}T^:^ .'<•':: T"^;?^' •;]«;*•• V ■ 'F 



AuoDST 4, 1904. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



459 



(•^««^>«^««^<«^«^««?^ <«^(«^<«^ ^«^«•91«l '♦^^^■^.'•^'♦n. <«^<«^».>«^ 



t 

 t 



BEGINNINGS 



IN DESIGN... 



A SWEET PEA DESIGN. 



A Flat Quster From Nature. 



Frequent application may be made of 

 the principle laid down in the first of 

 this series as to where to obtain designs 

 for flat clusters. Eemembering from 

 Avhat source we traced the design of the 

 rose bunch from the general character 

 of the stem, leaf and flower arrangement 

 of a single rose, we will consider today 

 a similar application of the same law. 

 Take a single spray of sweet peas. Fol- 

 low the simple outline and get a general 

 idea of the form which the flowers take. 

 See it with your eyes shut, then fashion 

 in your mind a cluster of sweet peas 

 -which takes the same general form as 

 this Outlined flower presents. Will it 

 r.ot look something like the cluster illus- 

 tratedt 



Forming the Cluster. 



Now as to the most convenient way 

 to arrange such a bunch as the above. Sup- 

 pose we are to use from 200 to 500 peas 

 in the cluster, the upper spurs of the 

 cluster can be lengthened to several times 

 the original measurement and the lower 

 branch in proportion. Plan to make the 

 spray in several pieces and then flnish 

 by fastening tliem together. Select a 

 number of branches of the pea vino 

 from twelve to about thirty inches long. 

 Fasten two or three together lengthwise 

 by wrapping with No. 36 wire. If this 

 foundation should not appear strong 

 enough to hold the cluster, stiffen it by 

 slipping in a heavy rose stem, but 'lo 

 not allow the rose stem to interifere with 

 the natural bend of the pea vine. Pre- 

 pare another strong stem of the same 

 kind for the left side of the bunchy For 

 the right upper lobe of the cluster se- 

 lect a stem with tendrils, foliage and 

 buds which curve toward the left as in 

 the illustration, and for the opposite 

 branch, a stem which bends to the right. 



If the bunch is to be made of assorted 

 colors, begin at the top of the branches 

 with the most delicate tints and as you 

 fasten the flowers do'vyn the stem, blend 

 the colors from tint at the top to shade 

 at the base. "With a bunch of fine wire 

 in hand begin to slip in at rar^ intervals 

 among the tendrils and small foliage of 

 the upper part of the vine, a few of the 

 pea blossoms. Wrap the flower stems 

 securely with one or two rounds of the 

 wire, in among the foliage where the 

 wire cannot be seen, and proceed down- 

 ward, making the cluster heavier and the 

 flowers closer until the first vine is cov- 

 ered with flowers. 



Follow Nature. 



Of course it is in place here to say, 

 be natural. But just how to be natural 

 in this work must be attained by slow 

 stages and close observation. As you 

 have opportunity study the arrangement 

 of the foliage and flowers on the vine 

 as it grows. Apply such ^ knowledge as 

 you gain from time to time at the first 

 opportunity, and it will become second 



nature to you to make clusters after 

 these hitherto unapproached patterns. 



Complete the opposite branch of the 

 cluster in the same way. 



Joining the Parts* 



About half way down the length of 

 each branch draw the clusters close 

 enough together to fasteu them without 

 crossing; that is, wire them side by side 

 to each other at their center points, and 

 allow the lower ends of the clusters to 

 spread outwards from each other. Add 

 plenty of foliage, especially at the center 

 and around the wire ties. If the bunch 

 should . be so large as to be unwieldy, 

 add strong rose stems underneath. .If 

 other than the natural green is necessary, 

 smilax or Asparagus Sprengeri will be 



purples, crimson pinks and delicate vio- 

 lets. Use this pink with the greenish 

 cream which is found in many of the 

 so-called white varieties of sweet peas. 



Gertrude Blair. 



SWEET PEAS. 



Please give full instructions in regard 

 to growing sweet peas under glass: soil, 

 temperature for winter blooming, when 

 to plant, whether in ground or on 

 benches? H. L. H. 



Written instructions, unless backed up 

 by the grower's own good judgment, are 

 worthless. This sweet pea growing is 

 like several other of the florists' crops, 

 not yet a fixed or absolute method and, 

 therefore, although observant, the writer 

 would hardly like his advice to be con- 

 sidered infallible. 



Sweet peas outdoors in summer should 

 have the greatest depth and richness of 

 soil that it is practicable to give them, be- 

 cause you want them to be enduring. In 

 the greenhouse this is not the object. 

 F.arliness in flowering is the great point 

 in view. Whether in a low bed or a 

 laised bench, six inches of soil is all that 

 should be given them. 



On Sunday, July 31, we thought a good 



The Natural Form for the Sweet Pea Bunch. 



found a pretty addition. Ribbon may 

 be added or not, according to taste; but 

 if used, it should be narrow, witn an 

 abundance of short loops and ends. 



As to Q>lors. 



To such an extent does a single color 

 tone run through many of the varieties 

 of sweet peas that one may almost paint 

 a rainbow with their soft hues. This one 

 color tone is the trace of purple found 

 either nearly pure or in composition. The 

 one striking member of this symphony 

 would be the brilliant yellowish salmon 

 which is too trying to combine with the 



way to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary 

 of our first squeak in this world would 

 be to visit the mammoth place of the 

 Lake View Rose Gardens, Jamestown, N, 

 Y., of which I am going to have some- 

 thing to say later. A house 20x200 was 

 empty. "What's going in here, Mr. 

 Roney t " " Sweet peas. ' ' And he plants 

 them in rows three feet apart and sows 

 the seed the end of this month and says 

 he can flower them in seven weeks. That 

 style of sweet pea growing I. am not at 

 all conversant with. Here is what I have 

 seen most successful : 

 Sow a few seeds in 4-inch pots. After 



