22 



The Florists' Review 



Makch 4, 1915. 



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SEASONABLE mt 

 isr SUGGESTIONS 



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1 



Dahlias. 



Probably some florists have certain 

 varieties of dahlias of which they are 

 anxious to increase their stock as much 

 as possible. In such cases it is an ex- 

 cellent plan to start the tubers now 

 and propagate as many soft-wood cut- 

 tings as possible. I am aware that 

 some dahlia specialists may condemn 

 this plan and would suggest division of 

 the roots as the only safe plan, but ex- 

 perience shows that just as fine plants 

 and flowers may be secured from soft- 

 wood cuttings rooted in 3-inch pots as 

 from divided plants. There is a danger 

 that the shoots may be broken or eaten 

 by cutworms, but a band of cardboard 

 will protect from the worms at planting- 

 out time. It is a fact that some root 

 tubers sold as divisions never start at 

 all, or have their shoots chewed oflf, so 

 I consider one plan as safe as the other 

 and far more plants may be had by the 

 cutting method of propagation than 

 by the divided tuber plan. Those who 

 want dahlias for cutting should try 

 more of the peony-flowered section, in 

 addition to the decoratives, cactus and 

 pompons. 



aiadioli. 



The early planted gladioli have now 

 made considerable headway and we 

 hope to have some to cut about the 

 last of March. There is always a like- 

 lihood, however, of a proportion of 

 these early started gladioli failing to 

 flower, no matter how strongly they 

 are growing. This is probably due to 

 the corms having an insufficient rest. 

 This trouble is not likely to occur with 

 gladioli planted now, which will come 

 in season during May and June and 

 which will be particularly useful at 

 Memorial day. Where any carnations 

 have died out, gladioli can be planted, 

 but it is not a good plan to dot them 

 among the carnations as is often done; 

 one crop only spoils the other. Any 

 vacant bench or bed can be used for 

 gladioli and a night temperature of 45 

 to 50 degrees is suitable. For commer- 

 cial purposes a limited number of sorts 

 only can be grown at a profit. These 

 include America, still the greatest seller 

 of all: Augusta, Mrs. Francis King and 

 the old scarlet Brenchleyensis. Pink 

 Beauty was grown heavily last year, 

 but proved to be a disappointing seller. 



The small-flowered gladioli of the 

 nanus type are most profitably grown 

 in flats.' Peach Blossom and The Bride 

 are the earliest sorts, the first named 

 being the most popular of this type. 

 The earliest batch will soon show 

 spikes and these are much welcomed at 

 the retail stores. Blushing Bride also 

 proves a popular seller. Do not force 

 these gladioli hard; a temperature of 

 50 degrees at night is ample. Move a 

 fresh batch in every eight or ten days, 

 to keep up a succession of flowers. By 

 keeping the flats in a cold pit, a succes- 

 sion of flowers may be had until July 

 without any trouble. 



Pansies, Etc., in Cddframes. 



Although we have had a remarkably 

 warm February, we are more than like- 

 ly to get considerable cold weather yet 

 in many sections before outdoor plant- 

 ing will be possible. It will be safe 

 now, however, to remove the mulch of 

 leaves or other material from pansies, 

 violas, myosotis, daisies and other 

 spring-flowering plants in coldframes. 

 Give the plants a good soaking of wa- 

 ter and air freely on every possible oc- 

 casion. On cold nights it may still be 

 necessary to cover with mats. For 

 early flowering, place a number of 

 plants in a cool greenhouse; a violet 

 house is suitable. Pansies, daisies and 

 forget-me-nots all sell splendidly in 

 small handle baskets and those who 

 can offer these with flowers on them, 

 as soon as the ground has thawed out 

 and planting is possible, will have no 

 trouble in disposing of them. 



Hotbeds. 



