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Mabch 30, 1006. 



The Weekly Rorists' Review* 



i069 



perience with purchasers. Whila they 

 are often familiar with the varieties, 

 they admit they know nothing whatever 

 about preparing the ground. Hundreds 

 of these people would be willing to be- 

 come members of the Eose Society, could 

 they receive some practical cultural direc- 

 tions concerning rose growing. 



It is surprising how many buy roses 

 and continue to buy and replace them 

 simply through lack of knowledge how 

 to properly care for them. They buy 

 through love of the flower for its own 

 sake. Many know not whether they 

 should be planted on the north side or 

 in a southern exposure. They are not 

 familiar with and know practically noth- 

 ing about pruning and properly guard- 

 ing against insect pests. In fact, the 

 large majority of those who buy roses 

 year after year have but little practical 

 knowledge relating to the proper care 

 and the attention these plants require for 

 successful growth. 



It seems to the writer that the Eose 

 Society should give practical cultural di- 

 rections and instructions to those seek- 

 ing such, and begin and educate the 

 masses who are interested in roses. This 

 could be done by publishing a practical 

 treatise on the rose for the amateur, or 

 could be issued in the form of a bul- 

 letin to all members of the society. 



When this became known I believe the 

 membership would rapidly increase and 

 the bulletin, if found desirable, could 

 give information applicable to all points 

 of this country. There are members well 

 qualified in the different sections of the 

 country to give the practical cultural 

 directions treating on soil, situation, 

 pruning, selection of varieties of hybrid 

 teas, hybrid perpetuals, Japanese and 

 ^eir hybrids, climbing roses, Eambler 

 roses and their various uses. 



This matter wisely followed up would 

 make the Eose Society the oflScial or- 

 gan, the recognized authority on all mat- 

 ters relating to the rose. At the pres- 

 ent time the society may not be ready 

 to take up this matter or approve of 

 these suggestions, but I feel sure they 

 will receive their earnest consideration. 



The Carnation Society is prosperous 

 and the grand results in the increasing 

 popularity of this flower, the perfection 

 of the blooms in color, size and texture 

 are surprising and gratifying. The Chry- 

 santhemum Society is prosperous and the 

 wonderful advance in the development of 



Cattleya Mossiae. 



thisflower is marvelous. The peony has 

 also a society and they are formulating 

 plans for the classification and correct 

 naming of the varieties. These societies 

 are to be congratulated for the zeal and 

 perseverance and for the grand and noble 

 work they ,have done in their respective 

 spheres. 



The Eose Society is waking to a rea- 

 lization of its duties which is gratify- 

 ing, and the officers of the society have 

 worked zealously the last year, and are 

 entitled to the thanks and hearty co- 

 operation of all its members. Let us 

 hope that the interest now being mani- 

 fested will stimulate our rose growers 

 to produce new and superior varieties of 

 American origin and better adapted to 

 our climate. 



May the good work continue and the 

 rose always hold the honor and title of 

 queen of flowers and the garden! 



CATTLEYA MOSSIAE. 



The accompanying illustration is re- 

 produced from a photograph taken at 

 the greenhouses of H. G. Selfridge, 

 Lake Geneva, Wis., whose orchid 

 grower, C. H. Gebhardt, supplies the 

 foUowihg note on the plant &ad its 

 culture : 



"This is a very free flowering spe- 

 cies from La Guayra. It blooms from 

 March to the first part of summer. 



The flowers are large, six inches across, 

 three or four growing on one spike. 

 We have many shades of colors, from 

 pale pink to crimson and rose purple. 

 We grow them in fern roots vrith a 

 little moss and keep them in the cat- 

 tleya house with the rest. We grow 

 nearly all cattleyas in the Brazilian 

 house. We supply them with plenty 

 of heat and atmospheric moisture and 

 not too much water at the roots when 

 growing. We keep them syringed 

 twice a day in bright weather. After 

 growth is completed we allow them to 

 rest and keep them rather dry, giving 

 them just enough water to keep them 

 from shriveling. Cattleyas require all 

 the light possible, so we do not shade 

 so heavily and give them plenty of 

 ventilation in bright weather, but do 

 not expose to draughts." 



A FINE HYDRANGEA. 



Just at this time, when growers are 

 watching their Easter plants with solic- 

 itous eye, it is of interest tf» see to 

 what the hydrangea attains in favored 

 localities in England. The plant illus- 

 trated had 147 heads and the size is ap- 

 ptarent in the picture. In Cornwall, 

 Devon and Hastings the older plants 

 often reach greater size but frequently 

 the growths are permitted to be so 

 crowded that the flower heads do not 

 attain full development. Hydrangeas, 

 especially the hortensis type, are great 

 feeders. They should have a heavy, 

 rich loam with good drainage, so that 

 abundant water may be supplied while 

 growing and flowering. H. paniculata 

 is hardy, but H. hortensis will not 

 stand many degrees of frost. 



FRAME FOR VIOLETS. 



I have a frame 6x90 along the south 

 side of the rose house, heated by one 

 run, flow and return, of 2-inch water 

 pipes. Is this place good to grow vio- 

 lets! If so, kindly tell what soil is 

 best, when to plant, what kind of plants 

 and general treatment. Will want the 

 frame for vegetable plants in March. 

 J. P. K. 



I think you can grow violets in the 

 frame; 40 to 45 degrees at night is 

 high enough and if it dropped to freez- 

 ing point they will not be ruined. Plant 

 in a good, rather heavy loam. The ideal 

 would be a sod laid up last fall, with 

 a fifth or sixth of cow manure mixed 



The Hydrangea in a Favored Situation. 



