20 



The Florists^ Review 



Mabch 17. 1921. 



Exhibitioa Specimen from Thomas Roland's, Showing the Erica's Possibilities. 



varieties, witli its bergamot porcelain 

 colored bolls, of tlic sluqn' o.' Iny or tlif 

 valley. Tlii.s variety wants from 50 to 

 65 degrees of heat from March 1 until 

 it is ready for Piaster blooming. 



There i.s still another varii'iy, which, 

 if handled properly, beats all others in 

 gracefulness. Its nice, red l)ells are 

 one and one half to two in(dies long. 

 This is Erica translucens. 



The remaining varieties include sev- 

 eral of the older ones which we no longer 

 grow, for various reasons; ii;iinely, Kri -.'i 

 gracilis, E. gracilis autumnalis, E. Vii- 

 morcana, E. hyemalis and others. 



GLOXINIAS FROM SEED. 



Kindly let me know when is the right 

 time to sow gloxinia see I. Also describe 

 the best method of growing tlie jilants 

 and state the a])proxiniate length of 

 time from seed-sowing till flowering. 



K. P. & T. F.— Pa. 



The usual time for sowing tlie seed 

 is early in February. If the sowing is 

 done then and if no check in growth is 

 permitted throughout the season, the 

 plants should l)egin to flower not later 

 than the middle of August. A few 

 blooms may be produced ev<Mi in July. 

 One of the essentials to success in the 



culture of gloxinias is to keep them in 

 steady, active growth. 



Kow the seed in pans or shallow boxes, 

 using a finely sifted compost which con- 

 tains a good proportion of leaf-mold and 

 sand, with some peat, also, if it is readily 

 obtainable. A highly recommended coni- 

 ]>ost consists of equal parts of peat, leaf- 

 mold and sand. Moisten the soil thor- 

 oughly before sowing. As the seeds are 

 extremely small, little or no soil shoulil 

 be scattered over them. (!)over the pans 

 with glass and shade them from direct 

 sunlight. In a sufliciently warm tem- 

 jierature, about 60 degrees at night, the 

 seedlings will begin to appear in about 

 ten days. 



As soon ;is the seedlings ar(> large 

 enough to be handled conveniently, 

 transfer them singly to thumb jiots and 

 rei)ot promptly as soon as the soil is 

 well filled with roots. If grown along 

 with the desirecl rapidity, in light but 

 well enriched soil, the plants should be 

 re.'idy for the final potting by the end 

 of May. The ideal compost for this 

 jiotting, it is said, would consist of two 

 parts black loam, one part peat, and the 

 remainder of leaf-mold, sand and. 

 crushed charcoal, but that formula may 

 be modified, of course, to suit circum- 

 stances. In potting, be careful not to 

 injure the foliage, as it is easily bruised. 



A humid atmosphere, with protection 

 from bright sunshine and from drafts, 

 is among the requisites. Yet the fo- 

 liage should not be moistened unneces- 

 sarily, or it may damp off. Throughout 

 the season, therefore, great care is neces- 

 sary in watering. Frequent syringing 

 may be needed in hot weather, to insure 

 freedom from thrips and red spider, but 

 the spray should be directed under the 

 foliage rather than over it. 



During the blooming period a drier 

 atmosphere is required, to prevent damp- 

 ing of the flowers. If the flowers are 

 cut as soon as they develop, or are re- 

 moved as soon as they pass their prime, 

 the plants will continue to bloom until 

 late in the fall. Then the leaves will 

 begin to mature and water should be 

 gradually withhold until this ripening 

 process is completed, when the corrns 

 should be stored away for the winter in 

 a temperature of about 45 degrees and 

 should be kept just moist enough to pre- 

 vent shriveling. About the middle of 

 February the corms will show signs of 

 growth and batches of them may then 

 be started as desired. 



ADVERTISING AND ACTION. 



It is small wonder that retailers in 

 New York city are putting two and 

 two together and suggesting that the 

 general improvement in market condi- 

 tions at that city, which came last week, 

 was the result of the activities of the 

 Allied Florists' Trade Association of 

 New York, if such publicity as that 

 which appeared in the New York Eve- 

 ning Post, March 8, is a sample of the 

 general work of the new organization. 



A general announcement was made 

 by the Allied Florists' Trade Associa- 

 tion that prices of flowers had, in most 

 cases, returned to prewar levels and 

 that the public was invited to buy. 

 Combining with this an interview with 

 Harold G. I'erry, general manager of 

 Dards, the publicity workers obtained 

 the publication of three-quarters of a 

 column of the best kind of advertising 

 possible. The new prices are quoted in 

 detail and explanation offered for re- 

 calcitrants in the general downward 

 movement, such as American Beauties. 



"Flowers are down," it commences. 

 ' ' You can buy them again. Now, with 

 the coming of the spring, the sho^s are 

 places to which one may go again for 

 joy and come out with something other 

 than bafflement in his buttonhole or in 

 her belt or in a long and lovely twisted 

 package. Flowers are down, and 

 Easter will be some fun again this year,. 

 . . . and no one is gladder about it 

 than the men who sell. Nothing is 

 harder to do without than flowers, 

 when you long for them and spring 

 has come." 



Such publicity in an important daily 

 paper, coupled with the immediate and 

 im])ortant effect upon the New York 

 market, is surely a feather in the cap 

 of the newly formed Allied Florists' 

 Trade Association of New York and 

 bodes well for its achievement in the- 

 great eastern market. 



Saginaw, Mich. — Gustav A. Granse,. 

 former manager of the east side store of 

 the Roethke Floral Co., has purchased 

 the establishment of J. B. Goetz Sons, 

 at Michigan avenue and Adams street. 

 Henry B. Goetz and his brother, Fred J. 

 Goetz, will devote their entire time to 

 their greenhouses, at 2165 Mackinaw- 

 street. 



