'rW.i.'T- 



JUNE 17, 1815. 



The Florists' Review 



13 



as willows. The only fertilizer used 

 was a top-dressing of night soil before 

 planting. In the center is Alma Ward. 

 On the right is Mrs. Ward. In the 

 distance on the right is Alma Ward 

 again. ' ' 



Mr. Murdoch adds: "The lady in the 

 picture is Miss Mary A. J. Fraser, a 

 popular young lady of our staff." 



GABDENIAS FOB WINTER BLOOM. 



Will you plea^ tell me how to treat 

 gardenias through the summer so that 

 they will flower well in the winter! I 

 had plenty of flowers during Septem- 

 ber, October and November, but after 

 that the buds had a yellowish tinge and 

 dropped off. I also noticed some brown 

 spots on some of the leaves. They are 

 planted in a bench and get normal 

 treatment. I raised some and potted 

 them, but got no better results. Should 

 they be shaded through the summer, 

 and would it be all right to put them 

 outside; that is, the ones in pots? The 

 temperature fell to 60 degrees on two 

 or three nights through the winter. 

 Should they get plenty of water now? 



J. M.— N. Y. 



Gardenias are most successfully 

 grown in raised benches, in four to four 

 and one-half inches of soil. They need 

 perfect drainage and the soil should be 

 somewhat rough, so that the water will 

 pass through it readily. Fibrous loam, 

 cow manure and some coarse sand make 

 a good medium. Some Scotch soot may 

 also be added with advantage. Some 

 growers use partly decayed leaves with 

 their soil, but I do not consider these 

 of any benefit. It is a fact that one 

 or two successful commercial growers 

 use solid beds only and get a fine crop 

 through the dead of winter. 



Pot plants will be all right outside 

 from June 10 to September 10 with 

 you. For benched plants a temperature 

 as low as 60 degrees will do no harm 

 if other conditions are right. The prin- 

 cipal causes of failure in gardenia cul- 

 ture are: Improper soil, which holds 

 water too long and becomes sour, not 

 allowing the benches to dry out suf- 

 ficiently between waterings; keeping 

 the atmosphere too hot and stuffy, and 

 erratic or careless ventilation. Gar- 

 denias like a warm and fairly moist at- 

 mosphere, but do not want coddling. 

 There are few days in the year when 

 they need be without ventilation. They 

 enjoy having their roots warm; if you 

 have any hot water pipes below the 

 benches, all the better. A winter mini- 

 mum of 65 degrees, except on severe 

 nights, is suitable. Allow it to drop 

 5 degrees on zero nights. Anything ap- 

 proaching sogginess at the roots late 

 in summer or early in the fall will 

 cause the leaves to turn yellow and 

 buds to drop. Maintain a nice, buoyant 

 atmosphere and water with great care 

 and moderation and your plants should 

 flower well through midwinter. If your 

 soil is heavy, I would add some partly 

 rotted leaves, broken charcoal and a 

 fair amount of coarse sand to it. 



C. W. 



Duluth, Minn. — The hail storm of 

 June 5 did damage of about $500 at 

 the greenhouses of J. J. Le Borious, at 

 Woodland, breaking much glass and 

 destroying many plants. None of the 

 loss is covered by insurance. The range 

 of William Jaap, in Lakeside, suffered 

 slight damage. 



la the Cafnation House of William Murdoch, Port Huron, Mich. 



after the winter sets in and left there 

 until early spring. This assists in ex- 

 cluding frost, and plants thus covered 

 come through finely if the leaves can 

 be kept dry. 



Lady Hume Campbell is the most re- 

 liable double for frames. I prefer to 

 plant and grow these in the frames 

 through the summer, rather than grow 

 them in the field and lift them. They 

 have less vigor than singles, are much 

 more susceptible to disease and do not 

 sell so well in the markets, but they 

 flower profusely and later in the season 

 than any other double varieties. Like 

 all violets, they like a rich soil, con- 

 taining a good proportion of well 

 rotted manure; cow manure is the best. 

 Doubles commence to flower about Oc- 

 tober 1, and in frames will naturally 

 produce but little in the coldest 

 weather, but will give an immense 

 spring crop, which will continue until 

 early May. 



Among single violets, Princess of 

 Wales has no superior. The plants suc- 

 ceed best if grown in the field and re- 

 moved to the frames early in October. 

 It is best to subject them to a few de- 

 grees of frost before lifting them, to 

 check leaf growth and increase flower 

 production. These commence to bloom 

 about September 20 and persist until 

 the beginning of April. If shaded they 

 can be kept a fortnight later; in fact, 

 I have seen good singles in one or two 

 years as late as April 20 in frames, but 

 this is exceptional. The plants want 

 plenty of good soil below them and, as 

 the spring advances, need a copious 

 water supply. The singles give an im- 

 mense crop in early spring. They are 

 much hardier than the doubles and 

 should be left exposed as late as safety 

 will permit in the fall. C. W. 



VIOLETS FOB COLDFBAMES. 



Can you state what varieties of single 

 and double violets will do best in cold- 

 frames for cut blooms? 



G. P. K. & S.— Mo. 



The most satisfactory varieties for 

 you to grow are Princess of Wales, sin- 

 gle, and Lady Hume Campbell, double. 



C. W. 



HABDT BUSSIAN VIOLETS. 



What are the violets that are com- 

 mercially known as hardy Russian vio- 

 lets? Are they double or single? 



M. F. C— Va. 



These are double, dark blue, and have 

 a heavy perfume. They do not bloom 

 through the winter, as do such vari- 

 eties as Lady Hume Campbell, Marie 

 Louise, etc., but give a heavy spring 

 crop. They are much the hardiest of 

 the double violets. C. W. 



FBAME CULTUBE OF VIOLETS. 



Please give me some information as 

 to growing violets in frames. When 

 should they be set and when will they 

 bloom? H. H. G.— Ohio. 



Both double and single violets can be 

 grown in coldframes successfully if the 

 frames are well protected around the 

 sides and if mats and match-board 

 shutters are used above them in severe 

 weather. Ventilation should be given 

 on every favorable occasion. Dry 

 leaves can be spread over the plants 



Big Bapids, Mich.— Donnor & Foster 

 have succeeded C. M. Buskirk and 

 Grace Buskirk as the proprietors of the 

 Star Greenhouse. 



Park Bidge, HI. — William Pasvogel 

 has purchased the greenhouses and 

 dwelling recently occupied by Benjamin 

 Gruppe, at West Elm street and the 

 C. & N. W. tracks. 



