Jaxuaby 24, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



70? 



PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING. 



After the stock has been placed in the 

 grafting case the real work pertaining to 

 success begins. This consists of watch- 

 fulness and careful observation, which 

 tnust be insistent. 



The sand or ashes on which the pots 

 rest must be thoroughly moist and the 

 soil in the pots medium wet. The plants 

 should then receive a sprinkling with a 

 nozzle which makes a very fine spray and 

 the case should be closed immediately 

 afterwards. 



In ordinary cases the plants require 

 no more moisture for the first five or six 

 days; neither do they require any venti- 

 lation. To get rid of any superfluous 

 moisture it is a good plan to remove the 

 sashes for a few moments night and 

 morning. This also freshens the air and 

 if carefully performed will result in no 

 injury to the plants. If the sashes are 

 forgotten and left open too long, ruin 

 will be the result. I need scarcely add 

 that during this period the plants must 

 be carefully shaded and the state of the 

 stock examined, at least twice a day, to 

 see if there is a sufficiency or excess of 

 moisture in the case. 



If there are signs of wilting of the 

 foliage it is usually due to too dry an 

 atmosphere, while if the moisture is 

 excessive the leaves have a droopy and 

 saturated appearance and lose color. If 

 the moisture is excessive a thin wedge of 

 wood inserted below the sash will keep 

 it even ; but this requires constant watch- 

 ing, especially during dry and breezy 

 weather, and may require altering several 

 times a day in order to keep conditions 

 right. The temperature during this 

 stage and until the union has formed 

 should be about 70 degrees, which may 

 even rise to 75 degrees during bright 

 weather. 



As soon as the callus is formed the 

 case will require a little ventilation; but 

 this must be administered very carefully, 

 keeping a strict watch on results and 

 gradually increasing the supply as cir- 

 cumstances demand. By carefully study- 

 ing conditions and gradually increasing 

 the amount of air given, the sashes can 

 •be entirely removed in about twenty-five 

 days when the plants can be removed 

 to the bench. Even after they are on 

 the bench they will require extra care in 

 watering, ventilation and especially in 

 shading for a week or two in order to 

 make a real success. 



After treatment is little different from 

 •that accorded own .root stock, with the 

 -exception that as the bark begins to 



swell the tying material should be exam- 

 ined to see that it does not cut into the 

 bark; and if any suckers make their 

 appearance they should be removed at 

 once. BiBES. 



TROUBLE WITH ROSES. 



We are sending you two rose plants, 

 out of a house that was in excellent 

 condition until six weeks ago. We have 

 treated them the same as in previous 

 years, and have always had good suc- 

 cess. Can you tell us what the trouble 

 is? This trouble seems to be scattered 

 all through the house. Probably one- 

 fifth of the plants are affected. Could 

 it be clubroot? A. H. 



After a careful and very critical 

 examination of these plants I can find 

 no trace of any disease and certainly no 

 sign of clubroot or eel-worm. The trouble 

 seems to arise from erratic temperature, 

 ventilating and watering, which would 

 account for the low vitality they possess. 



Keep a strict watch on the night tem- 

 perature, which should be 56 degrees to 

 58 degrees, allowing a range of 15 

 degrees to 20 degrees rise during day- 

 time, according to condition of weather. 

 Be careful not to allow the benches to 

 become dry at the bottom and also exer- 

 cise caution not to ov'erwater. With a 

 little care and patience and with in- 

 creased sunshine they will outgrow this 

 in a short time. 



It would be best not to try feeding for 

 some time till they show signs of return- 

 ing health. Eibes. 



SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. 



The attendance at the January meet- 

 ing of the Springfield Florists ' Club was 

 good, considering the extremely unsea- 

 sonable wet weather which has prevailed 

 for several weeks. 



On the department store question, 

 which had been discussed and referred 

 to a committee at a previous meeting, 

 Charles Unglaub reported progress, with 

 a prospect of arriving at a reasonably 

 satisfactory solution. 



