232 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Dbcembbb 14, 1905. 



grower has no incentive to push the long- 

 er variety, since the shorter variety is 

 always surer of a market. 



The chief advantage in the growing of 

 the English type is that they will swell to 

 full size without being pollinated, when 

 the pollinating of the White Spine type 

 is essential to the growth of the cucum- 

 ber and often entails a good deal of 

 trouble unless provision is made to have 

 bees to do the work. 



The chief advantage for table use in 

 the English type is the absence of seeds, 

 which, although the fruits swell to full 

 size, do not develop in the fruit unless 

 the flower has been pollinated. Pol- 



lination, therefore, is only necessary when 

 seed is desired. Regarding flavor and 

 tenderness there is very little difference, 

 providing both varieties are taken at the 

 proper stage. 



The varieties of this type are quite 

 numerous, among them being Sion 

 House, Duke of Edinburgh, Blue Gown, 

 Tender and True, etc., but for practical 

 purposes none of them beat the Tele- 

 graph variety. The others differ from 

 this in attaining greater length or deeper 

 color, and may generally be classed more 

 as show varieties, but it is doubtful if 

 any of them excels in table qualities. 



W. S. Ceoydon. 



will permit, be chopped up and during 

 this process add one bushel of lime to 

 each five loads of the compost and turn 

 it frequently, choosing bright, sunny 

 weather for the operation. 



I am glad that the advice given in 

 these columns has been of some benefit 

 and pleased to think this beginner is 

 taking full advantage of the opportuni- 

 ties offered and predict that this course 

 of study and practice will bring its re- 

 ward. RiBES. 



ROSES IN POTS. 



POOR SOIL. 



Several weeks ago I wrote you a query 

 as to blind wood on roses, which was an- 

 swered very promptly. After carefully 

 studying your answer and the cultural 

 notes in the Review from week to week 

 I fail to find any fault with my culture 

 sufficient to account for so much weak 

 and blind growth. Foliage is fine and 

 has dropped little. I have come to the 

 conclusion that the trouble lies in the 

 soil. Perhaps it was sour. I cut the 

 sod last spring from the ditches along 

 the county road, piled it with alternate 

 layers of cow manure, one to four; cut it 

 down in May, turned it twice and put it 

 on the benches in June. It is next to 

 impossible to get sod from the fields 

 and I am compelled to get it from the 

 roadside, which very likely is sour from 

 being wet so much. After reading your 

 answer to my query I followed your ad- 

 vice with an application of lime, one peck 

 to 250 square feet of bench. How soon 

 can I lime again? I have this fall pre- 

 pared a large pile of this sod for next 

 spring's use. How had I best treat it 

 to have it sweet? I am a beginner, this 

 being my third season, and a large part 

 of what success I have had I credit to 



it sweet and encourage the eyes to break 

 stronger and give stiffness to the stems 

 and tone to the foliage. An application 

 of manure water once a week should, 

 seeing that there is good root action, 

 help to strengthen the growth. 



If the blind wood is very dense it 

 might be profitable to give it a judicious 

 thinning out. This would help to divert 

 the strength of the plants to the remain- 

 ing eyes and so produce good stems, but 

 I would advise caution in this proceed- 

 ing, as at this season, when stock is prone 

 to take a rest, it is not good policy to 

 denude the plants of too much foliage, 

 as this is apt to check root action and 

 plants during the short days are eager 

 to obey the dictates of nature on very 

 little excuse. 



The treatment of the soil already piled 

 is so far correct but because of its na- 

 ture it should, as soon as the weather 



I would like to ask advice on roses in 

 pots for Easter. On account of frost 

 holding off so late this fall, when we 

 lifted our roses from the field they were 

 still very green in foliage. They were 

 lifted about November 25 and were put 

 in a pit and kept as cool as possible with- 

 out freezing. It is about time to pot 

 them and they are still quite green. What 

 is it best to do with themf Would it be 

 well to let them freeze in the pit before 

 taking them out? Will one-year-old 

 plants of Dorothy Perkins bloom for 

 Easter? C. J. R. 



It is a pity you did not have patience 

 to wait until the roses were fully ripe 

 before lifting and storing, as ripeness 

 makes the result of forcing much more 

 satisfactory. The best proceeding would 

 be to pot them and place them in a house 

 with a temperature not to exceed 45 

 degrees for at least two weeks. As the 

 buds begin to develop the temperature 

 should be gradually increased until it 

 reaches. 58 degrees. 



Careful observation will be required in 

 the matter of temperature to time them 

 properly. If they seem to be coming too 

 early the temperature should be reduced 

 or raised slightly if too slow. 



If the one-year-old stock of Dorothy 

 Perkins is strong and well ripened fair 

 success can be had but two-year-old stock 

 is preferable. 



The greatest care is required to keep 

 the plants free from red spider, as this 

 pest is the worst enemy this class of 

 stock has to contend with. Feeding should 

 be withheld until the plants show buds, 

 when a weak application of manure 

 water can be given once a week. Ribes. 



reading the Review. 



J. P. K. 



I also am forced to think that part of 

 the trouble may arise from the quality 

 of soil used, as I have rarely seen good 

 results from soil gathered from ditches. 

 The very fact that it comes from a ditch 

 would account for its sourness and roses 

 particularlv object to any sourness of 

 soil. But "possibly the plants may have 

 been propagated from an inferior grade 

 of wood, which would account for so 

 very much blind wood forming. 



For soil of this quality a good sprink- 

 ling of lime every two weeks will be 

 of great benefit, as this will help to keep 



MUM SHOW AT CORNELL. 



The Horticultural Club, better known 

 as the Lazy Club, of Cornell University, 

 held the annual chrysanthemum show at 

 the forcing houses a couple of weeks ago. 

 It was a grand success and in fact it 

 was the finest show the club has ever 

 held. 



At the meeting there were several 

 short talks given on chrysanthemums by 

 the students and also one by Mr. Hunn, 

 the gardener of the department. Much 

 enthusiasm was shown by the students 

 of the Department of Horticulture and 

 it is hoped that the floral side of the 

 work of this department will continue to 



grow in importance as the years come 

 around. 



The exhibition was greatly assisted 

 by the interest and kindness of several 

 florists in the vicinity and elsewhere. 

 Among those who sent samples of their 

 fine blooms were Prof. J. F. Cowell, of 

 the Buffalo Botanic Gardens; William 

 Scott and William F. Kasting, of Buf- 

 falo; John Rudy, gardener for Senator 

 Fassett, of Elmira, and George Bayer, 

 of Toledo. 



This kind of effort is very important 

 from the standpoint of the student, in 

 that it brings him in with the intimate 

 acquaintance with the characteristics and 

 qualities of the individual varieties. The 



