•'' . 7!' 53-i- 



354 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



Januaby 5, 1905. 



be a general improvement in all grades 

 of the cut, and particularly in the me- 

 dium and smaller grades. This is espe- 

 cially noticeable in the increased stiff- 

 ness of the stems, while with some 

 kinds there will be darker foliage and 

 better-colored bl6oms. "With Brides 

 and Maids the highest quality is 

 reached during the second year and 

 rarely continues after the fourth. 



As to quantity, figures are often mis- 

 ijfeading because numbers depend to 

 such an extent on the method of dis- 

 budding; but, taking for example the 

 system followed by growers who cater 

 to the very critical markets of our 

 larger cities, a house of own-root Brides 

 or Maids that would average fifty flow- 

 ers to the plant would be exceptional, 

 but a house of grafted plants with an 

 average of fifty would be only a good 

 house and an exceptional one would go 

 as high as seventy-five. These propor- 

 tional figures will hold good up to the 

 end of the third year, although the 

 actual average per plant will generally 

 fall off somewhat after the second vpt. 



It seems to be the general opinion, 

 among those who have never grown 

 grafted stock, that the superiority over 

 own-root is chiefly during the early 

 autumn months. In order to dispel any 

 such notion, I shall give the figures of 

 the cut by months from a house of own- 

 root roses, and also from the same 



Present Day Varieties, 



We are growing Mrs. J. P. Morgan 

 and Mrs. Oliver Ames on the Manetti, 

 and have had some plants of Morgan 

 in a solid bed as long as nine years 

 with no apparent deterioration in the 

 quality of the flowers, although after 

 the fourth or fifth year there was a de- 

 crease in the quantity. 



There has been some complaint of 

 these varieties not doing well on this 

 stock, a large percentage dying off, 

 sometimes even when the plants are 

 in their second year. While we have 

 had some experience with this trouble, 

 it has never bothered us to an alarming 

 extent and we consider that the graft- 

 ed plants are enough better to more 

 than compensate for any slight loss. 

 The cause of the defect seems to be 

 that Morgan unites rather poorly with 

 the stock and any poorly grafted plant, 

 whether of Morgan or any other vari- 

 ety, is liable to canker at the union. 

 The remedy would seem to be to use 

 special care in grafting and to have the 

 stock and scion very nearly the same 

 size, so that the union will be prac- 

 tically perfect. We have tried Morgan 

 on both De la Grifferae and the Bank- 

 sia, but with unsatisfactory results. 



Golden Gate, Ivory, Kaiserin Augus- 

 ta Victoria and Souvenir du President 

 Camot are all grafted, but the differ- 

 ence between them and own-root plants 

 is not so marked as with some other 

 varieties. Still the many advantages 

 possessed by grafts, rapidity of growth, 

 freedom from club-root, and general 

 adaptability to our soil, are worth more 

 than the extra cost of grafting. 



Liberty is so much better with us 

 grafted that there is really no com- 

 parison. Yet, on the other hand, I 

 have seen localities where the exact 

 reverse was true; but this merely bears 

 out the statement previously made that 

 in deciding the question of grafted ver- 

 sus own-root plants each grower must 

 be a law unto himself. 



American Beauty is grown on its 

 own roots. We have experimented with 

 grafted plants and at the present time 

 have a bed of Beauties on the Manetti, 

 but as we have not yet seen any decid- 

 ed advantage in favor of either, and 

 as this variety is such a vigorous grow- 

 er on its own roots, we have not seen 

 fit to declare our preference for grafts. 

 There is one advantage, however, that 

 the grafts have which may prove of 

 considerable value. In starting up 

 own-root plants after they have been 

 dried off they are frequently subject to 

 an attack of yellows, American Beauty 

 being especially susceptible. Grafted 

 Brides and Maids are very much less 

 likely to be troubled with the yellows 

 when grafted, and it will in all prob- 

 ability be found that, by putting Beau- 

 ties on the Manetti, they can be grown 

 successfully two or three years in the 

 same soil with very little risk. 



Bride and Bridesmaid are all grafted, 

 and indeed since 1897 there bas not 

 been an own-root plant of these on our 

 place. 



Quality and Quantityr. 



It is unnecessary to go over again 



the advantages secured by grafting, 



but 4t may^ be welH;o mak i B a f ew tb^ | (Made on unlertjy seetins ALeBdrlous, Duluth.) 

 marks on the quality and quantity of 

 product. In regftrd to quality it can be 

 said that with most varieties there will 



house when planted with grafts. This 

 is not a special case but only one of 

 many which could be quoted to support 

 our contention in favor of the Manetti. 

 While these figures do not, of course, 

 take into consideration the quality of 

 the flowers, still, assuming that the 

 grades are at least equal, and I believe 

 it is generally admitted that they are, 

 they present evidence which ought to, 

 satisfy the most skeptical. 



Month — Own-root. Grafted. 



August 6,899 8,653 



September 11,317 20.950 



October 11,614 9.826 



NoTember 10,373 16,558 



December 6,829 8,60tt 



January 7,277 10,653 



February 4.958 6.775 



March 7,634 9,997 



April 10.009 18.602 



May 13,834 20,813 



June ....i 12.991 16,624 



Total 102,735 142.453 



This is an interesting record for 

 several reasons. It shows the same 

 bench space to have produced practic- 

 ally forty per cent more flowers on graft- 

 ed than on own-root plants, an increase 

 calculated to command the considera- 

 tion of even the most successful grow- 

 ers of own-root stock; and it shows the 

 increase to be well distributed through 

 the season, the month of December, for 

 instance, showing an increased cut of 

 nearly fifty per cent as compared with 

 the house of own-root plants. 

 (To be continuf d ) 



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I 



A DECORATOR'S OUTHT. 



Since decorations in flowers, plants and 

 foliage must be done within a few hours 

 of the time for some important social 



A Unique Bouquet. 



event, it behooves the decorator to con- 

 sider not only his own convenience and 



dispatch, but the comfort of the patron 

 also. By the time you arrive at the house 

 to decorate stairways, mantels, wood- 

 work, chandeliers, curtains and tables, 

 the sweeping and dusting are all done. 

 Before long disorder again prevails. You 

 have moved in a step ladder and work 

 table, displaced the furniture and scat- 

 tered boxes and papers, smilax cases and 

 plants, to the dismay of the hos- 

 sss. If you do this unnecessarily, scarce- 

 ly any housewife is too courteous not 

 to remark about the litter and the extra 

 work it will take to clear up after the 

 decorator. 



To avoid all this, provide yourself with 

 from two to six plain coarse bed sheets, 

 such as can be had at about 50 or 60 

 cents apiece. Let them be sent with the 

 load of palms, and before the plants or 

 boxes are set on an oiled floor or rug, 

 spread out a sheet to protect the same 

 from marks and scratches. Set another 

 under boxes and one under your work 

 table and under the places where you are 

 spreading out your smilax and where 

 many leaves are likely to be dropped. 

 Throw all your waste stems and clippings 

 on one of these sheets, and with a little 

 thought and care you can fold them, cor- 

 ners into center and leave scarcely a 

 leaf to be brushed from the polished 

 floor or rug when you have completed 

 your work. 



The sheets can also be used for screen- 

 ing off the show window in the store dur- 

 ing the time when you are arranging an 

 exhibit. 



