September 15, 1021 



The Florists* Review 



23 



This time the house was 23x60 feet in 

 size. About two years later, F. P. Mer- 

 rill, a well-known silk man of the coun- 

 try, became interested in the growing 

 business and he offered Mr. James un- 

 limited assistance. It was accepted on 

 a purely business basis, with the result 

 that the range was enlarged in 1916. 

 When this addition was completed, 

 there was a range of about 10,000 feet 

 of glass. He also started in to do a re- 

 tail business at that time. In July, 

 1919, he opened a store in the business 

 section of Hornell. In April, 1920, he 

 purchased a range of 20,000 feet of glass 

 at Wellsville, N. Y., which is now prov- 

 ing an extremely useful addition, espe- 

 cially in the growing of roses and car- 

 nations. 



The small greenhouse, 9x12 feet in 

 size, has grown, in the relatively short 

 time of nine years, to a retail store at 

 Hornell, and the two ranges, having a 

 combined glass area of over 30,000 feet. 

 In keeping these various activities go- 

 ing, Mr. James is ably assisted by his 

 two sons. Mr. James feels happy and 

 fully repaid for having shifted his plan 

 of living at the age when most men 

 think they are too old to do any chang- 

 ing, and he is duly thankful that he 

 moved from the dyeing business into 

 the florists' business. And the florists 

 who are his stanch friends are glad 

 too. ' 



TO WINTER COLEUS. 



I have enough Trailing Queen coleus 

 to make 50,000 cuttings next spring if 

 they will do well, but I have been told 

 that they will not keep through the win- 

 ter. Under proper conditions will they 

 keep and grow all winter, so that I can 

 root the cuttings for spring trade? I 

 notice a white, soft growth appearing 

 on some of my plants at the joints 

 where the leaves are. "What can I do 

 to remedy this? N. D. Y. — S. C. 



To winter coleus successfully, give the 

 plants in winter a minimum tempera- 

 ture of 55 to 60 degrees and you will 

 have no trouble, i^ou may be able to 

 carry them over at 45 to 50 degrees, but 

 you will probably lose much foliage un- 

 less the plants are watered with care. 

 The material at the joints is, doubtless, 

 a pest, which is partial to coleus, called 



C. G. James. 



mealy bug. The force of cold water 

 driven through a fine spray nozzle will 

 effectually dislodge it and is the best 

 remedy. Lay the plants on their sides 

 and you will be able to spray them more 

 thoroughly. C. W. 



STERILIZE YOUR SOIL. 



Under separate cover I have sent you 

 a sample of my cucumber vines. Twen- 

 ty-four hours after they seem to be in 

 good shape, they will have wilted and 

 died. And my lettuce seems to be 

 similarly affected. Would sterilizing 

 the soil help any? F. J. G.— Wis. 



amination of the sample of cucumber 

 sent, as it was so completely dried up. 

 The trouble is not at all unusual and, 

 if old soil has been used without steril- 

 ization, such conditions are nearly cer- 

 tain to occur. There is nothing you can 

 do now to save your present crops, but 

 steam sterilization will assuredly pre- 

 vent such trouble in the future. The 

 most successful growers of these two 

 important greenhouse vegetable crops 

 would be forced out of business if they 

 would not sterilize. By all means ster- 

 ilize soil for all vegetable crops. 



C. W. 



Little could be gained from an ex- 



QROWING HYDRANGEAS. 



Will you kindly advise me what is 

 the best method of propagating Hydran- 

 gea arborescens grandiflora and H. 

 panicul.ata grandiflora in New York 

 state? What is the best season for 

 doing it? B. S.— N. Y. 



Range of C. G. James & Son at W^ellsvillet N. Y. 



Both Hydrangea arborescens grandi- 

 flora and H. paniculata grandiflora 

 jiropagate well in summer from soft- 

 wood cuttings, which can be carried in 

 flats or coldframes all winter, or 

 ripened wood can be utilized, which 

 should be cut off in early winter after 

 the foliage has dropped. Cut it in 

 lengths containing not less than three 

 eyes each, tic it in bundles and pack it 

 in damp earth in a cold cellar over 

 winter. In spring line these out in 

 nursery rows, covering two-thirds the 

 length of the cuttings firmly. As hy-. 

 (Irangcas make considerable growth in a 

 season, it is well to allow not less 

 than fifteen inches between the cut- 

 tings. By taking summer cuttings, you 

 can get large, salable plants the fall 

 of the following season if the plants 

 ;ire kept well cultivated. C. W. 



