16 



The Rorists' Review 



Janoabt 21, 1916. 



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I SEASONABLE ^ 



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 ^ ^ SUGGESTIONS \ 





Bambler Boses. 



While it is a trifle early to start 

 rambler roses for Easter, it is well to 

 ^et the plants pruned, tied down and 

 ^ ready. Where a temperature of 60 de- 

 ^ees at night is not available, it is as 

 well to start the plants at once. A 

 temperature of 45 degrees at night is 

 ample until they break. After that a 

 ^adual rise of 10 to 15 degrees can 

 be given. Spray the canes freely, to 

 encourage strong breaks. In dark, cold 

 weather, however, use caution in oyer- 

 head spraying. The Baby Eambler 

 type can easily be had in flower some 

 time before Easter by starting now. 

 Such varieties as Baby Tausendschon, 

 Erna Teschendorflf, Mrs. Cutbush and 

 White Baby are all good. Of the true 

 ramblers, Dorothy Perkins, Lady Gay, 

 American Pillar, Crimson Eambler, 

 which is less in favor now since the ad- 

 vent of so many fine pink sorts, and 

 Tausendschon, are all first-class. The 

 last named is probably the most popu- 

 lar of all and can be flowered in a lit- 

 tle less time than the others named. 



Amaryllis. 



Amaryllis plants which have been 

 resting since early in October will now 

 have dropped most of their foliage and 

 will in many cases be showing flower 

 spikes. Such plants should have the 

 drainage examined. If the soil is poor 

 a repotting can be given, but usually 

 if the surface soil is removed and a 

 good top-dressing is given they will 

 «'arry through another season, provided, 

 of course, that they receive some liquid 

 stimulants through the growing season. 

 Do not worry if the plants do not lose 

 all their leaves. I do not approve of 

 severe drying oflf for amaryllis and 

 would just as soon see some green 

 foliage at starting time. Seedlings 

 which have not yet flowered should be 

 kept growing continuously until they 

 flower. Give amaryllis which are be- 

 ing started a temperature of 55 degrees 

 at night. 



Buddleia Asiatica. 



From the number of inquiries received 

 through The Review, quite a few grow- 

 ers appear to be interested in the new 

 Chinese plant, Buddleia Asiatica. 

 That it will become popular is certain, 

 for critical buyers are charmed with it. 

 Anyone having any stock plants should 

 cut them back somewhat when they are 

 through flowering. A crop of succu- 

 lent cuttings will soon appear. These 

 will root in three weeks in a warm 

 cutting bench. Pot these off and give 

 them a warm house until they are es- 

 tablished; later a temperature of 50 

 degrees at night will suffice. They can 

 be moved into coldframes in April. 

 Keep potted along and flower in 8-inch 

 pots or pans. Plunge the pots to the 

 brim in an old hotbed, keep well wa- 

 tered and fed, pinch the shoots until. 

 'August find y'ou will have fine, bushy 

 plants for Christmas trade. The 

 plants must be housed early in October 



and given a temperature of 50 to 55 

 degrees at night to be in full bloom 

 for the holidays. Cuttings taken from 

 young stock can be rooted up until the 

 end of May and these will make useful 

 stock in 5-inch or 6-inch pots, which 

 will flower freely. -^ 



While this plant has been given the 

 name of winter lilac, this is a good 

 deal of a misnomer. The flowers in 

 no way resemble lilacs, but are more 

 suggestive of the racemes of the 

 veronicas or lysimachias. The delight- 

 ful perfume is distinct from that of 

 the lilac and there is no resemblance 

 in the two plants. 



Purchase Seeds Now. 



A number of seed catalogues are 

 new to hand. Owing to the war, nor- 

 mal supplies of some varieties are un- 

 likely and florists should place their 

 orders early to avoid disappointment. 

 Dealers^ appreciate these early orders; 

 they help to lessen the strain when 

 the really strenuous seed season ar- 



rives. Each> florist knows, or should 

 know, what seeds he will need. There- 

 fore, get your order in as soon as possi- 

 ble. Do not buy cheap seeds, cheap 

 mixtures or any colors which are not 

 salable; the best seeds are always the 

 cheapest in the end. 



