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1246 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Mabch 14, 1907. 



It was altogether much the same as many 

 houses seen at Chicago. 



The first year lettuce was grown and 

 also young carnation stock for the fol- 

 lowing year, which was the season of 

 1904-1905, when the carnation market 

 was glutted almost continually, causing 

 profits to be almost unknown. The fol- 

 lowing year another house was added to 

 the old one, with solid beds made with 

 12-inch boards for sides, filled with soil. 

 This house was planted to carnations be- 

 fore the glass was oc^ with very satis- 

 factory results. The following year, 

 which was 1906, another house was 

 added and planted to mums. 



My Way of Growing Carnations. 



To start with, the propagating bench 

 is built of 1x6 tamarack boards with 

 three hot water pipes underneath. After 

 whitewashing the inside of the bench it 

 is filled two inches deep with fine cin- 

 ders, and is then filled with three inches 

 more of coarse, clean sand, leveled and 

 well packed. While this is not the mod- 

 ern style of propagating bench, still I 

 find no fault with it, as it is inexpen- 

 sive, easily constructed and, if properly 

 taken care of, nearly every cutting will 

 be strongly rooted. 



I try and select cuttings at the stage 

 where there is about one-half inch or a 

 little more of base without any leaves, 

 then cut as small amount as possible off 

 of the base and still leave a nice, smooth 

 surface. If plenty of room is at hand 

 on the propagating bench leave on all 

 the leaves except when it is necessary 



rooted and of tener when much ventilation 

 is given. The cuttings should never see 

 bright sunlight until well rooted, when 

 they should be planted up as soon as 

 possible. I always have planted in flats, 

 simply because it saves a lot of work 

 and, when plants are planted out in the 

 field, I believe it to be just as good as 

 if pots are used. The advantage of 

 growing young carnations in flats, at 

 least in my soil, which is clay loam, is: 

 First, a saving of a lot of labor potting, 

 repotting and handling; second, they do 

 not suffer from want of water so easily, 

 which is worth while, because in the 

 spring rush they might happen to be 

 neglected; third, about the last of 

 April or first part of May they can 

 be placed outdoors. This outdoor treat- 

 ment with cool nights brings the strength 

 and vigor right into them and they are 

 then in tip-top shape to plant- in the 

 field. In case of a hard frost they are 

 easily covered with a large piece of light 

 cotton, which is enough protection at 

 this time of year. 



Field Culture. 



By cutting with a sharp knife, both 

 ways, between the rows of plants, then 

 holding the flat on one side, giving it a 

 sharp downward tap upon a solid block, 

 the plants are loosened and easily taken 

 out in good shape, with all the soil cling- 

 ing to the nice mass of roots which they 

 always have. These plants with roots 

 looking out in every direction, not like 

 pot-bound plants, but ready to take hold 

 of their new quarters, always make fine, 



H. Thaden Expatiating on His Patent Truss Construction. 



to remove some of the small lower ones. 

 When a batch is ready, make a cut in 

 the sand with a tool about the width of 

 a table knife and one-sixteenth of an 

 inch thick. The distance apart to stick 

 the cuttings is governed by their size. 

 Three-quarters of an inch apart in the 

 rows and the rows two and one-half 

 inches apart is about right for medium 

 .size cuttings. 



Spray the cuttings every day until 



healthy stock. So far I have planted 

 out in the field as early as possible, some- 

 times the last part of April, when we 

 still have hard frosts and find the earliest 

 ones out always make the best plants. 

 They are planted eight inches to nine 

 inches apart and the rows thirty-nine 

 inches apart, so all cultivating can be 

 done with a horse. This should be done 

 as soon as possible after every rain. 

 Topping should be looked after in 



time, not allowing the plants to produce 

 a lot of buds unnecessarily, which is 

 only a waste of energy on the part of 

 the plants. This also should be done 

 often and not more than two or three 

 shoots on any plant stopped at once. Do- 

 ing this often helps much to have plants 

 in continuous bloom. 



Indoor Culture. 



Lifting and planting in the houses 

 should always be accomplished as early 

 as possible. I have always planted in 

 August, but would plant earlier if possi- 

 ble. By keeping the plants well culti- 

 vated they can be taken up at any time, 

 regardless of the weather, although a dry 

 time is best, as then the foliage is rather 

 hard and not easily injured by wilting. 

 I like to leave on a ball of dirt about 

 three inches in diameter, which, when 

 planted, helps to keep them erect and 

 also from wilting badly the first few 

 days. 



Until the plants begin to send out lit- 

 tle rootlets they should be sprayed once 

 or twice a day, according to the weather ; 

 also keep them well watered after the 

 roots have taken good hold. Watering 

 is only done when needed and then thor- 

 oughly. At first it is necessary to keep 

 the soil wet enough, still not too wet, as 

 the plants have not as yet taken a strong 

 hold, and the soil, not being full of roots, 

 is easily and quickly soured. Thorough 

 cultivation will help much to avoid this 

 and should be done often. 



As soon as growth commences, the 

 shade on the houses should be removed, 

 plenty of ventilation given and the plants 

 never allowed to suffer for want of 

 water. After the plants are larger and 

 are beginning to bloom, the soil, being 

 full of roots, is kept sweet, so it is not 

 necessary to cultivate so often. 



Fumigating and syringing should be 

 attended to. Greenfly and red spider 

 must be kept out of sight. Nothing 

 causes so much loss and annoyance as a 

 good crop of these pests. 



Marketing and Varieties. 



Every grower has his own way of dis- 

 posing of his stock. So far I have sent 

 the bulk of my stock to the Michigan Cut 

 Flower Exchange, except at a few short 

 periods when I have relieved a glut, to a 

 certain extent at least, by selling on the 

 street; which method by some has been 

 severely ridiculed, and by others upheld, 

 as the only method that will satisfac- 

 torily relieve a glut. 



I am at present growing Thos. W. 

 Lawson, White Lawson, Variegated Law- 

 son, Enchantress, Eose-pink Enchantress, 

 Mrs. M. A. Patten, Nelson Fisher, Har- 

 lowarden, Ethel Ward, Helen Goddard 

 and two seedlings, one white and one 

 red. Of these varieties I will discard 

 M. A. Patten, Harlowarden, Ethel Ward 

 and Helen Goddard, and will add to my 

 list for next season Aristocrat, Beacon 

 and White Enchantress. I have also 

 done a little hybridizing, which every 

 grower should practice, at least on a 

 small scale; it keeps up a lively interest, 

 gives one something to look forward to 

 at all times and, perhaps, may result 

 profitably financially. 



Westboeo, Mass. — K. O. Stockbridge 

 & Co. have had a hard winter, especially 

 since their boiler broke down in the cold 

 snap in February. They were able to 

 keep frost out by using oil stoves, but 

 it has hurt later crops.^ 



