OCTOBKU 12, 1905. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



1153 



THE RICHMOND ROSE. 



Something About Liberal Treatment. 



A few morths ago we told a number 

 iif people that Kichmond rose would 

 t njoy a "liberal" treatment. Recently 

 we have heard of one or two cases of 

 Kichmond not growing vigorously 

 "even though they had been given lib- 

 eral treatment, as directed." An inves- 

 tigation of one case of this kind shows 

 that the plants when received were 

 jtotted into 3-inch, establishing quickly 

 and growing vigorously in these pots. 

 At the proper time they were shifted 

 into 4-inch and, before having a chance 

 to grow much in this pot, were planted 

 ill the bench. 



All this is so commonplace to the 

 careful grower as to be axiomatic, and 

 its. only bearing on the case in hand is 

 to draw attention to the mistakes which 

 were made later. The soil used for 

 planting was a beautiful, heavy, fibrous 

 loam which had been treated to a good 

 (lose of half rotted cow manure in the 

 ])roportion of one to three. Excellent 

 stock in excellent soil. But from this 

 time on strict attention was paid to the 

 hint received from the raisers of Rich- 

 mond, and ' ' liberal ' ' treatment was ac- 

 corded them; that is to say, the entire 

 mass of soil in the bench was heavily 

 watered every few days. After two 

 months (or about August 20) noting 

 that the plants had grown but little 

 and were making a rather weak break, 



a good dressing of bone meal was ap- 

 plied and followed by a mulching of 

 cow manure. The heavy watering was 

 cortinued, with the result that at pres- 

 ent the plants are but little larger than 

 when planted. 



One result of advice given with the 

 best of intentions and followed "not 

 wisely but too well." 



A Few Timely Hints. 



Nevertheless, in response to your re- 

 quest, we will try to give a few hints 

 on the handling of Richmond rose, 

 drawing on an experience of three 

 years with the variety. It is too late 

 to make suggestions about summer cul- 

 ture ; however, if the grower has only 

 remembered that in transferring a plant 

 from a 2-inch pot into the bench he is 

 performing an operation equivalent to 

 repotting that same 2-inch plant into a 

 12-inch or possibly 13-inch pot, and has 

 treated them accordingly, then there is 

 no doubt about their condition thus far. 

 If even an inexperienced grower had re- 

 potted a plant as suggested from a 2- 

 inch to a 12-inch pot, he would just 

 naturally have been careful not to give 

 too much water until the roots had filled 

 the pot, and the plant had grown to a 

 size in proportion. A depression around 

 the plant and plenty of water applied 

 in this depression, with none at all, or 

 as little as possible, on the remainder 

 of the soil, would have insured the de- 

 sired result. 



If properly handled, the plants of 

 Richmond, even those received in May, 

 should now be strong, vigorous plants, 

 two to three feet in height, making 

 heavy breaks, with a showing of ground 

 shoots. If this is the case and the 

 plants are in shallow soil they would 



thoroughly enjoy a miitch of manure 

 not too fresh. This is not essential^ 

 especially if the soil was rich in the; 

 start. '. 



Don't Cut Too Long Stems. ^ 



Several things are important, how- 

 ever, and not the least is to resist the 

 temptation to cut blooms with big,^ long, 

 stems in early fall. Three good eyesT 

 should be left on the plants of Rich-" 

 mond rose at this time of year. To; 

 growers of Liberty this will sound like; 

 heresy, but Richmond will make as good" 

 a break from the third, fourth, or even, 

 the fifth eye on long shoots, and will do 

 it quicker. Also, as winter approaches,^ 

 as many leaves as possible are needed 

 on the plants. Another point in this 

 connection; Richmond will make a few; 

 blind shoots; do not cut them back; 

 let them break naturally from the top. 

 eye and this second break will form a 

 bud which can be cut with a good stem. 



Temperature. 



It is hardly necessary to warn grow- 

 ers to avoid the causes which lead to 

 mildew and black spot, but as the cool' 

 nights come along do not run the Rich- 

 mond house too hot. It will be neces- 

 sary during the moderate weather, and 

 especially damp weather, to carry a 

 temperature of 60 degrees or above 

 with air, to avoid moisture gathering oiT 

 the plants, but as the season advances 

 we have found that the Richmond does 

 best in a night temperature of 56 de-i 

 grees. In the latter part of October 

 and during November the plants will 

 be throwing canes from the bottom.' 

 Quantities of such shoots will show and,, 

 if allowed to grow naturally, will de- 

 velop magnificent buds which can be cut 

 with stems two feet long. 



To Get Quantity. 



However, unless your trade is willing- 

 to pay extra high prices, it will be 

 found advisable to nip the top out of 

 the heavy shoot when it reaches a height 

 of ten to twelve inches, in which case 

 three and sometimes four fine buds will 

 develop and can be cut with 12-inch to 

 18-inch stems, thus producing a much 

 greater quantity of medium grade flow- 

 ers. 



When to Cut the Buds. 



Ore of the most important points 

 which must be learned in connection 

 with Richmond is how to cut the buds. 



Blooms, Reduced in Size, Showing the Way the Richmond Rose Develops. 



