January 11, 1906. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



49 J 



^vith another show. However, we have a 

 (•(iiisiderable number of new members 

 f-ince our last exhibition, and perhaps 

 Idine new suggestions or ideas may be 

 ],, ought forward whereby a show can be 

 )i,.|(l without expense to the club. I 

 ,vouId not like to see the club's funds 

 used for this purpose. I do know 

 iliat every effort was made at the club's 

 j(>cent shows to make them a success in 

 every way, but was futile. I realize the 

 ;j('nera] need of having our products 

 placed before the public by. some such 

 ineaus as exhibitions, and would be in 

 favor of holding ,i small show in a small 

 haJI, or other building, where the expense 

 would be light and the exhibition self- 

 supporting. 1 do not Irtiow wlicther it 

 could be carried out or not on the pro- 

 ()0sed lines. This is merely a suggestion. 

 This matter I will leave in the hands of 

 the members, who, I feel sure, will not 

 suggest anything definite thereon without 

 full and careful deliberation. 



We are all aware of the very great 

 ilisadvantage under which New York la- 

 bors in not having a horticultural hall 

 similar to those possessed by such cities 

 ;is Boston and Philadelphia. Would it 

 i:ot be well worth the while of this club 

 to discuss this matter fully, looking to 

 ilie ways and means to secure a building 

 of this kind. 



The house and entertainment commit- 

 tee has rendered us noble service in the 

 past, and has done much for the develop- 

 ment of the social side of the club's 

 meetings. Such a valuable adjufict 

 tending to our pleasure and enjoyment 

 should be continued and encouraged, as 

 I think members coming to the meetings 

 appreciate the social part of the evening. 

 I know that the ladies enjoy themselves 

 hero and I hope that we will have many 

 more ladies' nights in the future. 



The annual outing of the club held 

 during the past three or four years has 

 spoken for itself. It is the one day in 

 the year when the members can lay aside 

 their duties and cares and have a little 

 recreation. There are many members 

 who do not realize how much interest is 

 taken in this event by the young folks, 

 and is it any wonder that the elder peo- 

 I)Ie are happy when they see the younger 

 element enjoying themselves? The out- 

 ing to be held this year I hope to see a 

 big success and trust it will have the full 

 support of all the members. 



In closing, I wish to say that my time, 

 as far as possible, during the year will 

 he at the service of the committees and 

 officers, for mutual counsel and sugges- 

 tions, to further any plan that will bene- 

 fit the New York Florists' Club. I would 

 say just one more word, and that is, that 

 ♦he members should take advantage of 

 the question box and use it more freely 

 than has hitherto been the case. 1 shall 

 take pleasure in referring all questions 

 submitted- to members whom I may con- 

 sider qualified to answer the same, and 

 feel sure that their senices in this re- 

 spect will be cheerfully given. 



V^etable Forcing. 



VEGETABLE MARKETS. 



Chicago, January 10. — Cucumbers, $1 

 to $1.75 doz. ; leaf lettuce, 30c to 40c 

 case; head lettuce, $2 to $3 bbl.; toma- 

 toes, $1.25 to $2.25 case. 



Boston, January 9.— Cucumbers, $3 to 



A Prize-winning Basket of Roses. 



$11 box; lettuce, .50c to 75c doz.; rad- 

 ishes, $1.50 box ; tomatoes, 40c lb. ; pars- 

 ley, $1.50 to $1.75 box; mushrooms, $1.50 

 to $2.50 per four-pound package. 



New York, January 9. — Boston cu- 

 cumbers, $1 to $1.50 doz. ; head lettuce. 

 25c to 75c tloz. ; radishes, $2 to $3 100 

 bunches; mushrooms, lOc to 40c lb.; 

 tomatoes. lOc to 25c lb. 



RADISHES. 



Although these are among tlip earliest 

 of winter crops and give quick returns, 

 it is seldom that the markets are over- 

 stocked with them, and well-grown rad- 

 ishes can usually find a ready market at 

 a remunerative price. Though a first-class 

 house is not essential for their cultiva- 

 tion, the brighter the house the better it 

 will be for the crop. Soil is the great 

 essential in the cultivation of radishes, 

 that of a light, sandy nature being the 

 most suitable. In this they make a free, 

 clean growth, whereas in a heavy, stiff 

 soil the growth will ho correspondingly 

 stiff and the radishes are apt to come 

 more or less deformed. 



Little fertilizing of the soil is needed, 

 as their chief requirement is Avater, but 

 in the case of very poor soil a little 

 well-rotted barnyard manure » will be 

 helpful; this, however, should not l)e 

 mixed with the surface soil, but should 

 be buried at least two inches under the 

 surface, so that the root and not the 

 bulb will come in contact with it. 



A very important matter is the pro- 

 curing of gootl, fresh seed. Such seed 

 will come up quickly and strong. My at- 

 tention was calle<l the other day to a 

 crop of radishes which had come up 



very slowly and many of the first leaves 

 were crumpled and deformed. At first 

 sight [ thought they were attacked by 

 apliis at a verj' early f^tage, but on close 

 examination I found them clear of this 

 [)est. The soil and temperature condi- 

 tions were all right, but on examining a 

 sample of the Feed used, it was plainly 

 to ix' seen that here was where the 

 trouble lay. The grower was inclined to 

 l)lame the seedsman, but said he had had 

 the seed about a year in his possession 

 and iluring that time it had not been 

 kej)t under the best of conditions. The 

 only thing to do under the circumstances 

 was to throw the seed away and procure 

 a fresh stock, for it was only a waste of 

 tinu' and spa<'e to attempt to grow a 

 )trofitable crop from this old seed. 



When good, fresh seed is })rocured it 

 siioidtl be sown thinly, so that the rad- 

 ishes can all mature without thinning be- 

 fore the first are ready for market. The 

 only insect enemy that troubles radishes 

 is greenfiy. which will often develop 

 when the atmosphere is kept too dry. 

 Kor its eradication I have found nothing 

 Ix'tter tluin a lifjht application of hydro- 

 cyanic aci<l gas. One-half ounce of (-y- 

 ••mide to 1,000 cubic feet of space in the 

 house is sutficient to destroy this soft in- 

 s(vt. If the grower is unaccustomed to 

 the use of the gas, smoking with tobacco 

 nuiy bo resorted to, but it will take about 

 three smokings to destro^v the fly. and 

 even then it will nrit make as clean a 

 job as the gas would. Still I would not 

 adviho the use of gas until the operator 

 has made a careful study of its strength 

 and is fully alive to the dangers that 

 may arise from the careless use of it, 



W. S. T'ltovrxiN. 



