March 10, 1921. 



The Florists^ Review 



37 



the same money value at tlio relative 

 cost prices, of the two fertilizers, 

 twenty-one and four-tontlis pounds of 

 bone were applied to eaeli luindred 

 square feet. 

 It should be remembered that the re- 



sults are for one year only. The differ- 

 ences in production would probably bo 

 less striking during the second and 

 third years. However, for the first 

 year acid phosphate is the more efficient, 

 as can be readily seen by studying the 



data. Under the conditions of this 

 experiment, steamed bone is less effi- 

 cient in the production of roses than is 

 acid ])liosphate. A detailed report of 

 this work will be published in liulletin 

 form in the near future. 



}yiitA2JiiimmyM.ujiiw^^ 



SCIENTIFIC TRAINING ^ 



i1lVs<•r4^^^?s^1r?s^1r?sxl^?st1r?A^lr/'*^1^^•^(r^r/svlrr*^1^/'^ 



ASTUDEXT usually decides what 

 business or profession he wishes 

 t o make his life work before ho 

 completes his high school education. 

 Sonic students grow up with the ques- 

 tion settled before they reach the high 

 school age. Next comes the thought of 

 how to obtain this desired end by the 

 most efficient m'ethod. The floriculture 

 stud,ents have selected the florists' pro- 

 fession. Some of us come from our 

 fathers' greenhouses, some from farm 

 lands, and some from business circles 

 of large cities. We have all come to 

 college for the purpose of learning in 

 the shortest length of time as much as 

 pos.sible of the scientific and practical 

 sides of floriculture and its relative 

 sciences. In college this shortest length 

 of time is four years. We believe that 

 by taking the 4-ycar college course in 

 floriculture we accomplisli two things: 

 First, we gain the results of the ap- 

 prentice system in a shorter time; 

 second, we become better equipped as 

 men and women for citizenship and for 

 community activities than by the ap- 

 prentice system. You ask how we tliink 

 this end is effected. To answer this 

 query I must briefly outline the aver- 

 age 4-ycar college course in floriculture 

 as offered at our colleges and universi- 

 ties. 



First Two Years' Work. 



The first two years are spent in get- 

 ting the groundwork or foundation for 

 the studies of the two later years of 

 tlie college curriculum. The real 

 specialization in floriculture comes in 

 the last two years. Botany is one of 

 the fundamental, or ground courses. In 

 botany we study the structures and 

 functions of plant parts with the view 

 of ascertaining facts and apph-ing these 

 facts in reasoning and in exj)erimcntal. 

 work. The studj- of plant diseases' 

 comes under the heading of botany. 

 Attention is directed to the causal 

 agents, as fungi, bacteria and such; to 

 symptoms; to diagnosis, and to the 

 treatment of these diseases. The flori- 

 culture student may elect a study of 

 the diseases found in the greenhouse, if 

 he so desires. 



Chemistry is another fundamental 

 course. This study is designed to give 

 the stiulcnt a working basis for a good 

 understanding of soil actions, as these 

 are important to every florist, inasmuch 

 as they often mean dollars and cents 

 saved or lost. 



Another probability of loss is from 

 insect troubles in the greenhouses. The 

 student studies the life history of these 

 insects, as often the method of control 

 lies in the determination of the weakest 

 point in the life cycle and attacking 

 the insect in that weak spot. This is 

 why we scatter tobacco dust on rose 

 benches to kill the rose midge in its 

 weak stage. A floriculture student may 



Paper read by Jnliiin D. Smith, a student in 

 I lie floriculture course lit the University of Illi- 

 nois, at tjio meeting of tlie Illinois State Florists' 

 .Vssoriation at Crbaua. llarcli 8, on '"I'lie Value 

 of a S<ientific 'I'rainint; in Floriculturt' from the 

 Student's Viewpoint," 



select courses in entomology which 

 deal with his profession; namely, insect 

 pests of the greenhouse. 



The landscape gardening end of the 

 floriculture game is not forgotten. In- 

 struction is given in the identification 

 of trees, shrubs, vines and flowers, with 

 special emphasis upon their various 

 uses. This includes the designing of 

 plantings for homes and other build- 

 ings. Such a subject is one which every 

 community expects a florist to under- 

 stand. 



