Mat 27. 1916. 



The Florists^ Review 



17 



I.AX SELECTION OF CUTTZNGS. 



Will you please examine the carna- 

 tion plants sent with this letter and 

 tell me what is the matter? Do you 

 think it will be safe for us to bench 

 this stock! J. E. M. — Mo. 



While the plants submitted are not 

 of the best, with a favorable season 

 they will likely make fair stock for 

 benching. There is quite a good deal 

 of bacteria and they seem rather hard, 

 as though they had stood in small pots 

 too long. Next season, try selecting 

 the cuttings with a little more care. 



A. F. J. B. 



A SALT SPBAYEB FOB SPIDEB. 



In a recent number of your paper 

 a gentleman mentioned a salt water 

 mixer for spraying red spider, the 

 sprayer to be fastened directly to a 

 hose. We have inquired in Philadel- 

 phia at the large supply houses, but 

 they do not carry it and we shall great- 

 ly appreciate the favor if you can give 

 us the address of the firm manufactur- 

 ing it. W. H.— Pa. 



The salt sprayer referred to by me 

 in a recent number of The Review is 

 manufactured by the John A. Evans 

 Co., Richmond, Ind. As far as I know, 

 it is not handled by any of the supply 

 houses at present, but you can get it 

 by ordering from the manufacturers. 



A. F. J. B. 



CABNATION WASHINGTON. 



In The Review for May 20 it was 

 stated that Carnation Washington orig- 

 inated in Joliet and was disseminated 

 by the Chicago Carnation Co. It is 

 true that the above named concern 

 disseminated the variety, but it origi- 

 nated with Henry Eichholz, of Waynes- 

 boro, Pa., who turned the stock over 

 to the Chicago Carnation Co., Joliet, 

 111., for distribution. The rest of the 

 article is quite correct. A. F. J. B. 



STIGMONOSE OB BACTEBIOSIS. 



I am sending you under separate 

 cover some sprays of carnations. They 

 were doing exceptionally well until 

 three weeks ago, when we had a spell 

 of extremely warm weather. The ther- 

 mometer outside registered 85 to 95 

 degrees, but the house was shaded on 

 the west side and we gave plenty of 

 ventilation. The tips of the plants are 

 turning yellow. They are full of buds, 

 but these blast when about half open. 

 Can you tell us of something which will 

 remedy this trouble! C. K. — N. Y. 



The specimens submitted are aflfected 

 by what is known as stigmonose or bac- 

 teriosis. This subject has been treated 

 repeatedly in these columns during the 

 last season. There is at present no 

 known remedy that will cure a plant 

 which is badly affected. The next year 



will likely reveal a better knowledge 

 of this disease, as some of the experi- 

 ment stations are working on it along 

 different lines than have been followed 

 heretofore. I would suggest that you 

 give your plants a liberal supply of 

 iood, as I think the disease is brought 

 on partly through insufficient or im- 

 proper nutrition. The blasting of the 

 buds is caused by the same disease. 



A. F. J. B. 



CAMELLIA BUDS DBOPPING. 



I planted a Camellia Japonica on 

 my lawn seven years ago. It bloomed 

 well from the time of planting until 

 three years later, when it was found 

 necessary to transplant it. Since then 

 it has made a fine growth and has been 

 covered with buds every winter, but 

 in the spring the buds all drop off; not 

 one has opened. Any information as 

 to the cause of this and the treatment 

 will be appreciated. 



M. S. M.— Wash. 



The most probable cause of the drop- 

 ping of the buds is an insufficiency of 

 moisture at the roots during the win- 

 ter. If this, owing to an abundant 

 rainfall, cannot be the reason, it is 

 possible that the soil is too rich. Avoid 

 leeding with nitrogenous manures for 

 a season, in order to moderate the 

 growth, and this may cause an im- 

 provement. C. W. 



TBEATMENT OF COLD GBAPEBY. 



I have a cold grapery on which I 

 would like a few pointers. Is it best 

 to leave ventilation on all night as a 



preventive of mildew! In thinning the 

 branches is it harmful to handle them, 

 providing they are sprayed immediately 

 afterward! Is it better to mix- the 

 pollen by shaking the vine or by spray- 

 ing with the hose! When should wa- 

 tering be done! At what joint from 

 the bunch should the growth be 

 stopped! J. T. C— Del. 



It would certainly be advisable to 

 leave a little ventilation on all night 

 as a preventive of mildew. In thinning 

 the bunches do not touch the berries 

 with your hands or head, or many of 

 them will show rusty marks as they 

 develop. When thinning, hold up the 

 shoulders of the bunches with a small 

 forked stick. Spraying the berries can 

 be continued until the color shows; it 

 helps to keep mealy bug in check. 

 After the coloring has started, the bug 

 can be killed by being touched with a 

 small brush dipped in denatured alcohol. 



Pollenizing can be done by shaking 

 the vines about noon each day. Should 

 the weather he dull, it is a good plan 

 to use a rabbit's tail or bunch of cot- 

 ton-wool tied on a stick, and gently 

 brush the bunches. If you grow 

 Muscats you will find them harder to 

 set than Black Hambro, but if you 

 slightly moisten your hands, draw them 

 over the Hambro bunches and then go 

 over the Muscats you will have no 

 trouble in setting. Keep the tempera- 

 ture higher and drier while the vines 

 are in flower. 



Morning is the best time to water the 

 borders, but damping down or syringing 

 overhead can be done in the afternoon. 

 Close the house tightly after syringing; 

 ventilate again toward evening. Stop 

 at the second leaf beyond the bunch. 

 C. W. 



Anaconda, Mont. — R. M. Greig is on 

 a trip to California, combining business 

 and pleasure, leaving his up-to-date 

 range of 10,000 feet of glass in charge 

 of Charles Blank. Business is excel- 

 lent here, although it is customary to 

 have frost every month in the year. 



TIME TO WATEB GERANIUMS. 



Will you please tell us what is the 

 right time of the day to water gera- 

 niums! S. Q. — Mich. 



There can be no stated time for 

 watering geraniums or, for that mat- 

 ter, any other plants at this season. 

 A morning watering will suffice on 

 some days. On other days another 

 watering in the afternoon or evening 

 may be necessary, while on dull, dark 

 days none may be needed. In winter, 

 morning is the best time to water, as 

 the foliage can then become dry before 

 night, but with the coming of spring 

 any hour of the day will do. Water 

 the plants in pots when they need it. 

 Never mind whether it be morning, 



noon or evening. For plants outdoors, 

 the evening is the ideal watering time 

 during the hot months. C. W. 



TEOUBLE WITH GEBANIUM. 



. We enclose a sample of a geranium 

 bud and stem, variety Fleur Blanc. 

 What causes the break near the budf 

 None of the others crack so. 



J. J. G. & S.— Ohio. 



The break is due either to some in- 

 herent weakness in the plant, which 

 may carry a heavy truss on a some- 

 what thin stem; or it may be due to 

 the particular variety having too much 

 nitrogenous food, which will sometimes 

 cause the stem to crack just below the 

 flower truss. C. W. 



