ap- 

 pears to be in short supply, is Ardisia 

 crenulata. This plant cannot be pro 



duced cheaply, because several years 

 are needed to get fair-sized, salable 

 plants. On the other hand, tlie quan- 

 tity of solanums is greater than ever 

 before and they are wonderfully well 

 berried. Cleveland holds first place 

 and there are improvements on this fine 

 sort. The orange-yellow variety also 

 meets with a good sale. These at- 

 tractive plants will not hold their fruit 

 and foliage as well as ardisias, but are 

 of easy culture. Christmas peppers are 

 also in the list of berried plants, but in 

 the east the finely berried hollies and 

 aiicuhas, now debarred, will be missed. 



Want New Varieties. 



Miscellaneous flowering plants seem 

 more numerous than in former years. 

 The continual demand for something 

 new induces growers to try out plants, 

 occasionally new but mostly old, that 

 are not ordinarily considered for lioli 

 day use. Some of these are worthy of 

 the attention of commercial growers, 

 who may not have handled them before. 

 Cinerarias from seed sown late in June 

 are now nicely in bloom and should sell 

 well. Standard heliotropes are by no 

 means new. They are not, perhaps, of 

 a real Christmas color, but their de- 

 licious odor always makes them sell. 

 The inauve-flowered Erlangea tomen- 

 tosa, coining into flower immediately 

 aftt'i' clirysanthemuins, has been men- 



tioned before in The Review; the flower 

 heads resemble eupatoriums and the 

 foliage is pleasingly scented. 



Nicely flowered scarlet geraniums are 

 acceptable at this season. The double 

 varieties stand packing and shipping 

 the best. In the way of bulbous plants, 

 Paper White narcissi are abundant in 

 pans and bowls. Last fall was so 

 warm that early-planted bulbs bloomed 

 far ahead of their usual season. Pots 

 and pans of Roman hyacinths are 

 available. So are a good number of 

 Purity freesias, which have needed a 

 night temperature of 52 to 54 degrees 

 for some time. 



Many Possibilities. 



Linum trigynum, with golden yellow 

 flowers like allamandas, is worthy of 

 more notice. It is an old plant, charm- 

 ing in pots. Gardenias in 5, 6 and 

 7-inch pots, carrying open flowers and 

 a good number of buds, are excellent 

 for warm rooms, where they will open 

 well, and their perfume is always ap- 

 ]>reciated. Browallia speciosa major, 

 dcej) blue, in 4, 5 and 6-inch pots is a 

 lovely ]ilant, of a color always popular 

 among ladies. The dwarf form of 

 Stevia serrata makes a lovely pot 

 jilant. Its culture is simple and, if 

 grown cool, it never needs any staking. 

 Single white marguerites, if propa- 

 gated early and if pinching was dis- 



