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Mabch 0, 1905. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



877 



IS LAVSON "RUNNING OUT^ 



At the recent carnation convention 

 at Chicago it was stated that Lawson 

 is "running out." This was permitted 

 to go uncontradicted and, if it is 

 true, it is important that the trade 

 should be made to recognize the 

 fact in time to take up the search 

 for and find its successor before 

 Lawson shall cease to be profitable. 

 The average grower in past sea- 

 sons found Lawson his best paying 

 variety, partly because all have suc- 

 ceeded with it, and it may be true, 

 as has been stated, that half the car- 

 nations grown today are Lawson. 



For the purpose of ascertaining if 

 the speaker at the convention voiced 

 the general opinion, the views of a 

 number of leading growers were 

 sought. They do not fully bear out the 

 contention, but they are, nevertheless, 

 very interesting reading. Several of 

 the replies follow: 



E. G. Hill, Richmond, Ind. 



It would be passing strange if the 

 Lawson carnation did not lose its con- 

 stitutional vigor, considering the abuses 

 to which the variety, in common with 

 other sorts, has been subjected. In 

 some places the Lawson still shows its 

 old time health and freedom of bloom, 

 but this is becoming the excejition and 

 not the rule: Where the Lawson still 

 maintains its strength and beauty, it 

 does so because the culture and treat- 

 ment have been characterized by a 

 careful consideration of its require- 

 ments. 



The wonderful productiveness of the 

 variety tends to drain the strength 



from the plant and if indifferent care 

 is given to the selection and the root- 

 ing of the variety, deterioration is 

 sure to follow, and it is not to be won- 

 dered at when every known rule is 

 violated in the growth, selection and 

 handling of the stock. This deteriora- 

 tion shows in the white streaks or dis- 

 coloration of the flowers as well as in 

 a less vigorous growth of the plant. 



The reversal under our method of 

 culture of the usual time of growth 

 and flowering of the carnation has more 

 to do, perhaps, with the quick giving 

 down of our American varieties of car- 

 nations than any one other cause and 

 when to this is added that greatest of 

 all evils, the use of excessive heat and 

 foul air in the propagating house, it is 

 no wonder that even so sturdy a vari- 

 ety as Lawson may sbow signs of fail- 

 ing health. 



That the variety is breaking down to 

 some extent is conceded by most grow- 

 ers, but that it will continue to be 

 grown profitably for some years by 

 those who carefully select their cut- 

 tings and exercise judgment in its 

 growth and culture goes without the 

 saying. 



Methods are improving in general 

 and we look for a greater period of 

 longevity for our carnations than has 

 prevailed. As mentioned above, it is 

 largely a question whether sane meth- 

 ods shall rule, or whether known laws 

 shall continue to be violated, as to 

 whether Lawson and other fine varie- 

 ties last onlv six years or for a much 

 longer period. 



"Geny Bros., Nashville, Tenn. 



We offer as evidence in the matter of 

 Lawson not "running out" the accom- 

 panying photograph of one of our 

 houses of Lawson, photographed Feb- 



ruary 12, 1905. We think nothing 

 more need be said as to our views. 



W. N. Rudd, Mt. Greenwood, 111. 



It is certainly true with us that 

 Lawson is neither so vigorous nor so 

 productive as formerly. Under present 

 methods of culture — -early planting in- 

 doors, high feeding, and intensive cul- 

 ture generally — it is to be expected 

 that all varieties will rapidly deteri- 

 orate; while, no doubt, if the plants 

 propagated from wore left out late in 

 the fall, grown cool and without feed- 

 ing, and propagated after they had re- 

 ceived the benefits of the increasing 

 sunlight of approaching spring, and 

 not over propagated, they would retain 

 their vigor and productiveness indef- 

 initely. The faster a horse trots the 

 more he sweats. It does not matter 

 much, however, as the improvements 

 made in the flower compel us to con- 

 tinually discard former favorites. There 

 are a number of varieties now in sight 

 which should put Lawson out of the 

 running. 



J. H, Dunlop, Toronto. ^ 



I may say that our experience has not 

 borne out this statement. While Law- 

 son, with us, is not quite as large in size 

 of flower as in past seasons, there is 

 good reason for it other than lack of 

 vitality. I think one reason of Lawson 

 showing signs of wear is the high tem- 

 perature at which the variety is grown 

 in some sections in order to obviate hav- 

 inPT burst calyxes. I have never run 

 this variety above 54 degrees, our aver- 

 age beingr 52 degrees, and while there 

 are some burst calyxes yet we have Law- 

 son in as good condition as when first 

 introduced. With the white, red, varie- 

 tmted and ligrht pink sports, it is des- 

 tined, in this section at least, to furnish 

 a large proportion of the plants grown 

 for cut flowers. 



S. J. Goddard, Framingham, Mass. 



Regarding reports of Kawson "run- 

 ning out," I am of the opinion that this 

 is so. In some establishments we see 

 Lawson as good as ever, but in the ma- 

 jority it is quite the reverse and very 

 inferior. Lawson has been the hardest 



House of Girnation Mrs. Lawson at Geny Bros*., Nashville, Tenn. 



