triy^.-^-mm 



r. ■•"^T^rv- ^. .'>-f»^ '■^srr^,^sw»,> 



'^^W^^^f'^T^ 



8 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



May 26, 1004. 



three seasons. Bulbs lifted each season 

 were clean. This spring we only noted 

 a trace of the blight on two varieties, 

 Clusiana and Lownei, both small spe- 

 cies. 



Last year we had blight on quite a 

 number of species, many being entirely 

 ruined. Such naturally robust growing 

 sorts as Gesneriana, Bouton d 'or and 

 rttroflexa, as well as the bybloemens, bi- 

 zarres and breeders were badly affected. 

 We have not had any blight at any time 

 on the early flowering bedding tulips but 

 believe they will take it, particularly if 

 not lifted annually. 



In regard to fungicides, we have tried 

 Bordeaux mixture, but with little succes?. 

 This was not used until the trouble 

 showed itself. Had we commence'3 to 

 use it earlier it might have been more 

 efficacious. We find the best means of 

 Keeping tulips clean is to replant all 

 kinds annually. Probably the Darwins 

 and one or two other robust species may 

 live from year to year and be exempt, 

 but new soil is in our estimation the only 

 method to keep/Mrght in check. 



Narcissi, such as rugilobus, biflorus 

 and spurius, iven blighted in 1903, but 

 were clean ttlls year. 7^^ ^'^ lesji in- 

 jured by bHfght than tulips, however. All 

 the iris /fatnily and a considerable num- 

 ber of other hardy plants were blighted 

 lost year, but are clean at present. No 

 doubt the peculiarities of the season are 



CARNATION NOTES. 



Topping: in the Field. 



Almost as soon as you finish planting 

 the young stock in the field, you will 

 have to begin to top some of them. Those 

 which you planted first have had a good 

 rain, or two and have started into a vig 

 orous growth. In this locality the 

 weather has been ideal for the young 

 plants in the field. We have had a few 

 hot days, but only a few ; most of the 

 days have been cool and lately we have 

 had numerous light showers, which ha\e 

 kept the ground in fine shape. Already 

 we can see the young shoots break where 

 the plants were stopped at planting 

 time, and the shoots that were not 

 stopped are shooting up ard will have to 

 be stopped every few days, as they 

 need it. 



In the first two toppings you eitnei 

 make or ruin the shapeliness of your 

 plants and so you want to look after 

 this operation closely. There are some 

 varieties which naturally make a shapely 

 plant, such as Joost, Flora Hill and a 

 few others, but most of the varieties we 

 grow in quantity, and especially the less 

 grassy ones, need to ,be topped several 

 times before the plants will form a 

 strong, comjiaCT body, such as we want 

 to plant in the fall. Much depends on 

 doing it at the right time. If you allow 

 the shoots to grow too long the plants 



Passageway Connecting Strafiord Flower Farm Houses. 



(See Philadelphia News Letter, Pa;eV.) 



in part accountable for these changes, 

 but we think new location and the dis- 

 carding of badly affected stock the true 

 remedy. English and Dutch growers 

 have experienced this same trouble of 

 kite years, so we have the satisfaction of 

 knowing that we are not alone in our 

 misfortunes. W. X. Craig. 



I);'cijue top-heavy and a hard rain - 

 wind will cause them to lie on one side 

 and before you know it you have ruined 

 the shape of the plants. The ideal car- 

 nation plant will stand up like an azalea, 

 with a compact body and numerous short- 

 jointed shoots ready to run up anrl 

 bloom as soon as the plants become es- 



tablished in the houses. You don't want 

 a lot of plants that will lie all over the 

 bench, or have to be supported as bool* 

 as they are planted. 



You need not make such a scientific 

 operation of this topping as some growers 

 would have you think. You don't need 

 a knife whetted up to a razor edge, nor 

 do you really need any knife at all it 

 you look after them regularly. When 

 the shoot lengthens out enough so that 

 you can see the stem between the joints 

 you can snap it with your thumb and 

 finger and the break will be as clean as' 

 if it were cut with a knife, and it takes 

 much less time. You must see to it. 

 though, that there is no tearing or bruis- 

 ing, to avoid which you must do the top- 

 ping when the plants are fresh, in the 

 morning or toward evening, and not too 

 long after a rain on a hot day. In 

 fact, they should not be .topped at all 

 when in a wilted condition. 



Two to three joints is enough to allow 

 for each break on most varieties, as 

 symmetry and compactness should be 

 your aim. If you have four or five 

 joints the two top joints only will break 

 and soon your plants are top-heavy. 



A. F. J. Baur. 



THE CHICAGO PREMIUMS. 



The Horticultural Society of Chicago 

 has distributed the preliminary list of 

 premiums for the exhibition to be held 

 at the Fine Arts building and Audito- 

 rium in November. The list is on the 

 same plan as that of previous years, but 

 in many instances the premiums are more 

 liberal than heretofore and the sweep- 

 stake feature has been employed to a 

 greater degree than in the past. The 

 total amount of money carried in the reg- 

 ular classes is $2,448 and special classes 

 will be added later. 



In cut blooms of chrysanthemums the 

 premiums for vases of twenty-five blooms 

 are $12 and $10. For vases of six the 

 premiums are $3 and $2. For best vases 

 of 100 blooms premiums of $50 and $40 

 are offered. There is $50 to be divided 

 between the two best vases of 100 flow- 

 ers no bloom of which exceeds four 

 inches in diameter. The other premiums 

 in this section are equally liberal and 

 should call out a representative exhibit. 

 In the classes for chrysanthemum plants 

 $15 and $10 are the premiums where a 

 single specimen is called for. The best 

 three standards will win $50 and the 

 second premium in this class is $35. 

 There are also very liberal premiums in 

 the classes for five and ten specimen 

 plants and for twenty-five plants grown 

 to single stem and also for group of 

 chrysanthemum plants to occupy fifty 

 square feet. These are calculated \o 

 bring out a good showing from the pri- 

 vate establishments. 



The cut blooms of orchids will receive 

 $70, divided in first and second premi- 

 ums. In the miscellaneous plant classes 

 the premiums range somewhat higher 

 than before and in cut roses very 

 liberal offers are made. The best fifty 

 American Beauties will win $50 and 

 there are second and third premiums of. 

 $35 and $20. The best seventy-five Lib- 

 erty will receive $35 and the second 

 best vase $25. In the classes for 100 

 tea roses of the several varieties the 

 premiums are $20 and $12. 



In the carnation section, classes are 

 provided for all the standard varieties 

 by name, the first premium being $4 

 and the -second $2 on fifty blooms, with 



