^Florists' 



REVIEWS 



DAISIES THAT FIT 



FLORISTS' NEEDS 



Selection of the daisy as the official floiver of the American Legion has 

 increased interest in a flower long recognized as exceedingly useful by many 

 florists. Directions for its proper cidture are here given by one who grows 

 daisies twelve months in the year for the Chicago market. 



OR many flower lovers the 

 daisy holds a place pre- 

 eminent as a flower that 

 virtually thrusts its cheer- 

 fulness at the beholder. 

 Many flowers are more 

 beautiful, more grand and 

 even more artistic, but 

 none radiates such cheer- 

 fulness, none lends itself 

 to more artistic application in the 

 various ways that flowers are used. 



The selection of the daisy as the of- 

 ficial flower of the American Legion has 

 placed it in somewhat more prominence 

 than it has enjoyed heretofore. But 

 the daisy will glory in the limelight; it 

 is like the optimist, who persists in 

 spreading his optimism to all who will 

 listen. 



I do not know why the American 

 Legion selected the daisy as the official 

 flower, but I hardly think a more fitting 

 flower could have been 

 selected. It is a flower 

 that can be had at any 

 time of the year. There 

 are many varieties of 

 daisies and many other 

 flowers that can be 

 used as fitting substi- 

 tutes if necessary. The 

 keeping qualities of al- 

 most all daisies are 

 excellent. In the fol- 

 lowing paragraphs, I 

 shall endeavor to give 

 cultural directions for 

 growing greenhouse 

 varieties of daisies for 

 cut flower purposes. 



Iieading Varieties. 



For white, I have 

 grown three varieties: 

 Chicago White, intro- 

 duced by A. E. Hunt, 

 of Evanston, 111., and 

 also his Improved 

 White Daisy; these two 

 white daisies can be 

 had in flower practical- 

 ly the year around. 

 Mrs. Sander I have 

 grown to bring into 

 heavy crop for Moth- 

 ers' day and Memorial 

 day. 



Daisies of the first 

 two varieties, planted 

 in December or Janu- 

 ary, 14x16 inches, will 

 make a good crop of 

 flowers by the end of 

 April or the first part 

 of May and will con- 

 tinue blooming freely 



By R. J. WINDLER. 



thereafter. When the real hot weather 

 sets in, the flowers become small, but 

 great numbers can be picked for trim- 

 ming in funeral work; or, where a small 

 flower can be used, they come in handy 

 for the florist who retails his own prod- 

 uct. They would not be worth shipping 

 to wholesale markets at that time of 

 the year. 



Summer Rest. 



About the middle of July we stop 

 watering, but keep them well syringed. 

 For five or six weeks they get no water 

 except what will drop down from 

 syringing. After this period of rest, we 

 water regularly again, and the plants 

 break out anew. The flowers gradually 

 get larger and the stems longer. We 

 carry these plants through the winter, 

 cutting flowers right along, and after a 



The Cheer of Daisies Appeals to Many Florists' Customers. 



heavy spring crop throw them out and 

 plant young stock. 



In growing Mrs. Sander for Mothers' 

 day and Memorial day, we plant in De- 

 cember or January, 14x16 inches. About 

 April 1 the benches are full of vigorous 

 shoots, but they are rather brittle or 

 soft; &o we keep water off the roots for 

 fifteen or twenty days, only spraying 

 lightly over the foliage occasionally. 

 The plants will wither every bright day, 

 but this tends to harden them and set 

 the bud. After the first heavy watering 

 thereafter, the buds jump, and should 

 be had by Mothers' day, running from 

 then to Memorial day. 



The Boston Yellow daisy I grow the 

 same as Chicago White and Hunt's Im- 

 proved White. 



The blue daisy, a dainty little flower, 

 gTows quite differently from the white 

 and yellow varieties. Whereas the white 

 and yellow grow to a height of three, 

 four or five feet, the 

 blue daisy will not 

 grow over eighteen 

 inches in height. We 

 take cuttings early in 

 spring and have them 

 established in 3-inch 

 pots by the first part 

 of July, when we plant 

 them in the bench, 

 ten inches apart in the 

 row and in rows twelve 

 inches apart. These 

 plants come into bloom 

 about November 1 and 

 continue until July 1. 

 When we cut the 

 flower, we cut the stem 

 away down and make 

 the plants break from 

 the bottom. 



Propagating. 



The white and yellow 

 varieties are prone to 

 sport, and great care 

 must be taken to select 

 euttings only from 

 plants that are vigor- 

 ous and throw a large 

 number of flowers. 

 With medium sharp 

 sand and a little bot- 

 tom heat, one can root 

 practically 100 per 

 cent. To root in the 

 summer, we make a 

 frame, place in it 

 about four inches of 

 hot manure, two inches 

 of sifted ashes and 

 three inches of sand, 

 cover with sashes and 

 ^hade the glass. 



