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MAY 9, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



J 893 



-.9 



1 



'♦^'♦^ 



SEASONABLE 



SUGGESTIONS 



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Coelogyne G-istata. 



The present is a suitable time to over- 

 :uil Ccelogyne cristata, that most useful 

 iid easily cultivated Avinter-blooming or- 

 jiid. Flowering, as it does, during Feb- 

 nary and March, when cattleyas are not 

 (10 abundant, it is of special value to 

 ilorists. The genus coilogyne is a fairly 

 ;:irge one, but the variety cristata is 

 the only one of much commercial value, 

 ('oelogyncs succee«l well in either pots, 

 nans or baskets, perhaps the latter re- 

 roptacles being preferable. They need 

 irood drainage and a mixture of fern 

 fiber, sphagnum moss and lumpy char- 

 coal for compost. Plants which have 

 become thoroughly matted with roots 

 and in which the bulbs are densely 

 crowded will not bloom satisfactorily, 

 but should be pulled to pieces, keeping 

 as many roots intact as possible, and 

 placed more thinly in new baskets or 

 pans. They will not bloom very freely 

 the following winter, but the next sea- 

 son will make a fine show. 



In summer they will grow well in a 

 frame or house where they can be shaded 

 from the full rays of the sun. They do 

 not need heavy shade and after the 

 bulbs are half developed increase the 

 amount of sunlight and they will flower 

 all the better for it. Keep lightly syr- 

 inged after potting, but do not water 

 until growth is well advanced. Estab- 

 lished plants will need an abundant 

 water supply from now on and liquid 

 manure once a week after June 1 will 

 be found helpful. A temperature at 

 night of 50 to 55 degrees suits these 

 plants in winter. They do not succeed 

 well in a warmer house. 



There are several forms of C. cristata. 

 The Chatsworth variety has extra large 

 flowers. Alba is a pure white form, 

 flowering later than the ordinary C. cris- 

 tata. There is also a pretty, pale-lemon 

 lipped variety named Lemoniana. 



Scented Geraniums. 



Almost every florist grows a batch of 

 scented-leaved geraniums, of which there 

 are several varieties. These and lemon- 

 scented verbenas are popular with al- 

 most every person and the grower who 

 has a good batch never finds much trou- 

 ble in disposing of them. There is quite 

 a good demand in the large markets for 

 the cut stems, which, arranged in bowls 

 •f water, yield a pleasant perfume in a 

 room. For cutting from July to Octo- 

 iier, a plentiful supply may be had out- 

 loors by allowing the plants two feet 

 ipart in the rows and running the rows 

 hree feet apart. They need this space, 

 for in good compost they will make vig- 

 orous growths. If a good winter sup- 

 ply is desired, keep a percentage of the 

 plants in pots, shift into larger sizes 

 ')efore they become potbound, pinch oc- 

 asionally, keep in the open air all sum- 

 mer, and you will have some grand 

 i)lants in the fall. 



From cuttings taken now, good plants 

 in 6-inch pots may be had by the end 

 of September. The old roots from 



which you will cut during the coming 

 summer, if lifted before killing frosts 

 come, potted up or placed in flats six 

 inches deep, several together, will also 

 give useful shoots for bunching, and 

 plenty of cuttings for winter propaga- 

 tion, if needed. 



Primulas. 



Seedlings of Primula obcouica, P. Si- 

 nensis and the new yelloM, P. Kewensis, 

 should be pricked oft" by this time into 

 flats, using a light, leaf-moldy compost. 

 Do not leave them too long before pot- 

 ting, or a loss of foliage will inevitably 

 be the result. A house with a carnation 

 temperature will be about right for 

 them, and some shade will be necessary. 

 Far too often .these plants are being 

 ruined by being too long in ruinously 

 high temperatures. It should be remem- 

 bered that they are all plants needing 

 cool culture, with an abundance of ven- 

 tilation on all favorable occasions. In 

 summer they do best in frames, from 

 which the sashes can be drawn off on 

 cool, cloudy days and at night, unless 

 thunder storms are likely. Grown in 

 this way, the plants arc vigorous, stocky 

 and far superior to any kept in the 

 houses during the hot months. 



Marguerites 



Marguerites are still blooming j)ro- 

 fusely, but Memorial day trade usually 

 cleans them up. Have you a good batch 

 already propagated for next winter and 

 spring supply? If not, you probably 

 cannot get any suitable cuttings now, as 

 the plants carry nothing but flowering 

 wood. Prune back some of those done 

 blooming, moderately bard. Keep them 



well watered and as soon as some soft 

 cuttings appear put them in the propa- 

 gating bench. The plants do not break 

 freely in the hot months, but make ram- 

 pant growth after the end of August. 



If a supply of flowering plants is 

 needed at Christmas, when they are es- 

 pecially useful, save a number of your 

 smallest flowering plants, prune back to 

 make tliem shapely, pinch when needed, 

 plunge outdoors Avhen danger of frost is 

 gone, let them root through the bottoms 

 of tlie i)ots and give them a small shift 

 when lifted, place in a cool, light, airy 

 house and you will have nice Christmas 

 stock. 



The cuttings you have put in this 

 spring will make excellent plants to suc- 

 ceed the older ones and will give a suc- 

 cession from early March until Memorial 

 day. Do not allow any flowers to be 

 produced through the summer. Never 

 let them get into a dust dry state. Ply 

 the liose among tliciu daily to keep down 

 tlirips, and you will have plants which 

 will bo a croflit to you. 



Amaryllis. 



ThoKO showy ])ulbous plants, the ama- 

 ryllises, are not so much grown commer- 

 cially as we woukl wish. The fact that 

 the large flowers bruise easily makes it 

 necessary to ship them in the bud. These 

 open well in a store window, or when 

 cut conic out in water in a warm room. 

 The hybrid varieties will now \ye prac- 

 tically done flowering, unless the bulbs 

 have been retarded in cold storage. A 

 great mistake, but a common one, is to 

 ilry off the plants immediately the flow- 

 ers are gone. Nothing could be more 

 harmful. Not alone on amaryllis is this 

 practice conunon, but with gloxinias, 

 acliimenes, tuberous begonias, freesias 

 and many other bulbous or tuberous- 

 rooted plants. 



A liberal supply of water should be 

 given amaryllis after flowering, accom- 

 l)anie(l by liquid manure stimulants until 

 leaf growth is completed, after which it 

 may slowly be reduced until they are 

 quite dry. Plants raised from seed, the 

 best method of propagation, should be 

 kej)t growing continuously until they 



Coelogyne Cristata. 



