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816 



The Weekly Rorists' Review. 



August 31, 1905. 



ORNITHOGALUM AEABICUM. 



We have just received from Cali- 

 fornia 500 bulbs of Ornithogalum Arabi- 

 cum and would like to know how to 

 handle them to as to have them come in, 

 for Easter as pot plants. We thought 

 of putting five bulbs in a 6-inch pot. 

 Will that be too many? If we plant 

 them now will they bloom for Christ- 

 mas f We also have some freesia bulbs 

 and would like to know hqw to keep 

 them 80 as to plant them for Easter. 

 A. R. 



It is many years since we have seen 

 these bulbs grown and then they were 

 not forced. We think three bulbs in a 

 6-inch pot would be enough. April and 

 May is the time this species flowers in 

 temperate clinftttes, so they should un- 

 der glass be easily forced for Easter. 

 I would advise potting at once and, 

 after one watering, keep them rather 

 dry until leaf growth begins. I 

 scarcely think they can be flowered 

 at Christmas. 



Freesias are not properly bulbs. They 

 are corms and will keep a long while 

 in a dormant state if kept dry and cool. 

 If you want to make sure of their keep- 

 ing, thtfibl^t ,t^e corms iu perfectly dry 

 sand and plftcni in cool room. W. S. 



SNAPDRAGONS. 



I would like to say for the benefit of 

 those who have no house for roses and 

 would like to grow something besides car- 

 nations for cut flowers, that if they 

 would try antirrhinums they would find 

 something both fine and profitable. Buy 

 the Queen of the North seed, sow it now, 

 transplant into the bed, water, tie up and 

 mulch the same as carnations and the 

 result will be highly pleasing, as they 

 are fine, both for design work and 

 cut flowers. We have tried them for two 

 years and will continue to grow them, 

 for there are always new flower shoots 

 coming on and the blooms will last for 

 two weeks after they are cut. 



W. G. Thomas. 



CARNATION NOTES.— EAST. 



Removal of Dead Foliagfe. 



It is very unlikely that any grower 

 can show a perfectly clean bill of health 

 as far as foliage is concerned. Lift- 

 ing from the field and transplanting in 

 the benches, no matter how carefully 

 done, is bound to disturb the balance 

 between roots and top, the result being 

 more or less loss of lower foliage. Much 

 depends on the care bestowed on the 

 plants during the time they are getting 

 established; still under certain weather 

 conditions any variety will suffer some- 

 what. Then there are those inclined 

 to softness in the foliage that are next 

 to impossible to handle without sacri- 

 fice of some lower leaves. 



Opinions differ as to the advisability 

 of removing this withered foliage, but 

 like most operations there is a right 

 time and way to obtain the best re- 

 sults. Beginning the work too soon, 

 that is, before the leaves have become 

 suflSciently dry to come away without 

 injury to the branch, is one cause of 

 trouble. Then, again, the average 

 American gets very nervous over such 

 tedious work; the job seems to drag, in- 

 competent help is pressed into service 

 to expedite matters, with the result that 

 the plants are handled roughly, loosened 

 from their hold on the soil and many 

 branches broken. 



While it is admitted to be aggravat- 

 ing work it pays to do it well. To allow 

 the objectionable foliage to remain not 

 only gives an unsightly appearance to 

 the plants but seriously interferes with 

 free circulation of air among the lower 

 branches, besides furnishing a medium 

 for the collection of moisture where 

 fungous diseases^ may develop. Again, 

 during the dark days of winter it will 

 be very difficult to dry the foliage be- 

 fore night. By all means clean up the 



plants. When the job is done your 

 whole establishment will look brighter. 

 George S. Osbobn. 



AMERICAN CARNATION SOCIETY. 



A meeting of the board of directors 

 of this society was held at the Ebbitt 

 House, Washington, D. C, immediately 

 after the adjournment of the evening 

 session of the S. A. F. Tuesday, August 

 15. All members of the society were 

 invited to attend, said announcement be- 

 ing made by Secretary Stewart. 



The meeting was called to order at 

 10:30 p. m.. President Peter Fisher in 

 the chair. Members present were Presi- 

 dent Peter Fisher, Ellis, Mass.; E. G. 

 Gillett, Cincinnati, Ohio; JF. S. Wilson, 

 Western Springs, 111.; Win. Weber, 

 Oakland, Md.; Albert M. Herr, Lancas- 

 ter, Pa., and a number of members of 

 the society. 



A copy of the by-laws as framed by 

 Secretary Herr was presented for con- 

 sideration and, after considerable dis- 

 cussion and some changes, they were 

 ordered printed and mailed to each paid- 

 up member of the society at least thirty 

 days before the regular annual meet- 

 ing, January 24 and 25, 1906, for final 

 adoption. 



There being no additional premiums 

 offered for the premium list, the getting 

 up of this list and a program for the 

 meeting was left to be completed by 

 mail at a later date. 



Albert M. Herr, Sec'y. 



HELIOTROPES. 



What time should cuttings of helio- 

 tropes be planted to be in flower in 4- 

 inch pots for Christmas? How should 

 they be treated to produce bushy plants? 



H. C. H. 



Heliotropes root very 'poorly from cut- 

 tings taken from plants growing in the 

 ground and plants rooted late in the 

 spring may be carried over for Christ- 

 mas. But a better way is to '^strike" 

 cuttings that have been grown inside 

 either in pots or some plant that is 

 planted out and has been cut back in 

 July. The heliotrope is a quick grow- 

 ing, quick rooting plant and if kept 

 shifted soon makes a large plant. It re- 

 quires stopping to make a bushy plant 

 and if stunted for root room is very 

 liable to be attacked with rust. Cut- 

 tings rooted now or before the end of 

 August should make good 4-inch plants 

 by Cliristmas. W. S. 



A SEASON FOR CARE. 



As the season for firing approaches 

 conditions call for careful observance 

 in regard to watering and ventilation. 

 The transition from natural to artificial 

 heat is the most critical period in the 

 life of the rose and any carelessness, 

 neglect or ignorance in the administra- 

 tion of the essentials, temperature, ven- 

 tilation and water, at this season, will 

 bring dire results later on. 



To properly prepare the stock for this 



change due regard must be taken of the 

 fact that evaporation is on the decline 

 and stock cannot use, with advantage, 

 the copious supplies of water necessary 

 during the summer months and conse- 

 quently the supply must be carefully 

 pavipeil to meet the diminishing wants. 

 Boot action will also become more slug- 

 gish and, it the soil ever approaches the 

 point of saturation, the stock will surely 

 suffer. 



As the artificial heat will affect the 

 soil in the bench in an entirely differ- 

 ent manner from nun heat, the effect 

 will be that the soil will dry out more 

 rapidly when it is in close proximity 

 to the heating pipes and where these 

 heating pipes are under the benches, 

 as in many cases we still find them, the 