The subject for the meeting being 

 "Credit," the paper of S. S. Skidelsky, 

 of Philadelphia, on "Our Credit Sys- 

 tem, its Uses and Abuses," was read 

 by George H. Mellen, from The Review 

 of January 3, 1907. The general dis- 

 cussion of the subject which followed 

 indicated a sentiment favorable to a 

 plan somewhat along the lines suggested 

 by Mr. Skidelsky. The credit committee, 

 which had been previously appointed, re- 

 ported, through George D. Leedle and 

 George H. Mellen. It favored a more 

 thorough use of the leading mercantile 

 agencies, as well as special trade agen- 

 cies, and was instructed to formulate a 

 plan for listing all delinquent debtors 



on the books of members doing a whole- 

 sale shipping business. 



The mail order firms have been put- 

 ting out catalogues rapidly and pro- 

 fusely and the southern trade is opening 

 earlier than usual in quite heavy volume. 

 A pleasing custom of the members is 

 the prompt exchange of new catalogues 

 and price-lists as soon as out of press, 

 and the purchase and exchange of stock 

 between local florists is something con- 

 stant and quite extensive. Ge Dale. 



NEW YORK. 



The Market 



The unexpected has happened; we have 

 actually had a snow storm and a touch 

 of winter, clearing the air of grip mi- 

 crobes and giving humanity another grip 

 on the life line. But in twenty-four 

 hours the rain descended and the floods 

 came and slush and mud were again 

 triumphant. Sunday the sun made an 

 effort to get acquainted with New York. 

 The skies cleared at night and the tem- 

 perature gave signs of hugging zero. 

 Monday we had the fringe of a blizzard. 



A remarkable condition of things pre- 

 vailed in the wholesale market Saturday 

 evening. Because of the long spell of 

 sunless weather the supply of roses sud- 

 denly diminished and none of good qual- 

 ity were to be had "for love or money." 

 Beauties rose to $12 per dozen and Maids 

 and Brides to $20 per hundred; even 

 higher figures were quoted in some cen- 

 ters. Advance orders were unsafe to 

 book in the evening and I saw one re- 

 tailer panicky with five dozen Beauties 

 and an equal number of the best Maids 

 and Brides on his list for early Sunday 

 delivery and not a flower to be found in 

 the wholsale markets to fill the bill. The 

 market was simply cleaned out, and 

 there was nothing left in roses of top 

 grade at any price. Such a condition 

 seldom has been experienced. ' ' How 

 are prices?" "Good, but what's the 

 use? There's nothing coming in and 

 quoting advance rates only makes dis- 

 satisfaction. ' ' 



Now that the weather has cleared and 

 the sun is shining, normal shipments will 

 soon again prevail. In the meantime 

 the interdependence of grower, whole- 

 saler and retailer has been pretty thor- 

 oughly and clearly demonstrated. "Use- 

 less each without the other." 



Carnations will now have their inning. 

 This is carnation convention week and 

 next week we have carnation day in 

 honor of McKinley. Already the whole- 

 sale section has emphasized the fact by 

 handsome placards announcing the oc- 

 casion. It will be observed more every 

 year and a large extra demand is antici- 

 pated. 



The violet for many days last week 

 was sadly neglected. The weather per- 

 mitted the street merchants to handle 

 them and prices fell to almost summer 

 rates. But as the week closed the sup- 

 ply decreased and values mounted to* 75 

 cents and $1 again, the latter figure for 

 the fine bunches of 100. 



There has been some further retro- 

 grading in the price of orchids and gar- 

 denias, as well as valley and lilies of all 

 kinds. There are narcissi, hyacinths and 

 tulips to spare. As to quality, the long 

 spell of dark, damp weather tells the 

 story. Few flowers of any kind have 

 done themselves justice. Roses espe- 

 cially have been most unsatisfactory in 

 color. But the law of averages is never 

 annulled. There will soon be abundant 



