AiRiL 18, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



1673 



New Deliver/ Outfit of J. S. Simmons, Toronto. 



tried is Nicoticide. Its cleanliness and 

 safety from injurious results to the 

 most tender plant and bloom more than 

 offset the little higher price over other 

 remedies. 



Roses for Summer Blooming. 



There are many other points of more 

 or less importance that might be men- 

 tioned, but this paper is so long already 

 that I must apologize. Let me just write 

 one word about roses for summer bloom- 

 ing. Maman Cochet and its white sport 

 are two roses that are worth millions for 

 Slimmer blooming in the south. The 

 same directions for soil and planting as 

 jiivon before apply to them. Plenty of 

 air and water, and, after they are well 

 established, judicious fertilizing are the 

 main requirements. 



These two varieties seem to riot in the 

 hot sun and they can be run with profit 

 until the Christmas holidays are over. 

 If these are grown in a separate house, 

 on raised, solid benches, they can b» used 

 a number of years without disturbing the 

 IxMiches. After the holidays are over 

 j^radually withhold water and diminish 

 the temperature, so as to get them into 

 a dormant condition. In early spring 

 tlicy can be pruned well back and two 

 inches of soil removed. Give the beds a 

 tliorough watering, then top dress with a 

 y:ood dose of bone meal and add enough 

 soil and manure in equal parts to level 

 <i|) the bed. Syringe the wood three or 

 lour times a day, but water sparingly 

 "util the roots are well under way. I 

 venture to say that with the quantity of 

 '■ )ses used in the south, a large house or 

 iwo of these two varieties will prove a 

 -iiiall Klondike to the grower. 



Some Advantag^es in the South. 



There are many diflSculties in the way 

 "f successful rose growing in the south, 

 ■'lit again there are many advantages 

 ^^hich she possesses over the north. Here 

 IS the finest market in the whole United 

 States with unlimited chance for devel- 

 'pment. The cry is not "Bekos, Be- 

 liOH," but is ever the same "More flow- 

 "I's, more flowers." Will the south grasp 

 ■'•^r opportunity? Is she doing her full 

 ''"ty in the premises? It is high time 

 ^''e was claiming the money annually 

 ••"t'ut north for cut flowers, and now is a 



good time to begin. Verbum sapientiae, 

 gentlemen, I hope the seed has fallen on 

 good ground. 



DAHLIAS. 



Field Roots, Pot Roots or Green Plants. 



In discussing this subject, says Wil- 

 liam F. Turner in the first issue of the 

 Dahlia News, let us first define the 

 terms. Field roots are the T)est-known 

 and probably the most universally 

 grown in America of the three classes, 

 while in Europe, field roots in commerce 

 are an almost unknown commodity. In 

 England, where the dahlia probably 

 reaches its highest state of perfection, 

 plants are used almost exclusively. 

 Among the large majority of dahlia 

 lovers, outside of the dealers and mem- 

 bers of horticultural societies, where 

 such subjects are freely discussed, the 

 field root is fearfully abused. Early in 

 the season, usually as soon as the ground 

 is open, the clump of roots is taken from 

 its hiding place and plunged in a cold- 

 frame, where the dormant root soon re- 

 sponds to the gentle admonition that 

 spring is here. If the root is in a good 

 state of presentation, a number of 

 sprouts spring from around the old 

 stalk and are allowed to grow, creating 

 an abnormal bush and producing a re- 

 markably small number of flowers, 

 many of them with open centers. 



There are three serious objections to 

 this method, viz. : Starting thus early 

 in the season, the plants are growing 

 during the moist spring weather, giving 

 us dahlias which often require a step- 

 ladder to reach the inferior flowers at 

 the top, the several shoots that spring 

 from the crown likewise increase the 

 diameter of the bush, excluding light 

 and air; and thirdly, fewer new tubers 

 are produced for the next year 's growth. 



The modern method of handling the 

 field root is to divide the clump as soon 

 as the new eyes are plainly discernible, 

 leaving from one to three tubers to eacli 

 sprout or group of sprouts. When 

 growth is well started, all but one or 

 two shoots are removed, preferably all 

 but one. The function of the tuber is 

 simply to preserve the eyes during win- 

 ter and to sustain the new growth until 

 such time as it can put forth new roots. 



when the tuber could be removed with- 

 out detriment to the plant. The whole 

 clump idea tends to deterioration and 

 the production of small flowers often 

 open centered. 



Where quick and certain results are 

 desired with a minimum of labor and 

 quantity, rather the extremely fine qual- 

 ity of ilowers is the object to be at- 

 tained, field roots are the most desirable, 

 and a single toe with a good eye is pref- 

 erable to several tubers less favorably 

 eyed. 



Pot roots are small tubers produced 

 by growing green plants one season in 

 3-inch or 3i/>-inch pots. The confine- 

 ment of the roots causes the plant to 

 form from one to three and sometimes 

 even more small roots, varying in size 

 from that of the end of a man's thumb 

 to twice or even three times that size. 

 These tubers, althougli rather diminu- 

 tive, and often unpromising in appear- 

 ance, have suflScient food force stored in 

 small confines to push forth good, 

 strong, lusty shoots, and in time fur- 

 nish as fine plants as any field-grown 

 roots. The main thing is to cater to 

 their needs. If potted and given a good 

 start before planting in the open, my 

 experience has been fully as satisfac- 

 tory as though I had planted the field 

 root; but where such methods are im- 

 possible or impracticable, I should rec- 

 ommend the field-grown stock. In an 

 adverse season, like the spring of 1906, 

 the large tuber would be far more liable 

 to force its sprout above the surface of 

 the rain-packed and water-soaked 

 ground than its smaller brother. Once 

 above the surface, the fight is nearly an 

 even one. 



dreen plants of dahlias are prac- 

 tically the same thing as chrysanthemum 

 plants, young geraniums, and many of 

 the pot plants of perennials. The clump 

 of tubers is plunged in the bench in a 

 moderately heated house, leaving the 

 center or crown exposed. When the 

 shoots have two sets of leaves and an 

 undeveloped top, cut the slip just below 

 the bottom leaves, trim the lower leaves 

 close to the stem, and place in good, 

 clear sand, where a moderate bottom 

 heat can be obtained. In about two 

 weeks they will be well rooted, and 

 should then be potted in small pots and 



