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12 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



May 25, 1005. 



not longer, and if the injury is not too 

 serious the plant will reco\'er. In the 

 case of largie plants we use hollow crocks 

 for drainage, the same as those used by 

 growers of specimen plants. After sev- 

 eral repottings, the plant having in- 

 creased in size, shift into a larger pot; 

 but as dwarf ness is the thing aimed at, 

 the smaller the shift the better. Repot- 

 ting should be done in February or 

 March, just before spring growth com- 

 mences. 



"We advise, when it is possible, to get 

 the above work done by a good gardener 

 who has been accustomed to the han- 

 dling of heaths, new Holland plants, etc. 

 In the case of very shallow jardinieres 

 we find it desirable annually to replace 

 a portion of the old soil, to maintain a 

 healthy growth." 



NASTURTIUMS. 



The nasturtiums are not subjects 

 that appeal very strongly to the horti- 

 cultural writer, for they are so easily 

 grown that it is extremely difficult to 

 say anything about them, except to point 

 to the finest of the varieties in the re- 

 spective shades of color. To write a 

 lengthy article about them it would be 

 necessary to have one's imaginative fac- 

 ulty very highly developed; but, happily, 

 a long article is not necessary or desir- 

 able, and I shall say what I consider 

 necessary in the briefest manner. As so 

 well known, there are two distinct types, 

 both of which have their use. One com- 

 prises varieties of dwarf growth, and 

 forming, when they have space for their 

 full development, compact bushes, rang- 

 ing from ten to twelve inches in height, 

 and producing a profusion of flowirs. 

 Indeed, well grown examples will, dur- 

 ing the height of the season, be simply 

 masses of crimson, scarlet, and yellow, 

 according to the color of their flowers. 

 The others are of scandent habit, ris- 

 ing from six to eight feet high, and 

 blooming freely, if not so profusely as 

 the dwarf race, throughout the season. 

 Taking their different habits into consid- 

 eration, it will be readily understood 

 that the dwarf varieties are the best 

 adapted for the production of brilliant 

 masses of color in beds and borders, and 

 that the tall-growing varieties are ad- 

 mirably suited for training over rustic 

 fences, and old shrubs that have become 

 thin and ' ' bony. ' ' These latter may also 

 be employed with good effect in break- 

 ing up the flatness of beds and borders 

 filled with tender or hardy plants. When 

 80 used they should be grown three or 

 four together, and have their growth 

 supported. 



They should be started in boxes or 

 pots and planted out at the end of May, 

 and a sunny position and poor soil 

 should be assigned them. They are es- 

 pecially useful for light sandy or chalky 

 soils, as on these they bloom freely and 

 continuously, and produce a moderate 

 amount of leafage. On soils that are 

 heavy or rich they produce an excess of 

 leafage, and are far from effective. 

 Much the same results are obtained 

 when they are given a position that is 

 more or less shaded. It is a good rule 

 to allow a distance of six or seven inches 

 each way for the dwarf varieties, and to 

 put the plants of the tall varieties 

 about six inches apart. 



There is an abundance of excellent va- 

 rieties from which to select, and I 

 would suggest the following as the most 

 desirable where a few only of the most 



distinct colors are required: Crystal 

 Palace Gem, pale yellow, with a maroou 

 blotch on each petal; Express of In- 

 dia, crimson-scarlet, with dark foliage; 

 King Theodore, aeep maroon-crimson 

 flowers, and bronay-green leaves; Pearl, 

 creamy-white; Ruby King, rose-carmine, 

 with deep green leaves; Vesuvius, a dis- 

 tinct novelty, with apricot-colored flowers 

 and dark foliage. The most useful col- 

 ors afforded by the tall varieties are 

 crimson, pearl white, scarlet, spotted, 

 and yellow. — Gardeners' Magazine. 



CARNATIONS IN ENGLAND. 



