1252 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



NOVEMBBB 10, 1904. 



CAfiNATION NOTES.-EAST. 



! Timely Preparations. 



The middle of November ought to see 

 stock firmly established and growing vig- 

 orously. The flowering shoots will be 

 running up to fair length from now on, 

 requiring the last tier of supports to be 

 put in place. Strenuous days of some- 

 what monotonous work, such as the re- 

 moval of dead leaves, for instance, will 

 soon give way to routine work. Atten- 

 tion then can be given to that most im- 

 portant and not far distant task, propa- 

 gation. 



Lay in a good supply of sand and be 

 particular that it is free from impurities, 

 such as sticks, paper and vegetable or an- 

 imal matter. 



Store in a cool, dry place until wanted; 

 it will then keep sweet and can be easily 

 handled. 



Give the propagating bench a thorough 

 cleaning and be liberal with the lime and 

 sulphur wash. If you have a house de- 

 voted to this work take extra pains to 

 have the roof tight; also provide against 

 drip on the benches from condensation. 

 This is many times the cause of loss of 

 valuable cuttings. 



While it is not absolutely necessary to 

 build a bench expressly for propagation, 

 it is obvious that any improvement not 

 too expensive is not only an advantage 

 but a good investment. The one I will de- 

 scribe is inexpensive, since it can be con- 

 structed by any grower, and from use has 

 given perfect satisfaction for several 

 years. 



The bottom and sides are brick, laid 

 on 2x3-inch cypress running crossways of 

 the bench, the narrow side up, and placed 

 at such distance apart that an inch of 

 each end of a brick bears on each cross- 

 piece. The bricks are laid flat, end to 

 end, and of course the bench can be made 

 any number of bricks wide that may be 

 desired. The sides are brick laid on edge 

 and cemented to the bottom and where 

 ends butt with Portland cement. 



Such a bench, being porous, cannot be- 

 come Boggy. The bricks will absorb heat 

 from the pipes underneath and in giving 

 it off impart a uniform heat to the sand. 

 Being practically indestructible, there is 

 no need of repairs for years. 



Instead of cypress for crosspieces, or, 

 in fact, any part of the frame, if desired 

 and circumstances permit, iron can be 

 substituted for wood. Another advantage 

 of brick is their power of absorbing the 

 sulphur solution present in the lime and 

 sulphur wash. The gentle heat from 

 below will liberate the fumes in some de- 

 gree, although perhaps imperceptible to 

 the smell, thus guarding against fungous 

 diseases. 



As before stated our experience with 

 this form of bench leads me to highly 

 recommend its use to those who wish an 

 ideal propagating arrangement. 



Some growers do not approve of bottom 

 heat for carnation cuttings but, like many 

 things, it is the abuse and not the use 

 that does the harm. One 's own ingenuity 



will devise means for regulating bottom 

 heat that an excess may not occur, but 

 it will be found with brick that there is 

 less liability of great fluctuation, 



Geo. S. Osborn, 



CARNATION NOTES. -WEST. 



Notes on the Varieties. 



While it is yet too early to pass final 

 judgment on the new varieties sent out 

 last spring, yet one cannot help beginning 

 to compare them with the older varieties, 

 and with each other, when they come in 

 the same class or color. While making 

 these comparisons we must not fail to 

 bear in mind that in most cases these vari- 

 eties are handicapped to some extent, in 

 fact, to a great extent, by several condi- 

 tions which naturally work right against 

 their showing their very best the first 

 year. So we must be as charitable toward 

 them as possible. First of all, if you got 

 cuttings which were put into sand in late 

 February or March it would be unjust to 

 expect them to do as well as your own 

 cuttings, which were put in in January, or 

 even December, If the variety had a 

 large sale and the stock was limited the 

 later batches may not have had the vital- 

 ity which the variety originally possessed 

 and it will take a year or two of careful 

 selection to get it back to its best. And, 

 as I have often repeated, our own igno- 

 rance of its possible peculiarities may 

 stand in its way. Any or all of these 

 things may cause a fine variety to prove 

 disappointing to us the first year. 



Perhaps the largest seller last spring 

 was the new scarlet, Flamingo, as great 

 things were expected of it. The cuttings 

 we received were very large and soft and 

 it did not make a good growth in the 

 field. Since it was planted inside it has 

 made a good, strong growth and, while 

 the plants are not in shape to bear quan- 

 tities of blooms, yet it will have a chance 

 to show its quality. Another season, with 

 cuttings of our own, it will get a better 

 start. 



