204 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



June 23, 1904. 



the earth. We may safely predict that 

 the interest in the chrysanthemum will 

 never wane so long as new and striking 

 forms continue to delight us from year 

 to year. 



IN THE ROSE TOWN. 



The accompanying illustrations give 

 some idea of the extent of glass and char- 

 acter of the stock this season at the 

 South Park Floral Co., New Castle, Ind., 

 the photographs being taken recently. 

 The main range shown is that of the 

 Heller Brothers, the two houses in the 

 foreground being those of William Ditt- 

 nian, formerly foreman for his neighbors 

 and now growing Beauties for his own 

 account, shipping his output to J. A. 

 Budlong, Chicago. Since these photo- 

 graphs were taken Heller Bros, have be- 

 gun a new range at the left of the pic- 

 ture, including several houses of the same 

 size as those shown and one house 

 48x275, with six benches, with a capacity 

 of about 8,000 teas. The firm will grow 

 several houses of carnations this year 

 although for several seasons the place 

 has been entirely in roses. The new 

 glass will allow them about the usual 

 planting of Beauties, with an increase in 

 the teas and space for the carnation«<. 

 They are now selling most of their cut 

 direct from the greenhouses. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 



Following are brief notes by A. Hems- 

 ley OD trade conditions this spring in 

 Covent Garden Market, London, Eng- 

 land: 



Bedding plant trade was very good, 

 most things making good prices, but 

 small stuff in boxes was much overdone. 



Ivy-leaved pelargoniums (geraniums) 

 have been very abundant; the three lead- 

 ing sorts are Mme. C rouse, Chas. Turner 

 and Galilee, some of the latter being a 

 mass of bright pink bloom. 



Lilium longiflorum, cut, has lately 

 much exceeded the demand and prices 

 have been very low. 



Bunches of short fronds of Asparagus 

 plumosus nanus are now much used and 

 those who grow it well must find it a 

 profitable crop. 



Even now a few salemen keep to trade 

 buyers only but since supplies have so 

 increased many make no distinction and 

 at holiday times the market is full of 

 private buyers. 



There is always a demand for well 

 flowered lobelias. 



Chrysanthemum segetum is now much 

 used in place of the yellow marguerite. 



Polygala oppositifolia is not an ordi- 

 nary market plant but it is found that 

 florists like it on account of its color. 



Nephrolepis Westoni makes a grand 

 plant and should prove a useful addition 

 to market ferns. 



Some of the finest roses seen this sea- 

 son were Mme. Chatenay cut with lon«y 

 stems. 



The best spireas seen are of the vari- 

 ety S. astilboides floribunda. 



Hartford. Conn. — Christy Bros, have 

 gone out of business. 



Belleville, III. — E. W. Guy wants to 

 see the Improvement Association revived. 

 It did a great deal of good last year. 



Lebanon, Pa. — J. W. Fox, who 

 has been spending several months here, 

 has gone to Atlantic City to devote the 

 summer to his flower store there. 



A House of Beauties at Heller Bros'., New Gtstle, Ind. 



V^etable Forcing. 



Fancy cucumbers hold firm in the New 

 York market, despite very large receipts 

 of medium and low grades from the 

 south. 



LETTUCE IN SMALL TOWN. 



I am located in a small city some dis- 

 tance from a market and where there is 

 no regular supply of winter vegetables. 

 I think I could sell quite a little lettuce 

 if I could grow it on a bench in a house 

 of miscellaneous plants. Can it be doneT 

 What temperature does lettuce require? 

 What kind of soil? When composted? 

 When should lettuce be sown for the 

 first winter crop? How far apart should 

 Grand Eapids be planted? How long 

 should it take to mature? F. K. 



It is hardly practicable to grow lettuce 

 in a house along with miscellaneous 

 plants as the temperature required for 

 lettuce is too low for suf.h sto«k. A night 

 temperature of from 40 to 45 degrees is 

 about right for lettuce. Lettuce re- 

 quires a moderately enriched soil, not too 

 stiff. If not already done the present 

 would be a good time for composting the 

 material. Good sod soil should be pro- 

 cured and composted with well rotted 

 barn manure in the proportion of about 

 five loads of soil to one of manure, but 

 it is very important that the manure be 

 well rotted, as lettuce does not take 

 kindly to it if it is in any way fresh. 

 We make the first sowing for early win- 

 ter use about August 20, but this crop 

 we count on maturing in cold frames. 

 With covering after the nights get cold 

 we seldom fail to reap good results from 

 this crop and can usually depend on it 

 for our supply up to about Christmas. 

 We make the first sowing for greenhouse 

 work about the middle of September. 

 This matures in time to succeed those 

 grown in the frames. About three 

 months is usually necessary for the crop 

 to mature from time of sowing. About 

 eight inches each way is necessary as 

 space to develop good large heads of 

 Grand Rapids. W. S. Croydon. 



ASPARAGUS UNDER GLASS. 



Will you kindly give me information in 

 regard to asparagus culture under glass? 

 Is it possible to grow it under the 

 benches or must it have the full sun- 

 light? What are the best varieties for 

 forcing? What age must the roots have 

 to produce a crop this coming winter? 

 How close can the roots be planted and 

 what temperature should it be grown in? 



J. L. D. 



It is possible to grow asparagus under 

 greenhouse benches; in fact, it is very 

 eommonly grown under such conditions. 

 Sunshine is not necessary to the develop- 

 ment of the growth but when forced en- 

 tirely dark it will, of course, be nil 

 white. Sufficient light should therefore be 

 given to have at least the tips green. 

 Regarding variety, the larger growers, 

 such as Palmetto and Colossal, are the 

 most profitable to force. Roots should net 

 be less than three years old, under ordin- 

 ary conditions, but this depends entirely 

 on the conditions under which it is grown. 

 Under very favorable circumstances 

 strong crowns can be produced in two 

 years and the strength of the crown 'n 

 the deciding point more than the age of 



