May 17, 1006. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



1861 



mixing soil for a rose bench and by 

 which it was almost impossible to have 

 one part of the bench overloaded with 

 manure or another part with not enough. 

 It was a bottomless box nine feet long, 

 three feet wide and one foot deep. The 

 soil was shoveled into this bottomless 

 box and when even full to the top of 

 the sides it contained just one cubic yard 

 of soil. Then the required quantity of 

 manure was spread on top of the soil and, 

 lastly, the bone meal was spread on the 

 manure. The box, or frame of boards, 

 was then lifted up and the workman 

 shoveled it over. 



By this method you are sure that all 

 your bench will be uniformly of the 

 -same mixture. It is simple and accurate. 



I would not bother with adding lime 

 this year. I think you will meet with 

 success without it. If you find that your 

 soil is devoid of lime then add it when 

 you make up your compost heap this 

 fall, which you certainly should do in 

 September or October. The most suc- 

 cessful men are doubtless very careful 

 and particular about their soils. I know 

 some who procure their sod in the fall 

 and stack it up in sheds with open sides 

 but tight roof so that when spring comes 

 workmen can chop it down without be- 

 ing hindered by wet weather. Then, 

 again, the majority of florists think lit- 

 tle about this all-important feature of 

 their business and neglect it until the 

 actual time arrives when they must have 

 it. They will pay out thousands for 

 fuel but are stingy and penurious over 

 paying for good soil, the very founda- 

 tion that makes for success. 



Perhaps, after all, I have not made 

 myself very clear to a beginner, so will 

 say, in conclusion, if you will pursue this 

 crude formula you won't be far wrong: 

 Use the frame that holds just a cubic 

 yard; fill the frame with soil, add two 

 wheelbarrow loads of manure and one 

 peck of bone flour; mix it thoroughly 

 and then put on the bench to the depth 

 of five inches. It will be down to four 

 inches long before winter is over. 



W. S. 



BLOOMINGTON, ILL. 



The florists of Bloomington met on 

 May 10 and organized a club to be known 

 as the Bloomington Florists' Club. They 

 adopted a constitution and elected the 

 following officers: President, A. K. 

 Knowles ; vice-president, John Gee ; 

 secretary and treasurer, J. \V. Adams, 

 of Normal. There were thirteen mem- 

 bers present. The charter was left open 

 until the next meeting, which will be 

 held June 7. At that meeting F. A. 

 Bailer will give a talk on peonies. As 

 he is a veteran peony grower it will 

 be worth while hearing. 



NEW YORK. 



The Market. 



Sunday ushered in the summer and 

 furnished the hottest May 13 on record, 

 while the days that preceded it were 

 unseasonably cold. Ice formed in many 

 places. . Much damage is reported among 

 the early vegetables and the peach buds. 

 But all this is not an unmixed evil, for 

 the planting time has been unduly pro- 

 longed and seedsmen and nurserymen 

 are still working night and day. The 

 auctioneers wear cheerful countenances 

 and their places are crowded with buy- 

 ers, the fair sex predominating. 



The cut flower market is looking 



A. R. Knowles. 



(President of the new Florists' Club at Bloomington, 111.) 



through blue spectacles. There is per- 

 fect quiet on the surface of the stream 

 and it flows more slowly every day. It 

 is the early summer stagnation. 'Twas 

 ever thus. There will he ripples with 

 the approach of Decoration day and the 

 June weddings will stir things. But the 

 good old summer time is here. 



There is not an over-abundance of any- 

 thing but lilac and yet prices are low 

 and the cleaning-up process goes on 

 daily. Eoses of all kinds are down and 

 many of them out. The carnation is 

 the strongest item. Fine novelties hold 

 at $6 per hundred. The ordinary kinds 

 go from $2 down to zero. There now are 

 plenty of lilies and valley every day in 

 the year, thanks to cold storage facili- 

 ties. Orchids are abundant again and 

 prices greatly shaded. Gladioli are com- 

 ing fast and America is in great de- 

 mand. A'^iolets have vanished after an 

 eventful year. 



Qub Meeting. 



At the club meeting Monday evening, 

 May 14, forty members were present. 

 The exhibit was small but choice. Lager 

 & Hurrell displayed a wonderful plant 

 of Cattleya gigas superbissima, with five 

 flowers of immense size on one stem. 

 The plant was valued at over $100. 

 Honorable mention was the verdict of 

 the committee. 



Paul Niehoft", of Lehighton, Pa., sent 

 a vase of his new pink rose, Columbia, 

 a seedling from Bon Silene and Presi- 

 dent Carnot, which he has cultivated 

 since 1899 and for which he was given 

 a vote of thanks with the request for 

 another exhibit. The two plants of the 

 Wittmani fern were much admired; it 

 has already received the club's certifi- 

 cate. 



The outing committee reported- ar- 

 rarrgements complete for July 2. E. V. 

 Ballock read the resolutions on the death 

 of August Rhotert. W. F. Ross, of 

 Newark, and Arthur Withers, of Jer- 



sey City, were nominated for member- 

 ship. 



As to the contemplated spring show, 

 in conjunction with the S. A. F., in 

 1907, the trustees requested further 

 time. It developed that Madison Square 

 Garden could not be secured. Mr. Wheel- 

 er said he thinks that if the S. A. F. 

 will come with the guarantee fund a 

 reality, a suitable place for a gigantic 

 exhibition can be assured. Mr. Traendly 

 said he thinks that without the Garden 

 it would be useless to ask the society to 

 New York. 



P. O 'Mara referred interestingly to 

 his experience with the senators in the 

 discussion of the seed question and said 

 he thinks the end is in sight. Robert 

 Schultz, of Madison, spoke of unjust 

 express charges, which have been over- 

 come temporarily by the overland ex- 

 press. He asked that a protest be sent 

 to the U. S. Express Co. by the club 

 and humorously described his interview 

 with the officials and the dearth of 

 satisfaction and courtesy he experienced. 

 He said the majority have accepted the 

 overland system. Mr. Stewart read some 

 letters sent to the company by the secre- 

 tary of the S. A. F. and the unsatis- 

 factory answers received. Mr. Wheeler 

 moved to refer the matter to the legis- 

 lative committee. The committee has 

 $100 of the club's funds placed to its 

 credit for possible legal expenses. 



C. B. Weathered moved the appoint- 

 ment of a committee to draw resolu- 

 tions in behalf of the San Francisco 

 sufferers and that a contribution of $100 

 be made in their behalf. The president 

 suggested individual subscriptions. Mr. 

 Hallock spoke in favor of club gener- 

 osity and a committee on resolutions, 

 Messrs. O'Mara, Traendly and Butter- 

 field, were appointed. 



On account of the death of the sister 

 nf J. B. and Wm. H. Nugent, W. J. 

 Stewart, Chas. Schenck and Walter 