Seed Sowing. 



Some seeds require early sowing, and 

 during midwinter the germination of 

 many small seeds is much better than 

 it is later in the season. Where strong 

 plants of Primula Sinensis or P. ob- 

 conica are wanted for next Christmas, 

 sow the seeds now. Use scarlet or 

 other bright colors; whites are not 

 wanted at that time, but will sell later 

 in the season. Gloxinias, tuberous- 

 rooted begonias, fibrous-rooted be- 

 gonias, grevilleas, Aralia Sieboldii, pe- 

 tunias, verbenas, shamrocks, Vinea 

 rosea, snapdragons for spring planting, 

 stocks for bench culture. Aster Queen 

 of the Earlies, Dracaena indivisa and 

 lobelias can all be sown now. If the 

 soil in which they are to be sown is 

 first sterilized to kill vermin, fungoid 

 growths and weed seeds, it will be a 

 great advantage. Soil for the seeds 

 should be three-fourths leaf-mold and 

 one-fourth loam, with sand added to 

 make it porous. Make the surfaces of 

 the pots, pans or flats smooth, and 

 water with a fine rose before sowing 

 fine seeds, later scattering a little fine 

 sand over them. 



SHRAPiNrEr 



Coggeshall, England.— E. W. King & 

 Co., well known all the international 

 seed trade, have fourteen of their staff 

 in the army in France and sent each 

 man a Christmas hamper. 



Oostdunkerke, Belgium. — The green- 

 houses of E. Draps-Boudry, one of the 

 principal Belgian growers of American 

 varieties of carnations, were destroyed 

 by shrapnel shells December 14. Mr. 

 Boudry is a refugee in England. 



Versailles, France. — Mme. Jean 

 Moser, wife of the head of the nursery 

 firm of Moser et Fils, died December 

 14, at the age of 62, at her home here. 

 Her two sons, Rene and Marcel, were 

 both at the front with the French army 

 at the time. 



Paris, France. — Practically all the 

 horticultural press in France suspended 

 publication when the war broke out, 

 but L'Horticole, the organ of the 

 French nursery trade, has again ap- 

 peared, reduced in size, but carrying 

 details of the business and transporta- 

 tion situation as they stood on the day 

 of issue. 



Boskoop, Holland. — Just before sail- 

 ing for America, January 6, Harry 

 Koolbergen said: "As regards the war 

 situation in Belgium I can not say much, 

 as I have not been able to pass the 

 borders since the war broke out. Some 

 establishments are reported unharmed, 

 while others, and this includes those of 

 German proprietors, are said to have 

 been ruined." 



London, England. — An observer says: 

 "Of course there is a serious falling 

 off in trade to be faced by all of us, 

 but the position has improved week 

 by week for the last month or two, 

 until we are pleased to hear from some 

 of the leading growers that prices for 

 carnations and other flowers were 

 nearly normal last week (Christmas). 

 Though we cannot hear that any of 

 our friends are making money just 

 now, it is a great thing to be able to 

 say that, with the inevitable disloca- 

 tion of a gigantic war, we are still able 

 to carry on, with the prospect of bet- 

 ter times ahead." 



Aalsmeer, Holland. — This is a famous 

 lilac forcing center, with several large 

 exporters who find some of their mar- 

 kets cut off this war year. It is re- 

 ported D. J. Tas & Sons, J. Keessens & 

 Son, D. & J. Keessens and Harmsen & 

 Keesen have commissioned M. E. C. 

 Alberden to make a trip to America 

 for the purpose of reconnoitering the 

 markets there and entering into busi- 

 ness relations. Mr. Alberden took a. 

 first consignment of forced lilac with 

 hjm when he left Aalsmeer, and dur- 

 ing the time he will stay in the United 

 States further lots of forced flowers 

 will be sent him. It is stated that it is 

 quite possible to deliver cut flowers 

 from Aalsmeer to the American mar- 

 kets. The Holland-America Line must 

 have sanguine expectations respecting 

 the export of cut flowers to America, 

 as the. company offered Mr. Alberden a 

 free HVst-class voyage. 



