September 20, 1906. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



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Btinpag Horticulture into the Heart of the City. 



The soil used should be in an inter- 

 mediate condition in regard to moisture. 

 If too dry it is hard to damp it evenly, 

 as the water will run through in patches 

 and leave other patches quite dry. On 

 the other hand, if soil Is handled too 

 wet it is apt to cake or harden on the 

 surface, a condition which will consider- 

 ably hinder the starting and coming up 

 of the seeds. 



The seeds should be covered lightly 

 with fine, sifted soil and after the flats 

 are set on the bench, they should re- 

 ceive a watering sufficient to dampen the 

 whole of the soil. For this purpose a 

 fine rose should -e used on the watering- 

 pot. If a heavy one is used the seeds 

 may be displaced and run into bunches, 

 and a heavy watering also will tend to 

 harden the surface of the soil when it 

 dries out. 



If the flats are set in a bright house 

 it will be advantageous to the starting 

 of the seeds, if shading is provided from 

 the direct rays of the sun, but after the 

 little plants are well up the shading 

 should be discontinued and full ex- 

 posure allowed. 



Subsequent waterings must be judi- 

 ciously given. What is known as damp- 

 ing oflF, which is really a fungous dis- 

 ease, is often the result of careless 

 watering. It is generally claimed that 

 overwatering is alone responsible for this 

 condition, but my experience proves that 

 it is more often the result of extremes 

 either way, and that it also often is 

 caused by too much manure in the soil. 

 For seed sowing we invariably use soil 

 without any manure whatever. 



The varieties to be grown will have to 

 be regulated according to what will 

 command the best market. Where Grand 

 Rapids can be used it is by far the 

 easiest variety to grow, but if a head 

 lettuce best suits the requirements. Ten- 

 nis Ball, Boston Market or its improved 

 form, known as Glass House, will be 

 found suitable kinds to grow. 



W. S. Croydon. 



IN THE HEART OF THE TOWN. 



When the S. A. F. visited Dayton 

 last month there were many comments 

 on the general use of plants and the 

 great degree in which they enhanced the 

 attractiveness of the city. While much 

 of the credit is due to the efforts of 

 John H. Patterson, still there are other 

 enthusiasts who have done their share 

 and one whose work particularly im- 

 pressed the florists was C. T. Freeman, 

 proprietor of the Atlas hotel. Mr. Free- 

 man 's planting along the Ludlow street 

 side of his house not only increased 

 the habitableness of his place to a very 

 appreciable extent, but it brought horti- 

 culture right into the heart of the city, 

 where thousands pass each day and can 

 not fail to absorb some enthusiasm for, 

 or at least appreciation of the beauties 

 of horticulture. 



While the accompanying illustration, 

 from a photograph taken at the sugges- 

 tion of Arthur Cowee. Berlin, N. Y., 

 who was one of Mr. Freeman's guests 

 during convention week, shows the ex- 

 tent and something of the character of 

 the Atlas planting, it does not give 

 an adequate conception of the general 

 effect, which was much enhanced by the 

 character of the surroundings. The 

 green in contrast to the asphalt paving 

 and the red brick wall was a relief to 

 the eye to a degree which is not even 

 suggested in the picture. Still it will 

 serve to give many a florist an idea 

 with which he can go to his local hotel- 

 keeper with a suggestion which, if 

 adopted, will redound to the everlasting 

 credit of the florist, the hotel and the 

 town. 



DESIRABLE HARDY PERENNIALS. 



South Bend, Ind. — L. B. Kemper, of 

 Winona Lake, is now gardener for John 

 ^i. Studebaker, 



Sandusky, O. — The Central Green- 

 houses have remodelled and enlarged the 

 offices and selling department at Colum- 

 bus avenue and Monroe street. 



G>reopsis Grandiflora. 



This plant is of special value to flo- 

 rists, owing to its ease of propagation, 

 free-blooming qualities and usefulness 

 for cutting. It is usually treated as a 

 biennial, seed being sown in May or 

 June and pricked out into nursery rows 

 when large enough to handle. As it is 

 liable to damp off in winter unless the 

 land where it is planted is well trained, 

 it is safer to carry the plants over in a 

 coldframe, placing them there just be- 

 fore the ground freezes. If faded flow- 

 ers are cut away, C. grandiflora will 

 flower all summer. In addition to being 

 valuable in the border, it makes a verj 

 desirable pot plant, and if Easter does 

 not come too early it may be had in 

 bloom then, but for Memorial day trade 

 it is particularly useful. Pot up some 

 of the strongest clumps in early Octo- 

 ber, keep in a cool pit until January, 

 then give them a temperature of 50 to 52 

 degrees at night. When the flower spikes 

 are showing, feed freely and don't for- 

 get to use a stake in each pot to keep 

 the stalk straight. Pots from eight to 

 ten inches in diameter we find are the 

 best sizes to use, and a batch of this size 

 plants on Memorial day has come to be a 

 necessity. If you have never grown any 

 try a few for next season. 



Qenutis Recta. 

 The several varieties of shrubby clem- 

 atis are all well worthy of culture in 

 the hardy border, growing from two to 

 four feet high and forming dense 

 clumps, with fresh, light green foliage. 

 They are attractive even when out of 

 flower. They increase rapidly by root 

 division, and flower best when estab- 

 lished a couple of seasons. C. recta, 

 which flowers late in June or eaffly in 

 July, is excellent for design work, its 

 large, white, feathery clusters being ex- 

 cellent for this purpose. It also looks 

 well arranged on long stems in vases. 



