18 



The F?og^' I^cyiew 



JUMB 24, 1915. 



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I SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS I 

 I FOR SOUTHERN FLORISTS | 



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SWAINSONA IN THE SOUTH. 



Swainsona galegifolia alba is perhapa 

 the most useful flower for southern flo- 

 rists to grow for funeral designs, on 

 account of the quantity of flowers a 

 few plants will supply and the length 

 of time they remain in bloom. The 

 plants are in bloom from April 1 to 

 January 1. 



When setting out the young plants, 



five them plenty of room, say 1^x2 

 set, so that they need not be disturbed 

 for seyeral years. A solid bed is de- 

 cidedly the best place for them. The 

 plants may be kept growing steadily for 

 the first two years after plantiitg, but 

 after that it is better to let them rest 

 during the month of January, cut them 

 back severely and allow them to start 

 slowly. It is risky to try to transplant 

 them even in a dormant condition; 

 hence the necessity of giving them per- 

 manent quarters at first planting. An 

 occasional mulch of cow manure will 

 keep them going. 



A night temperature of 50 degrees 

 suits them in winter. Plenty of air 

 and water is the rule for summer. The 

 fiowers, after standing in water a few 

 hours, last a long time in designs. L. 



HYDRANQEAS IN THE S0X7TH. 



If the young hydrangea plants in- 

 tended for blooming next Easter, in 

 the south, have not had their final 

 summer shift, they should have it at 

 once. Late struck cuttings will prob- 

 ably only require 4-inch pots, but 

 earli-er rooted ones will need 4^ -inch 

 or 5-inch pots. One pinching is all 

 that the plants require, three to five 

 flowering shoots being enough for a 

 1-year-old plant. Be generous with the 

 manure in the potting soil. Try the 

 addition of a little leaf-mold and note 

 the eflfect on the foliage. Plunge the 

 plants out in a coldframe. While it 

 is not absolutely essential, a partial 

 shade during the hottest part of the 

 day, here in the sunny south, will be 

 gratefully appreciated. All through 

 the summer the plants require plenty 

 of water. 



The ripening process in the fall is 

 the particular part in their culture. As 

 the days shorten and get colder, less 

 and less water is required, but give 

 enough so that the plants retain their 

 leaves. Cover them with sashes when 

 there is danger of freezing, but allow 

 plenty of air during the day. So long 

 as the plants do not freeze, the tem- 

 perature cannot be too low. A slight 

 freezing, however, is liable to destroy 

 the embryo flower. In most sections 

 of the south the plants can be kept in 

 the frame until time for going into 

 their flowering pots, which should be 

 twelve to fourteen weeks before Easter. 



Old plants left over can be cut back 

 severely, well shaken out and pruned 

 at the roots, and planted out in a frame 

 where they can be easily watered. 

 They can be lifted just before frost, 

 potted in good, rich soil and kept in a 

 cool house. They will make nice plants 

 for late spring or early summer sales. 



but are of no account for forcing. The 

 new French varieties are becoming 

 great favorites and are much more 

 easily forced than the old Otaksa. 



L. 



TANK FOB LIQUID MANUSE. 



We desire information as to the best 

 way to construct a liquid manure tank, 

 and also the best way to force the 

 liquid through the water pipes. All 

 information you can give us will be 

 greatly appreciated. B. F. C. — Mont. 



Without knowing the extent of the 

 range, I cannot advise definitely re- 

 garding the size of the manure tank. 

 I would suggest, however, that it be 

 built four feet wide and deep, and a 

 length of eight to twelve feet will prob- 

 ably answer. The walls should, of 

 course, be of concrete, with the bottom 



iY now and then a weQ- 

 pleased reader speaks the word 

 which is the means of brins^ing a 

 new advertiser to 



Such friendly assistance is thoroughly 

 appreciated. 



Give us the name of anyone from 

 whom you are buying, not an adver- 

 tiser, ^e especially wish to interest 

 those selling articles of florist's use 

 not at present advertised. 