A writer in an English trade paper 

 says that "It will be a little difficult 

 to decide which of the four varieties of 

 scarlet carnations that have recently re- 

 ceived awards of merit from the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, is the best. Two 

 of these are from America, these being 

 Adonis, which was so well shown by 

 Bell & Sheldon, of Guernsey, last year; 

 this was certainly one of the most vivid 

 in color; and Flamingo, which has been 

 shown by several exhibitors, and is also 

 seen in the market, a large full flower 

 with an irregular edge to petals. The 

 flowers from main stems are a little 

 inclined to burst the calyx; otherwise it 

 is all that could be desired. General 

 Kuroki, which comes from Cutbush & 

 Sons, is of 'the same habit as the 

 American varieties. The flowers have 

 a deep calyx, broad petals, vivid in color 

 and stand up well on long, stiff stems. 

 Elizabeth, which received an award last 

 week, comes from a private source. It 

 was raised by G. Henley, gardener at 

 Wrentham Hall, Thetford. It is a seed- 

 ling from America, which is still a fa- 

 vorite, though one of the older of the 

 American varieties. In Elizabeth, the 

 flowers have large, broad petals, a deep 

 calyx and are of a bright shade." 



SAXIFRAGA SALOMONI. 



The saxifrages or rockfoils, plentiful 

 as they are, can hardly be too numerous 

 among other alpine flowers, and we can 

 appreciate to the full those which come 

 early in the spring. In such as S. Bur- 

 seriana, its form major, and S. apiculata 

 we have some of our earliest flowers. 

 Now we have to follow them the pretty 

 Saxifraga Salomoni, another white rock- 

 foil, and one worthy to take rank with 



S. Burseriana itself. It makes a pleas- 

 ing little flat mound of small green foli« 

 age, all spangled over with good white 

 flowers on little stalks, which only rise 

 a little above the foliage itself. For the 

 rockery, which is not starved by absolute 

 dryness, it is a gem indeed, and it seema 

 to thrive more freely when it has only 

 sun for & portion of the day, and wheire 

 its roots are not allowed to become dry, 

 from March until June. At other times 

 there is generally enough of natural 

 moisture in the soil for its happiness and 

 prosperity. Probably this is a natural 

 hybrid, but I have no record of its par- 

 entage. It was, however, introduced 

 from the continent. As a garden plant 

 it is longer lived than S. Burseriana, 

 and requires little attention if in free, 

 gritty soil. — Gardeners ' Magazine. 



CRASSULA COCCINEA HYBRIDA. 



The introduction of a new flowering 

 plant suitable for the florists' holidays is 

 always an event and the rejuvenation of 

 an old subject is of scarcely less im- 

 portance. Crassula coccinea is an old- 

 time plant which is just now again find- 

 ing its way into general use. It was 

 described by Haworth and by De Can- 

 doUe in the early part of the Idst cen- 

 tury. Linnaeus described it fifty years 

 earlier. The latter sets it under the 

 genus crassula, but De Candolle classi- 

 fied it as a rochea, and Bailey, in the 

 most modern work on botany, puts it 

 und«- the same heading. This, however, 

 is of minor importance to the trade grow- 

 er. He is principally interested in the 

 success which Louis Dupuy, of White- 

 stone, made of the pink form of the spe- 

 cies in the Easter season of 1905. Mr. 

 Dupuy, being familiar with the large 

 use made of CJrassula coccinea hybrida 

 in European countries and particularly 

 at Covent Garden market in London, im- 

 ported a few plants a number of years 

 ago and has now worked up a large 

 stock. There are small stocks in other 

 localities, but it is to Mr. Dupuy that 

 the present popularity of the plant is 

 due. The specimen illustrated in this 

 issue of the Review, is fronft' a plant 

 flowered and photographed at Lincoln 

 park, Chicago. 



Crassula coccinea hybrida is of rather 

 slow growth but is tolerant of unfavor- 

 able conditions. It nevertheless repays 



On the Banks of the Eel River in Indiana. 



(Flood at Harry White's, North Manchester, last week.) 



