

NOVKMBKU 15, lOOG. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



J7J9 



House of D2ndrobiuni Phalaenopsis Schro^derianum. 



examine the flats or pots and, if there is 

 not an abundance of roots, then don't 

 attempt to force them, for without 

 plenty of roots hyacinths, tulips or nar- 

 cissi will not force, and the attempt to 

 do 60 has been the cause of many a 

 seedsman being wrongfully blamed. 



Let me say in conclusion that the So- 

 man hyacinth is a valuable florists' flow- 

 er, and is useful and desirable from No- 

 vember on till Easter. For the Dutch 

 hyacinth there is no demand before early 

 February, and then a few in 4-inch pots 

 fill the demand. There are other and 

 prettier plants in midwinter. W. S. 



CEMENT BENCHES. 



Some years ago I erected some con- 

 crete or cement benches as an experiment, 

 says H. A. Siebrecht in the Rural New 

 Yorker. I put up temporary wooden 

 benches, using wire mesh the full width 

 of the bench, and put on two inches of 

 concrete, putting up also wooden forms 

 for posts or uprights, and running the 

 cement in these forms to support the 

 bench. We left cracks or openings in the 

 concrete for drainage. We used iron 

 pipe bearers every four feet, these rest- 

 ing on the cement uprights or posts. The 

 benches are substantial and durable, 

 lasting for years without repairs. The 

 only trouble is that if great care and 

 judgment are not used the plants stand- 

 ing on the benches are easily overwatered 

 or get soggy, and they are not consid- 

 ered as good for planting out stock as 

 are the wooden benches or the terra 

 cotta or tile tables. However, a great 

 many cement or concrete benches are now 

 being constructed throughout the west, 

 more so than in the east. I have just 

 learned of one large range of glass, six 

 houses, 500 feet long each, having con- 

 crete benches. These are constructed in 



much tlie same manner; temporary 

 wooden forms are put up with a false 

 bottom, and light steel frames used, the 

 cement or concrete being cast or made 

 in slabs or large pieces; three posts are 

 constructed of cement, one on the back 

 edge, one in front and one in the middle, 

 thus making a very substantial construc- 

 tion. For ordinary width of table, say 

 three to three and one-third feet, one 

 and one-half inches in thickness will be 

 plenty, but for the wider tables, two 

 inches in thickness is preferable. This 

 construction of bench need not neces- 

 sarily interfere with any piping under- 

 neath the tables. As lumber is getting 

 scarcer and higher in price from year to 

 year, either concrete or tile and other 

 material of like endurance will neces- 

 sarily have to be used, and no doubt a 

 number of varieties of inventions will be 

 brought out by vthe necessity. 



HOUSE OF DENDROBIUMS. 



Dendrobium Phatenopsis Schroederi- 

 anum is one of the most useful of cut 

 flower orchids, its long, graceful sprays 

 of bloom being splendidly adapted to the 

 purposes of first-class trade. It is an 

 autumn bloom, but the duration is con- 

 siderable. The accompanying illustra- 

 tion is from ^ photograph supplied by 

 Thomas Knight and shows a part of the 

 really remarkable display of this orchid 

 recently to have been seen at the estab- 

 lishment of the Julius Roehrs Co., Ruth- 

 erford, N. J. That it shows only a part 

 of the display is explained by the fact 

 that the camera stood halfway down the 

 house, which contained in all some 1,400 

 plants. As many as eighteen to twenty 

 flowers were carried on a considerable 

 number of spikes. The plants all were 

 imported last year. Some fine things 

 have flowered among them. 



BOSTON. 



The Market 



The full tide of chrysanthemums is 

 now on and as a consequence the mar- 

 ket is demoralized. Trade has been fair 

 during the week, but a good deal of 

 stock has had to be carried over each 

 day. Mums sell all the way from $3 

 per hundred to $3 and $4 per dozen, only 

 a select* few reaching the latter figures. 

 The quality of flowers is not what it used 

 to be, as Waban Conservatories, Sim and 

 other growers have dropped out of the 

 business. The kinds seen in quantity are 

 Ivory, BonnaflFon, Jerome Jones, Apple- 

 ton, Balfour, Eaton and Nagoya. None 

 of the newer sorts seems to be popular 

 commercially except Jeanne Nonin, of 

 which some fine flowers will be forthcom- 

 ing later. 



Roses are now in oversupply at pre- 

 vious week's prices. «,^uite a few hava 

 to go at $1 per hundred. The quality of 

 Beauty, Richmond, Wellesley and Chatt 

 nay is excellent, while Brides and Maid 

 show steady improvement. Carnation 

 run from $1 to $3, a few fancies making 

 $4. Violets are abundant at 35 cent 

 to 50 cents, some extra singles making 

 60 cents to 75 cents. Sweet peas have 

 appeared at $1 per hundred. Antir- 

 rhinums make $3 to $4 per hundred. 

 Callas and Easter lilies bring $1.50 per 

 dozen. The first Paper Whites made 

 $4 per hundred. Cattleya labiata is 

 getting scarce and brings better prices. 

 Some Cypripedium insigne are in, sell- 

 ing at $10 to $12 per hundred, "Valley 

 sells at $3 to $5. Green goods remain 

 about the same. 



Various Notes. 



There promises to be a record-breaking 

 attendance at the next meeting of the 



k 



