38 



The Florists* Review 



Dbcembeu 9. I'jaO 



More Popular Year by Year, the Cyclamen Is Now Indispensable. 



villi iln iH't >cll ;ill your plants <liniii;; 

 tlic li(ili(l:i\>. rt'incmhcr lliat they can 

 be kept, ir ncrcssnry, for tliirr iiKnitli-- 

 ;jii(l tliat thiy can even he kept in 

 proscntaMc rendition for an Kaster a- 

 earlv as -a r >)iall liaxc in ll'L'l. 



Begonias. 



I>e>;iiniii^ ■ enie next In cyrlann n^ in 

 favor. Mor( of tlicni may lie solii than 

 of cyclaiiK ii.s, Init, vvliilc tliey may cati\ 

 a jireater (irofusion of flowers, the\ 

 have loss variety of colorines atnl are 

 poorer keepers in tlio store or lionie 

 than eyclanuns. Of tlie several kimls 

 in commeree. Melior now seem^ to In 

 in the lead, with Cincinnati next and 

 Mrs. Peterson and Lorraine in smaller 

 numbers, and with a fair (piantity oi 

 ''hatetainf. Mrs. I'atten and others ot 

 • he tibrou.- rooted, ever bioominy s.c 

 lion. A more limited number of the 

 iiiftynificent Knjjlish winter bloomine 

 seetion are offereil. These need more 

 heaf thar. our American \arieties. 

 Tlieir flowers are as lar^e as tliose of 

 the summer bloominy; tuberous befjo 

 ni.-is a!id have a fine ranfje of colors. 

 They are propagated readily from 

 le,i\es and liave better keeping; qiiali 

 lies than • inciniiati or Melioi. Once 

 their culture is bi'tter understood and 

 they beeome more abundant, the\ will 

 outclass even cyclamens as <'hristMi:is 

 plants 



The Yiiletide Tlower 



I'oinstttias cannot well be dispen-.e,| 

 with at Christmas. Their lirilliimt 

 scarlet bracts are always associated 

 with tli( yiiietide. Their culture, while 

 not espeiially difficult, is more sn tlian 

 iliat ot many other ]il:inls. \'a<;:.rie- 

 of tempera t Me, c.'ireless w.aterine; ami 

 in judicMois leedinj; will ruin :i fiin 

 liatch 111 s|,,,rt order. Then i^ w,, 

 fieaut\ in ]'oinsettias minus most ei 

 their feliaL'i . and bun^liiijj; attempt-- l:i 

 hide nakiii stems with v.arinns oi-i-en 

 jilaiit- rill lid m.atters luit little. ( '.-iii't'ii I 

 wati'i in;: - especi.ally needed till a 

 few we.ks iiet'ore (Jhrisfmas. .\\(Md 

 eol.j diatis. lint er.adually lower the 

 tempei;it in. 'or jilants with well devel 

 • ipi'd III;..'- "■^oniet imes. when jilants 



ha\e liei'U chilled somewhat, a soakin;; 

 of w.'irui water will ludp to re\ i\e them. 

 While the plants are in the store, nevei 

 .•lilnw water to stand in the saucers, or 

 the foliajje will speedily turn jjolden. 

 When there is a cold wave around the 

 holidays, poinsettias are amoiif; the 

 most difficult plants, not only to sell, 

 but to deliver in presentable condition. 

 KetaiK'rs, under such conditions, often 

 lose liea\ily on them. He sure to wraji 

 them warmly when the weather is cold, 

 liraiiched specimens are now popular 

 with the critical bu\ers. ()lil stock 



])lants are the best for this purpose. 

 Then' is only a limited call for the 

 white variety. The rose-colored form 

 sells a little as a novelty, and plenis- 

 siina, the double scarlet form of pul- 

 (dierriina, is pleasinj^, but the ovor- 

 wludmiiifj majority arc of the single 

 scarlet variety. When cutting poin- 

 settias, lie sure to sear the ends of the 

 stems, either by dipping the ends in 

 boiling water or applying them to hot 

 coals. Then wraj) the foliage of each 

 in soft paper and plunge in deep vases 

 of water. Heliotropes, allamandas and 

 eujihorbias all kecji much better if the 

 bottoms of their stems arc seared as 

 soon as cut. 



Primulas. 



The primrose family is really useful 

 ;it Christmas, as it can be rather 

 cheaply jirodueed and profitably sold 

 at prices suitable for buyers of nioder- 

 :ite nu'aiis. P. obconica, cspcciiilly in 

 the red and deep pink shades, is use- 

 ful and makes a first-rate house plant. 

 Some retiiilers taboo it on account of 

 the poisoning caused by handling the 

 foliage. P. malacoides also is poison- 

 ous, but in a less degree. It is graceful 

 and, while not at its best so early as 

 Christmas, sells well at that time. The 

 jiiiik Townsendii is jiarticularly good. 

 At one time the baby primrose, P. For- 

 besii, was poimlar. Now it is seldom 

 seen, as malacoides hits outclassed it. 

 Neither are many of the sweet and 

 prett\ I', kewensis seen, but P. chineu 

 sis ;ind the t;ill(M--growing and smaller- 

 flowered forni. sUdlata, are still in 

 favor. It is to be regretted, however, 

 that their foliage is so brittle. All the 

 |iriinulas succeed under cool culture in 

 the gret-nlioiise, store or home ;ind all 

 are ide;il for window boxes. 



Hard-Wooded Plants. 



.\/ale,is as ('hristmas plants are now 

 .scarce articles and are likeiv to be even 



Nothing W^ill Down this Primula, Pereniiia'ly Popular at Christmas. 