In spring, when greenhouse space is 

 at a premium and when we see plants 

 above and below th* benches wherever 

 we make a call, it is a veritable boon 

 to have a good supply of coldframes 

 into which a foot or so of warm 

 manure can be well tramped, thus giv- 

 ing a nice, genial, moist heat which 

 proves ideal for many of our bedding 

 plants. Seeds may be sown in flats in 

 these hotbeds or they may be sown 

 directly in the beds themselves, being 

 later potted off into flats. Quantities 

 of seedlings, once they are started in 

 the greenhouses, can be transferred to 

 hotbeds, where they will make a far 

 stockier growth than in the greenhouse 

 benches, and the places they vacate 

 can be advantageously used for grow- 

 ing on Easter and Memorial day 

 plants. 



There are many bedding plants 

 which, if potted off a little later and 

 partly plunged in these hotbeds, will 

 make a really surprising growth, and 

 the finest geraniums I ever saw are 

 grown in this way. Be sure you have 

 tight, well glazed sashes. Protect with 

 mats and board shutters on cold nights 

 and water with care during dark, sun- 

 less spells of weather. 



Springfield, Mo.— J. W. Stockes, at 

 224 South boulevard, is opening a store 

 at 205 East Walnut street. 



ODEN LETTER^^^ DEADEHB 



DOUBLE CROP WITHOUT RADIUM. 



In reference to the article, "Double 

 Crop With Radium," in The Review of 

 February 18, radium should not be 

 credited with the production of a 

 double crop. Mr. Gysemans' minister-, 

 ing care effected a good union of stock 

 and scion, and this was the prime fac- 

 tor in securing results. A partial union 

 would have sufficed to mature a few 

 tomatoes and had the scion (tomato) 

 died, the one or more potato branches, 

 even if trimmed back, would have 

 yielded a few potatoes. 



Grafts of this nature, with equally 

 successful results, were recorded as 

 early as 1847, and a graft of potato on 

 tomato yielded a harvest of tubers in 

 the axils of the leaves. The success of 

 these reciprocal grafts would seem to 

 indicate the mutual and harmonious 

 exchange and mingling of vital forces 

 for a common purpose. If this is so, 

 then there is nothing mystic in secur- 

 ing a few tomatoes and potatoes from 

 a well knit and vigorous grafted plant. 

 More magical is the rapid conversion of 

 particles of potatoes and haulm into 

 new potatoes, so frequently seen in the 

 potato bin. 



It is also probable that the prolong- 

 ing of growing season of the stock (po- 

 tato) was due to the persistent char- 

 acter of the scion (tomato), particu- 

 larly as the short season of early pota- 

 toes has been induced by high culture, 

 and a protracted growth in this in- 

 stance may be simply a reversal. 



The vitalizing influence of radium on 

 various forms of vegetation has been 



amply demonstrated, and if Mr. Gyse- 

 mans has saved the tomatoes and pota- 

 toes secured in this experiment their 

 offspring may reveal some radium in- 

 fluence, and selection may prove val- 

 uable. Theo. F. Beckert. 



WASTED CIRCULARS. 



I often wish I could have in cash all 

 the money that is wasted on me in cir- 

 culars that do no good either to me or to 

 their senders. I sympathize with the 

 senders, too, for I do some of the same 

 kind of sending. The problem of avoid- 

 ing unprofitable names in a mailing list 

 is one that I guess has worried larger 

 heads than mine. However, I think I 

 have learned what is the best method 

 for me to follow. 



Of course, I have to have a price- 

 list, but, no matter how many of them 

 I mail, I have to do my magazine ad- 

 vertising just the same; therefore, I 

 let the advertisements do most of the 

 work. This I can readily do, as my 

 sale list is simple. Price-lists I send to 

 those answering the advertisements, to 

 those sending orders from the advertise- 

 ments, to customers of the preceding 

 season, and to those whom for personal 

 reasons I wish to remember. Any lists 

 remaining can then be sent to customers 

 of a more distant past, if desired, cov- 

 ering a proportion of the list of old 

 customers every year. I do not be- 

 lieve, however, that a stale list is a 

 profitable field for disposing of price- 

 lists. In some lines likely it is, but 

 I have not found it so in mine. 



B. C. Auten. 