FLORISTS* PUBLISHING CO. 

 330-60 Caxton Bldg. Chicago 



about four inches thick, and the walls 

 six inches thick at the bottom and four 

 inches at the top. Sharp gravel is de- 

 sirable, and if bank-run gravel is used, 

 four parts to one of cement will be 

 needed to make a good job. With sifted 

 gravel or broken stone, four parts of 

 the coarse aggregate and two of sharp 

 sand may be used with one part of 

 cement. 



After thoroughly mixing the gravel 

 and cement, add water enough to 

 moisten the mass and work it until 

 every particle is wet. If water enough 

 is added so that it will pour from a 

 pail, forming what is known as a wet 

 mix, it will be about right. 



After making the bottom of the tank, 

 set up the forms for the walls, support- 

 ing and bracing them so that they will 

 be rigid. As soon as the cement has 

 set, take down the form and plaster 

 the wall with neat cement, so as to 

 make a surface that will be smooth and 

 impervious to water. 



It is a good plan to make a partition 



about two feet from one end, to form 

 a sort of settling basin, connecting the 

 two parts by means of an inverted 4- 

 inch sewer pipe trap. 



While a small steam or electric pump 

 will be desirable for distributing the 

 manure water, good results may be ob- 

 tained by means of an injector con- 

 nected with the water system. The 

 Kinney pump, which is used for this 

 purpose, works on this principle. T. 



LANCASTEB, PA. 



' Olub Meeting. 



The monthly meeting of the Lancaster 

 County Florists' Club was held June 

 17, with a good attendance. "Field 

 Culture of Carnations" was the topic 

 of the evening; the discussion which 

 followed the paper on this subject by 

 Ira H. Landis, of Paradise, brought Out 

 many good points. 



The picnic conamittee reported an 

 overwhelming vote for Eocky Springs 

 park, where the picnic will be held July 

 15. Indications are for the largest 

 gathering in the history of the club. 

 The picnic committee is arranging a 

 program of sports for the day. 



President B. F. Barr extended an in- 

 vitation to the club to hold an outing 

 at his Avondale Farms sometime dur- 

 ing August. Those who attended last 

 year's outing there know what a pleas- 

 ant time is in store for tlie members of 

 the club. 



Various Notes. 



Weather conditions have been such 

 that the carnation growers are as- 

 tonished at the wonderful growth of 

 their plants in the field. Several grow- 

 ers are already making a start at 

 planting in. 



June 13 a severe rain and wind storm- 

 passed over Lancaster county. H. A. 

 Schroyer's place suffered most. Several 

 of his older houses were demolished. 

 The heavy rainfall caused many wash- 

 outs and the flooding of fields. 



Elmer J. Weaver is harvesting an 

 extra fine cr'op of greenhouse tomatoes. 

 There is a brisk local demand for them. 



H. K. R. 



CINCINNATI. 



The Market. 



Last week's market proved to be 

 rather quiet. The supply of stock con- 

 tinues too heavy for market require- 

 ments, and this, combined with the fact 

 that the amount of available business 

 is not large, has served to hammer 

 prices down to a low point. Shipping 

 business, however, holds up pretty well. 



The rose cut is as large as it was, but 

 is not of the same high average quality. 

 Mildew has appeared on the stock of 

 some of the large consignors to the 

 market. The good stock, however, is 

 so plentiful and so reasonable in price 

 that poor stock finds no market at all. 

 Outdoor roses are becoming plentiful, 

 but as long as t'he forced ones are as 

 plentiful as they are now outdoor stock 

 • will have no call. 



Lilies are plentiful. They move 

 rather slowly. Gladiolus receipts are 

 becoming heavy. The outdoor blooms 

 from the south are here in addition to 

 the end of the cut of forced ones. 

 Sweet p^as are fine, but are not clean- 

 ing up well. Both valley and orchids 

 are plentiful and are good. Hardy hy- 

 drangeas are now in the market. Other 



