T«a.v 24, 191 3- 



The Florists^ Review 



18 



NABCISSI IN TENNESSEE. 



Some Tests and Their Bestilts. 



For Home years we have been experi- 

 menting with different members of the 

 narcissus family. We have tested a 

 large number of the more standard va- 

 rieties and last year we tested about 

 100 of the newer varieties, many of 

 which are just beginning to be offered 

 by tho more progressive growers abroad. 

 . In these tests a few facts were well 

 impressed on our minds, and some of 

 them were not exactly pleasant. The 

 first thing to mention is the utter unre- 

 liability of most of the growers on 

 "the other side" in the matter of sup- 

 plying varieties true to name. They 

 seem to feel that they are for sale any- 

 way and that Americans will never 

 know whether they get the true or a 

 false variety. But by persistent effort 

 and by purchasing the same variety 

 from several sources, we have been able 

 to become acquainted with most of the 

 varieties we have ordered and can tell 

 them readily. Most of these, we bp- 

 lieve, can be grown in this couutry as 

 well as in the old world, if not better. 

 All varieties are not hardy in the ex- 

 treme north, but an almost endless array 

 of them are hardy, and the best part 

 of the matter is that the cheaper varie- 

 ties are usually fully as good as the 

 newer and higher priced sorts. It is our 

 purpose to mention merely a few that 

 we believe the trade should become bet- 

 ter acquainted with, as they are a real 

 improvement over some of the older 

 variotios. 



Phoenix and Poeticus. 



Sulphur and Orange Phoenix are not 

 so well known as they should be. They 

 lorce as well as Von Sion and. we find 

 fnat they sell better. Outdoors they 

 are the most satisfactory of the entire 

 family, except poeticus, seldom giving 

 'ess than 18-inch stems and increasing 

 fapidiy. Apricot Phoenix is a new one; 

 '\ '** ;• sort of semi-double, with a dis- 

 "nct appearance that commands atten- 

 "on at once. We do not think it will 

 ^ver 1,,; BO popular as either of the other 



"^Piiixes, but as soon as the price is 

 ^'Rl't all will find it a seller. We have 

 not found any other doubles, of which 

 fn^'t^^^^ to be a number of candidates 

 f ^=tvor, that have distinct enough 



eatiues to make them worthy of a 

 ' "J^'- with any but the collector. 

 tie ")' *^^*'^ °^ *^** °®^ poeticus varie- 

 lia^ r^'^ ^^^° * disappointment, as we 

 Kd V i""^ only one of real value, King 

 in ^ -l ^^* it is a real. improvement 

 afto fi, *^® *"*^ length of stem, and 

 •"on u- ^^® seasons of test under trying 

 ami ' °^ it remains without disease 

 sor; ^ ^ ^°'^® bloomer. Like some other 

 ' ' *t ^oes not always reach us true 



The New Whites. 



Emperor is easily distanced in every 

 way by Glory of Leiden. Empress is 

 still the best bicolor of the large trum- 

 pets lor outdoor work. The William 

 Goldring, however, has a better color 

 and is fully as large, with shorter stems. 

 We have tried out about fifty of the 

 new whites, but are not ready to say 

 that any of them are a real success. 

 Mme. De Graaff would be fine were it 

 white, but it is not. Cernuus pulcher is 

 a more refined flower than De Graaff 

 and a little nearer white. Tortuosus is 

 a true white and a good one, but too 

 small. Serratus is a fine white, as large 

 as Golden Spur. It is a close second to 

 Snowflake, which we consider the best 

 white we have ever seen. Its weak- 



Tlie Kdltor 1« pleased 

 'When a Reader 

 presents lils ideas 

 on any subject treated In 



tvP^ 



As experience is the best 

 teacher, so do 'we 

 learn fastest by an 

 excbanee of experiences. 

 Many valtiable points 

 arebrouBht out 

 by discussion. 



Qood penmanship, apellintr and 

 grammar, thougb desirable, are not 

 necessary. Write as you would talk 

 when doinK your best. 



WK SHAIX BE GLAD 

 TO HKAR FROM TOU 



nesses are its shortness of stem and its 

 resemblance to albicans in shape. 



In Sir Watkin florists have a variety 

 that is a winner in every way and in 

 this country it has not proved of weak 

 constitution, as is sometimes reported 

 from abroad. Outdoors among the 

 grass, with no care for three years, it 

 averaged over four inches in diameter, 

 on longer stems than Emperor. Of 

 course, it is of a different type, but it 

 is a seller. 



Barrii and Foetaz Varieties. 



The Barrii family is a good one for 

 florists, as the members of this family 

 are hardy anywhere and will stand as 

 much neglect as the poeticus. B. con- 

 spicuus and B. Falstaff are the two best 

 known. They are about alike, so one 



does not need both. They are striking, 

 with the two shades of yellow in the 

 short trumpet. Torchlight is a great 

 improvement, as the two colors are 

 much more striking and the band really 

 approaches red. Siddington would be 

 better still, were it not for its short 

 stems. Vivid is a misnomer, as it is not 

 vivid at all. Grand Duchess is a dis- 

 tinct variety, with a white trumpet 

 about an inch long, and the perianth is 

 a distinct star; it is a good variety. 



But the Poetaz varieties are the real 

 acquisitions in the narcissus family. 

 They are grand for cutting, blooming 

 as many as a dozen in a cluster, and the 

 stems are often two feet long. The 

 flower is as large as poeticus. They 

 seem absolutely hardy, and the cheapeV 

 varieties are far the best. We have 

 only eight varieties that we have tested. 

 Thus far we like Irene and Elvira the 

 best of the family, and believe they are 

 the ones that are worth growing for cut 

 flowers. 



The True Jonquils. 



Among the true jonquils there is just 

 one that is of real value, and of it we 

 sold more last season than of any other 

 narcissus, and will likely do so again 

 this season. This is the true Camper- 

 nelle rugulosus. It is a fine forcer and 

 equally good in the open ground, where 

 it takes care of itself. The flowers are 

 pure gold and as large as a silver dollar, 

 in clusters of five to fifteen. The fra- 

 grance is the most attractive feature, 

 though it would be a winner if it were 

 odorless. 



We are partial to the Leedsii type for 

 outdoor cutting. The stems are extra 

 long on most varieties and they are 

 good sellers. We have not tested them 

 in the extreme north, but they should 

 be as hardy as the poeticus. We know 

 none in this family that are not good, 

 though two or three varieties are all 

 that a grower needs, as they are nearly 

 alike. Amabilis, Duchess of Brabant, 

 Minnie Hume and Mrs. Langtry are as 

 good as any, at reasonable prices. 



Aside from Sir Watkin. we do not 

 think there are any of the incomparab- 

 ilis type that are for florists' use, except 

 Lucifer, which is too high priced as yet. 

 and Stella. The latter is a good seller 

 where a cheap flower that has grace is 

 desired. 



None of the bulbocodiums are of 

 value to the florist, though they are 

 sweet flowers when well grown. They 

 are too small and they lack stems. 



Floyd Bralliar. 



Beaver Dam, Wis.— A. G. Boomer, 

 who bought the business of Jos. Wag- 

 ner about a year ago, is erecting three 

 large greenhouses on Park avenue. For 

 downtown display rooms and store, he 

 has rented- the quarters at 104 North 

 Spring street, which he is furnishing' 

 with a full equipment of up-to date 

 I fixtures. 