Crusader made a much better growth 

 and, while the color is a little light, it 

 looks as though it might displace Crane, 

 as the bloom is larger and the plant 

 healthier, 



Marion Beauty makes a nice bloom, of 

 a good shade of crimson, but up to date 

 it does not compare with Harlowarden in 

 freedom. 



Daheim made very small plants in the 

 field but is picking up rapidly. The 

 blooms to date are too sleepy to use but 

 cold weather may remedy that. 



New Daybreak made some nice blooms, 

 of a pleasing shade of Daybreak pink. 

 The growth is much better than Day- 

 break, 



Lady Bountiful looka to be all that was 

 claimed for it. It is a nice grower and 

 very free. The blooms come a little sin- 

 gle and flat early, but we knew that be- 

 fore we bought it. The crop that is com- 

 ing now should be of fine quality. 



The Belle made better blooms earlv 

 and is making fine blooms now, but the 

 growth is not as good as Bountiful, A 

 good variety, nevertheless. 



Moonlight is proving itself what we 



expected, a fine early, free and continuous 

 bloomer. The blooms are of good size 

 and pure white and are borne on long 

 stems. So far the blooms are of good 

 form and fullness. 



The Bride is a variety which we have 

 taken a decided liking to on account of 

 its beautiful, pure white blooms, and its 

 fine habit. The plant is compact and 

 bushy and the stems, while they are a 

 trifle short, are very wiry and strong. It 

 was troubled some with stem-rot, but that 

 may not be the variety 's fault altogether. 

 We shall certainly try it another season. 



Our own Indianapolis promises to be 

 as good as ever this year. Our own stock 

 was from rather late cuttings, so that 

 the plants averaged small, but they are 

 picking up and by Thanksgiving we ex- 

 pect a good crop. We hear of some fine 

 batches of it on other places, much better 

 than our own. 



All these varieties were shown in fine 

 shape at the exhibitions last winter and 

 showed very high quality, but this year 

 they will have to make good as money 

 getters if they want to stay in the race. 

 Another three months will have to pass, 

 at least, before we can be positive as to 

 their worth, A. F. J. Baur. 



ELISHA N. PEIRCE. 



Not a word of the death or even fail- 

 ing health of this dear friend reached 

 us till we saw the obituary notice in the 

 Keview. And so this dear, witty, good 

 and great old soul has passed to the un- 

 known. The brief outline of his career, 

 in the Review, is doubtless all facts and 

 well written, but to those who had spent 

 many hours in Mr. Peirce 's company, it 

 left an awful lot unsaid. 



Mr. Peirce was not, I think, nearly 

 as well known to the great army of 

 florists as he deserved to be. I don't 

 remember seeing him at many national 

 conventions; but for a good many years 

 he was always seen at the carnation 

 meetings and here is where we learned 

 to know and keenly enjoy his company. 

 Perhaps it was because Mr. Peirce took 

 to floriculture somewhat late in life 

 and had with his massive brain a be- 

 coming modesty, that he was not more 

 often heard in our discussions. He was 

 there to learn and not to talk; still he 

 talked enough at Detroit in the business 

 meetings and at the banquet to amuse, 

 instruct and delight all within the sound 

 of his delightful Yankee drawl. A 

 voice and accent that just suited his drol- 

 lery and wit, but this wit and humorous 

 descriptions with which he embellished 

 his yarns and anecdotes was only the 

 effervescence of his character. The weak- 

 est judge of human nature could see in 

 him a great, broad, deep, shrewd, but 

 kind character. Perhaps others have 

 noticed what the writer has, that in 

 features, particularly the large bright 

 eyes and the massive forehead and head, 

 Mr, Peirce greatly resembled the late 

 Lord Salisbury, the premier of Great 

 Britain. Farmer Peirce he loved to be 

 called, but he had a classical education 

 and was deeply read. He could quote 

 from modern and ancient authors and 

 his memory was prodigious. The florists 

 had only begun to enjoy his wit and 

 counsel and we often thought of the 

 great treat in store for us at future 

 meetings where Farmer Peirce would 

 be bound to be a conspicuous char- 

 acter. For many years he must have 

 been the life and inspiration of camp 

 firef, and although a member of the 

 Loyal Legion Commandery, he said he 



