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1672 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



Apkil 18, 1007. 



the valley, the crowns of which had 

 been soaked in warm water (35 degrees 

 Eoaumur) (96 degrees F.) previously to 

 planting them, and in fourteen days the 

 plants were so far advanced as to be 

 taken out of the forcing, house. Ilerr 

 Swoboda, of the firm of J. C. Schmidt, 

 Berlin, had experimented with a temper- 

 ature of 15 degrees to 20 degrees K^au., 

 and intended to carry on the experi- 

 ment further. Nurseryman Beuster had 



applied water at 37 degrees R6au. with- 

 out injury to the plants. The method 

 has been tried at Dresden, even on 

 lilac, with good results, the plants being 

 placed in tanks under water for ten 

 hours of a temperature of 22 degrees to 

 24 degrees K^au. (86 degrees F.). This 

 method is much cheaper than setheriza- 

 tion, and, according to Die Bindekunst, 

 will doubtless take its place in the early 

 forcing of a large number of species. 



GROWTH FINE. FI.OWERS PCX)R. 



We have a solid bed in roses which are 

 making lots of new growth from near 

 the ground, almost walking sticks four 

 feet and over in length, but the bloom 

 is not in proportion; it is just ordinary 

 in quality. We have been letting the 

 blooms develop and then cutting back to 

 three or four eyes, hoping the next 

 growth will be better. Is that the right 

 way? Also, there is considerable old, 

 blind wood and we would like to know if 

 it is best to prune much now. 



J. W. M. 



As these roses seem to be doing well 

 and making excellent wood, there is no 

 doubt but that they will produce good 

 blooms after a while. It is possible that 

 they are planted in too rich soil and 

 should therefore receive no feeding until 

 they seem to require it. It might be 

 profitable, seeing they are inclined to 

 such rank growth, to cut the stems a little 

 higher, leaving five or six eyes instead 

 of three or four. At this season it would 

 be better to leave all the side, or blind, 

 wood on the plants, thus affording a 

 shade to the soil and protection from the 

 hot sun for the roots. Bibes. 



SOIL FOR BENCHES. 



As soon as the weather will permit, 

 the selection, collection and composting 

 of soil for the season's planting should 

 be commenced. The best of soil is none 

 too good, so care .should be taken and 

 some time spent in making the selection, 

 as it will certainly pay to get the best 

 that can be had. A good, friable yellow 

 loam from old pasture land is the soil 

 that most of the growers are after. The 

 top spit, about seven inches deep, with 

 all the sod, should be taken. This should 

 be put into piles on ground elevated a 

 little above the common level, to secure 

 a dry bottom, and one-fifth of decom- 

 posed cow manure added. 



After being allowed to lie in the pile 

 for a week or so, to allow fermentation 

 to commence, the whole mass should be 

 chopped up, not too fine, and left for 



another week. By this time fermenta- 

 tion will be so far advanced that the 

 compost should either be used or turned 

 over once more. 



In order to discourage thrips and other 

 insect pests from making this pile their 

 breeding place, no weeds should be al- 

 lowed to make their appearance, either 

 on the pile or in its immediate vicinity. 

 All operations connected with the com- 

 post should, if possible, be conducted dur- 

 ing bright sunshine and when the soil is 

 in a mellow condition. 



By a little forethought and care with 

 the work, the soil will remain sweet and 

 in good condition when placed on the 

 bench. Eibes. 



SOUTHERN ROSES UNDER GLASS. 



[A paper by R. liookerblp. Now Orleans. rei\fl 

 Itefore the Society of Southern Florists, at the 

 New OrleauB Convention, February 14 to 10, 

 1907.1 



Having, in previous installments, 

 treated of propagating, culture and in- 

 secticides, we will conclude with a few 

 words on fertilizers, etc. 



Fertilizers. 



For fertilizers, roses require nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid, potash and calcium or 



lime. For perfect foliage, stem, size and 

 color of bloom the plants must have their 

 proportion of each of these ingredients. 



The nitrogen is easily supplied by ani- 

 mal manures, and dried blood and bone 

 meal supply the phosphoric acid, whicli, 

 besides increasing the size, develops th(' 

 color of the bloom. Potash is found in 

 hard- wood ashes, and muriate of potasl-. 

 is another cheap source of supply. For- 

 tunately the soils, in Louisiana at least, 

 are well supplied with potash and this 

 element may be eliminated. 



If the plants have made good growt!( 

 and the soil shows signs of becoming ex- 

 hausted a liberal dusting of bone meal 

 may bo applied about the middle of Oi- 

 tober, and this again covered with j) 

 mulch of cow manure. This will carrv 

 the plants along for a couple of months, 

 when they should receive a little stinui 

 lant about every two weeks. Alternate 

 with a dusting of dried blood, cotton- 

 seed meal and native Poudrette. . Tiiis 

 latter is a Philadelphia pro(Juct, madi; 

 from night soil, dried and pulverized, 

 and is odorless and easy to handle. 

 When used with bone flour in the pro- 

 portion of four of Poudrette to one of 

 the flour it makes a wonderful fertilizer. 

 Its effect is noticed in a few days in 

 the improved foliage and size and color 

 of the blooms. All these fertilizers 

 should be used sparingly at first and 

 cither rubbed into the manure with the 

 palm of the hand or covered with a thin 

 coating of fresh soil. 



Manure water once or twice a month 

 can also be given to advantage. Toward 

 spring the quantities can be increased 

 and another good mulch of manure wilt 

 be beneficial, both as a fertilizer and a 

 help in keeping the roots cool as long as- 

 possible. 



Of course these rules are only for 

 plants that are vigorous and healthy. 

 Sickly plants must be nursed into health 

 before any fertilizer can be given. From 

 March on, the plants use more water 

 and the supply can be increased as the 

 season advances. 



During the growing season the aphis 

 or greenfly must be kept in subjection. 

 Tobacco stems used for fvimigating are 

 so liable to discolor and cripple the 

 blooms that the careful grower discards 

 them for something else. The safest and 

 most effective remedy that I have ever 



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