340 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



JCNE 28, 1006. 



a bank completely covering the space 

 above the mantel. 



On the floor and directly in front of 

 the seal a large American flag of natural 

 flowers rested. To the right and left, on 

 slight inclines, were two Tjig sprays of 

 American Beauties. On either side of 

 the seal was a large wreath on an easel, 

 the line of each wreath being broken 

 by natural cycas leaves. The wreath 

 on the left contained lavender sweet 

 peas, and the one on the right was made 

 up of the Richmond rose. 



Outside of the bay, and in the main 

 room, on either side were numerous 

 wreaths, sprays, vases and baskets, all 

 made up in rich, but subdued tones.' 

 Many hung from the picture moulding, 

 and all vantage points, such as the 

 piano, etc., were completely covered with 

 offerings too numerous to mention, giv- 

 ing the room a beautiful effect. In the 

 adjoining room the most important piece 



was an immense vase of American 

 Beauties being lighted by the sun rays 

 coming through the partly opened shut- 

 ters in such a manner that the bouquet 

 caught and held the only light coming 

 into the room, making a striking picture 

 effect. W. J. Williams. 



PRAYER-BCX)K AND FLOWERS. 



In a wedding ceremony, where the 

 bride carries a prayer-book, is it the 

 proper thing to also carry flowers? 



I. H. M. 



The only flowers ever carried with a 

 prayer-book are a few delicate ones, like 

 valley, or one spray of small orchids 

 in a very small cluster, such as will lie 

 upon the cover. More often none at 

 all are used, but never a formal bouquet. 



G. B. 



Small Ferns. 



A very important article with all city 

 florists in winter is small ferns for 

 filling the little dishes of many kinds 

 for dinner-table decoration, and now is 

 a good time to prepare a stock for that 

 purpose. Many depend on buying little 

 plants in pots at from $25 to $40 per 

 thousand, and ask for their delivery in 

 August and September. If grown in 

 2-inc*h pots you have to give them 3-inch 

 when received, which makes them 

 cumbersome. You can buy flats of seed- 

 ling ferns at this time, which are in 

 good order to put into 2-inch pots, and 

 the cost will not average over $1.50 per 

 hundred plants. These can be put into 

 2-inch pots and placed in a coldframe 

 and covered with shaded sashes and will 

 make better plants than those kept in 

 the greenhouse. 



A word about the frame. It should be 

 where there is no danger of surface 

 water standing even in excessive rains, 

 an<l the little pots should be plunged 

 in refuse hojw, leaf-mold or some such 

 niateri.Tl that will keep the small amount 

 of soil in the pots from continual dry- 

 ing out. 1 have many times referred to 

 the mistake of putting ferns of any 

 kind on a bench where the heat from 

 pijtes could dry them out. This cold- 

 frame summer treatment is the very 

 reverse. They have our summer warmth 

 of atmosphere, which is hot enough 

 for almost any tropical plant, while 

 their roots will be cool and moist. 

 Of course you will remove them to the 

 hounes on the advent of chilly nights. 

 Last summer we had a lot of small ferns 

 ruined with thrips in a warm house. 



Azaleas. 



Early in July your azaleas plunged 

 out of doors will have completed their 

 growth and will be setting buds. Give 

 them more space and put on the sur- 

 face of the soil a good inch of rather 

 fresh cow manure. Don 't let them be- 

 come crowded or you will be troubled 

 with thrips, red spider and mealy bug. 

 Let them be in such order that you can 



reach all sides of the plant with the 

 hose. 



Hydrangeas. 



Perhaps when you plunged your young 

 hydrangeas you stood them rather close. 

 If so, anu there is not daylight between 

 them, give them more space to prevent 

 a weak growth, as without light the 

 flower buds for next spring will be weak 

 and blind. If they were small plants 

 when put into the frame they will now 

 take a shift. A 6-inch pot is as large as 

 they should be in when taken into the 

 houses in the fall. A rather stiff loam, 

 potted firmly, suits hydrangeas. As the 

 name implies, the hydrangea wlien grow- 



ing fast needs an abundance of water 

 and, Fourth of July or any other day, 

 they must not be neglected for want 

 of it. 



Camellias. 



The camellia is by no means an im- 

 portant plant with the great majority 

 of florists, but if you have any you may 

 as well treat them properly or else put 

 them on the dump pile, and that re- 

 mark is appropriate to many things 

 we see in some greenhouses. 



Camellias make their growth directly 

 after flowering, when they enjoy a high 

 temperature and moist atmosphere. The 

 growth is now finished and the buds 

 formed for next winter. Plants in pots 

 or tubs can be plunged outside and 

 should be never neglected for water. 

 The sun will not hurt them and the 

 young wood will ripen better than in 

 a shady house. The sun shines as bright 

 in Japan and Corea as it does in 

 Kalamazoo, Mich., or Horseheads, N. 

 Y., where the camellia is indigenous 

 with its roots always moist. With our 

 artificial treatment a severe drying out 

 at the roots is fatal. 



Gardenias.' 



Gardenias that have been planted on 

 benches a few weeks should be growing 

 freely and in our hot weather will need 

 a daily hard syringing to keep down 

 their greatest enemy, mealy bug. The 

 gardenia is really a hard-wooded shrub 

 and in Texas is treated as such. In our 

 northern greenhouses, where our plants 

 are mostly renewed annually, they need 

 some pinching and during July they 

 should have it. The more lateral 

 growths to a plant the more flowers. 

 There are many mixtures and decora- 

 tions advertised and warranted to kill 

 mealy bug, but I believe a good, fierce 

 application of cold water is the best of 

 all. 



Syringing. 



There is a word used in this coun- 

 try, which to me is misleading, and that 

 Is ' ' spraying. ' ' You spray to keep cut 



Peony Mme. ForeL 



