304 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



December 21, 1905. 



uhite, cyclamens, Primula obconica, vio- 

 lets, winter blooming geraniums and 

 other plants Avere noted, everything be- 

 ing in fine condition. 



Entertaioment. 



Cigars were furnished members at S. 

 J. Goddard's vvhile at Mr. Nicholson's a 

 fine collation was served. Speeches were 

 next in order. After some eulogistic re- 

 marks on places visited, President 

 Wheeler called on M. A. Patten and J. 



R. Fotheringham for remarks. Thomas 

 J. Grey made one of his usual happy 

 speeches, and spoke of the time when he 

 was club president and addressed empty 

 chairs. W. Davis and Duncan Finlayson 

 spoke briefly. J. W. Duncan spoke for 

 the horticultural press. He said he could 

 not make a speech, but spoke so long the 

 members nearly lost their car. Boston 

 was reached on the return journey at 

 6:30 after a most delightful and profit- 

 able outing. W. N. C. 



GRAFTING. 



Those who contemplate doing their 

 own grafting should soon have their 

 supply of stocks on hand, so that they 

 can have them potted and got ready for 

 the operation, as the stocks must of 

 necessity be in such a condition that 

 they will be able to give an immediate 

 supply of sap to the newly attached 

 scion. 



The season when this operation can 

 most successfully be performed is dur- 

 ing January, February and March, as 

 during this period we can control condi- 

 tions, such as temperature, moisture, 

 etc., much better than when the season 

 is further advanced. There is also less 

 trouble in regulating the shading, ven- 

 tilation, etc. 



To make a success of this method of 

 propagating one of the first essentials 

 is to have a suitable grafting box or 

 frame, in which to place the newly 

 grafted stock. This frame should be so 

 constructed that the bottom would be at 

 least eighteen inches above the piping 

 and the sides boarded up back and front 

 to conserve the heat. There should also be 

 sufficient piping under the case to main- 

 tain a temperature of 80 degrees un^er 

 any conditions. The top of the frame 

 should be provided with glazed sash, 

 which should be at least eighteen inches 

 above the bottom of the bench and the 

 whole structure made practically air- 

 tight. 



About one inch of screened Jishes 

 should be placed in the bottom of the 

 bench, upon which to set the plants. 

 This also serves to retain the requisite 

 amount of moisture in the frame. 



The most common style of graft em- 

 ployed in commercial places is the whip 

 graft, but, as expediency and speed are 

 objects to be considered, the propagator 

 usually employs that style at which he 

 is most expert. The manual part of this 

 method of propagating, while being sim- 

 ple, is rather difficult to describe and an 

 object lesson of a few minutes will con- 



vey more information than columns of 

 descriptive matter. 



The fundamental principle pertaining 

 to all styles of grafting is the necessity 

 of having direct communication be- 

 tween the layers of inner bark in all the 

 parts to be united, as without this a per- 

 fect union cannot take place. The 

 woody parts of stock and scion never 

 unite but are so covered over by the 

 outer growths that the fact is not ap- 

 parent unless the part is dissected. 



Jf this principle is adhered to the 

 style of grafting can be varied at the 



pleasure of the operator with equal 

 chances of success. 



The knife used should have a very 

 keen edge, as the cleaner the cut so 

 much sooner will union take place. 



The scion should be tied firmly in 

 place with some soft material, but not 

 so tight as to cause an abrasion of the 

 bark. 



The wood for the scions should be of 

 the same quality as that recommended 

 for cuttings and should be selected with 

 the same critical care. 



The care and management of the 

 grafting box will be treated in a future 

 article. 



A pamphlet by Alex. Montgomery, Jr., 

 published by the Eeview, giving a re- 

 sume of this method of propagating con- 

 tains many hints which would be of 

 great benefit to the beginner and inex- 

 perienced and in fact to any one prac- 

 ticing this metliod of propagating. 



ElBES. 



CRIMSON RAMBLERS. 



Please tell us again when is the proper 

 time to bring in Crimson Ramblers for 

 forcing in the greenhouse so as to have 

 them in bloom for Easter. M. S. 



These plants should be brought in as 

 soon as possible and placed in a house 

 with a temperature of about 45 degrees 

 and left there until the buds begin to 

 swell, when the temperature should be 

 gradually raised till 56 degrees is at- 

 tained. "With ordinary care they should 

 come into bloom at Easter at this tem- 

 perature. Careful observation as the sea- 

 son progresses may dictate a higher or 

 a lower temperature to time them prop- 

 erly. RiBES. 



CARNATION NOTES.-EAST. 



Selection in Propagation. 



Fn my last notes mention was made 

 of the variation in yield of different 

 plants of the same variety grown under 

 similar conditions. This difference is 

 often so marked as to be apparent to 

 the most casual observer, but is more 

 likely to be noted the first year a variety 

 is grown. A newcomer is usually close- 

 ly watched and selection in propagation 

 may not have been wliat it might. 



It is not my purpose to go into those 

 things which the introducer has or has 

 not done, but ought or ought not to have 

 done or left undone. I do, however, 

 Avish to advise the purchase of stock of 

 new varieties the first year sent out. By 

 this is not meant that every sort offered 

 should be tried, but if a grower has 

 reasons for adding to his list and after 

 due consideration a certain one is de- 

 cided upon, the sooner stock can be ob- 

 tained the sooner selection for propaga- 

 tion can begin. 



It is but reasonable to expect, in the 

 efforts to fill orders for cuttings of a 

 variety for which the demand is heavy, 

 that the same care in selection cannot be 



exercised as would be when a grower is 

 working up a stock for his own use. On 

 the other hand, at the price new intro- 

 ductions are usually sold, the buyer is 

 entitled at least to healthy, well-rooted 

 stock true to name. With this for a 

 foundation some varieties are known to 

 have been brought to a degree of ex- 

 cellence and productiveness never thought 

 possible by the originator. 



Of course a variety must possess de- 

 cided merit, but close observation of the 

 behavior of each plant, and careful se- 

 lection of cuttings, have much to do with 

 improvement. 



When harvesting the Christmas crop 

 it will be well to take note of those 

 plants which produce particularly good 

 blooms and when the rush is over ex- 

 amine thoroughly as to health and habit. 



The practice of putting rooted cut- 

 tings into rich soil and growing in a 

 high temperature with the idea of pro- 

 ducing sufficient top to obtain a cut- 

 ting (so-called) from each, cannot be too 

 severely condemned. This is not selec- 

 tion, but destruction. 



Geo. S. Osborn. 



FEW BLOOMS. 



Our carnations are not doing as well 

 as they should. The stems are weak and 

 they are not blooming freely. The earth 