Learn Facts and Their Application. 



Instruction as well as practical work 

 is given concerning the various methods 

 of plant propagation. The student is 

 also made familiar with the construc- 

 tion, cost and maintenance, heating and 

 ventilation of greenhouses. In the 

 :ibove courses the student is tauglit 

 facts and their application. The col- 

 lege education does not stop there, for 

 the student must know how to express 

 these facts as well as know the facts 

 tliemselves and tlieir application, lie 

 must kiu)w luiw to speak or talk. For 

 this pur]iosc rhetoric and l^nglish are 

 made requirements for graduation. 

 Public speaking may be .'ulded by tlio 

 student as an elective. While at col- 

 lege, the bay or girl is still developing 

 l)liysicany as well as mentally. Gym- 

 nasium work and military drill are re- 

 quired to keep tlic student in trim. 



Two Years in Greenhouse. 



The l.nst t\v<i years of the college 



Every Florist 



Has hit uiK)n Ideas 



that have made Money 



for Him. The Spread 



of such Ideas througli 



the Trade makes F'rogres>. 



I^« 



^T^Bf 



Is the medium for spreading those 

 inoney-maklnp ideas. Tell the trade 

 about yours, t'oiilributious on any 

 subject relating to the trade are 

 alwa.vs welcomed by the Kditor. 



The way lliey .ire written is not so 

 important as the ideas they convey. 

 Write as you would talk. 



course the floriculture student spends 

 most of his time at the greenhouses, 

 until he begins to feel that he really 

 lives there. lie works with the major 

 and minor commercial crops, carrying 

 them tlirough from blooming season to 

 blooming season. The student learns 

 the best methods of cultivating these 

 •Tops, as well as the attention necessary 

 in growing tender bedding plants under 

 glass. As wafiiK weather comes, the 

 student uses these bedding plants in 

 designing and planting the outdoor 

 beds, and cares for these beds. Courses 

 are given regarding soils, fertilizers, 

 plant foods and water requirements of 

 greenhouse crops, and regarding the re- 

 lation to these crops of temperature, 

 light, humidity, and tlie carbon dioxide 

 content of the air. Vegetable garden- 

 ing is not overlooked, as the student 

 may take courses in it and learn the 

 culture of vegetables under glass. 

 Floral decoration also is taught. Plants 

 for conservatory decoration are con- 

 sidered and studied. Cut flowers and 

 decorative jilants are handled. Much 

 laboratory work is given in the arrange- 

 ment of flowers in baskets, designs, 

 l)ouquets, table and home decoration. 

 (Jreat emphasis is jilaced on this phase 

 of floriculture, because of its importance 

 and because so few florists know how to 

 use flowers to the best adv;intagc. In- 

 struction is given in economics, ac- 

 countancy and bookkeepitig. The 

 student may also study business writ- 

 ing and thus aid in fitting himself to 

 take care of the clerical part of his 

 business. For broadening the student, 

 such courses as philosophy, psychology, 

 sociology and foreign languages are of- 

 fered. 



Illinois Graduates. 



Since 1913 twenty-five students have 

 graduated from the T^iiiversity of Il- 

 linois having studied floriculture. To- 

 day twenty-one of these graduates are 

 in some kind of floricultural work and 

 are making good. They all realize that 

 they do not know all there is to know* 

 about floriculture, but they have the 

 training to analyze their difficulties and 

 devise remedies. 



What has the apprentice done during 

 the four years the graduate has spent 

 in college? The apprentice has, per- 

 tia[is. worked in two or three different 

 establishments. He has, thereby; 

 learned the methods of growing a 

 limited variety of plants of two or three 

 ilifferent employers. He has had prac- 

 tical experience and much of it. Ho 

 has come in contact with a few men. 

 Perhaps he has wanted to study flori- 

 culture in the evening after work, but 

 he has then been tired and physically 

 unfit for study, and literature on flori- 

 culture may have been difficult to ob- 

 tain and as difficult to understand. 



