K;w-nV*T^ 





W" 



1974 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



Mat 16. 1907. 



plies and, In fact, anything you may bavtf — 

 tven to a mall order courae in millinery — that 

 might tempt us to part with some of the money 

 which we expect the dear public to contribute in 

 return for our knowledge of plant and floral 

 hypnotism; that Is, if you have a line that will 

 so dazzle their optic nerves that wielded by 

 us they cannot see our competitors. 



Thanking you in advance for Jhls requert to 

 And us, we are, 



Yours truly, and then something. 



WINDOW-BOXES. 



In spite of the retarded spring, which 

 has made window-box talk sound unsea- 

 sonable, summer will come some time 

 surely, and with it the ever recurring 

 rush for the filling of tubs and window- 

 boxes innumerable. This rush is not con- 

 fined to the placing of orders for these 

 indispensable exterior embellishments of 

 city and country homes and public build- 

 ings, but of necessity there is associated 

 with it also the need ot more or less of 

 a rush to fill these orders, a fact often 

 responsible for poor and indifferent re- 

 sults. 



The first consideration in the filling of 

 window-boxes should be the procuring of 

 good soil for the plants to grow in all 

 through the summer. The next consider- 

 ation is well established but not over- 

 developed plants, properly selected for 

 the purpose, location, etc., for which the 

 boxes are wanted. 



For sunny situations, flowering plants 

 are usually asked for, and succeed well 

 when placed there, but it is almost use- 

 less to put geraniums or other flowering 

 plants of the like nature in boxes or tubs 

 to be placed where the sun never strikes. 

 In such places many kinds of foliage 



plants will do well and, if in addition to 

 shade, or partial shade, there is shelter, 

 there is nothing more effective than 

 palms, especially kentias and phoenix, 

 among which any or all of the different 

 varieties of nephrolepis may be used to 

 advantage. 



Dracaena indivisa is admirably suited 

 for window-boxes, as well as for tubs, 

 both for its graceful habit and its abil- 

 ity to stand intact, when well cared for, 

 all through the summer and autumn in 

 bright sunshine and in partially shaded 

 situations. Boxes look well w^ien planted 

 entirely with this dracaena, with the ad- 

 dition only of something in the nature 

 of a vine to hang downwards; or when 

 one or more are planted in each box, with 

 the remaining space filled with geraniums 

 or some other equally suitable flowering 

 plants; or with foliage plants, such as 

 aspidistra, which is cast-iron in its hardi- 

 ness. 



Ivy-leaved geraniums are charming 

 plants for window-boxes and tubs. Sal- 

 vias are bright and stand well. Acubas 

 are hardy and well adapted for shady 

 and exposed situations. Crotons, colored 

 dracaenas and Rex begonias are choice 

 subjects for warm locations on the prem- 

 ises of high class buyers. Cannas and 

 hydrangeas are used extensively for bold 

 effects when the ornamentation is under- 

 taken on an extensive scale. Rubber 

 plants are effective in boxes when a large 

 number may be allowed. Lobelia gracilis 

 may be planted along the edges. 



It is questionable if for the general 

 run of window-boxes anvthing in effect- 



iveness beats the variegated yinca for a 

 trailing vine. English ivy is also very 

 good for the same purpose, but it is not 

 so showy nor is it as a rule so satisfac- 

 tory in the matter of growth. 



Nasturtiums are well adapted for fill- 

 ing in the edges of window-boxes and 

 around the edges of tubs, and especially 

 useful when the question of expense arises 

 in the mind of the buyer. Among the 

 many other kinds of plants suitable for 

 this work are marguerites, eoleus, petu- 

 nias, fuchsias, centaureas, tuberous and 

 fibrous-rooted begonias, ageratum, alys- 

 sum, achyranthes, Latania Borbonica, 

 anthericum, Grevillea robusta, cupheas, 

 araucarias and German ivy. 



Bright and effective window-boxes are 

 sometimes seen, the flowering plants of 

 which they are composed are of mixed 

 colors, but boxes filled with plants of one 

 color are as a rule more pleasing and 

 they give, besides, the impression of pro- 

 fessional workmanship. 



The boxes, as receptacles, need not by 

 any means be costly or of superior work- 

 manship. For all practical purposes, 

 plain board boxes painted any desired 

 color, green always preferable, are just 

 as good as those costing five times as 

 much money. 



Important as the work of filling the 

 boxes undoubtedly is, that of properly 

 attending to the plants after the boxes 

 are filled is of still more importance, be- 

 cause their remaining for any length of 

 time a source of pleasure depends upon 

 the care with which they are watere«l 

 from the time they are filled. D. M. 



PROPAGATING. 



Tho plants intended for 6-inch pots 

 sliouW be propagated from now on to 

 June 1, nnd many commercial growers 

 also do not root their main crop before 

 this date. It is harder to root plants 

 from now on than it has been earlier 

 in the season, because with increased sun- 

 light, a higher temperature and drying 

 winds the cuttings wilt so quickly. If 

 a grower has a propagating house with 

 a northern aspect, he can get along all 

 right by watching his stock, but the man 

 who has to propagate in a house where 

 stock is growing is at great disadvantage. 



The warm, dry air is every uit as bad 

 as direct sunlight for sapping the vital- 

 ity of the cuttings. If a corner can be 

 shut off from the rest of the house by 

 using a burlap screen, it will cut out 

 the direct draught from the bed, and by 

 frequent spraying the cuttings can be 

 kept fresh till they are rooted and able 

 to take care of thenaselves. 



I have had good success at this time 

 of the year by propagating in a frame 

 behind a north wall, where the sun could 



never strike. In such a place, by shading 

 the glass and keeping the sash almost 

 closed during the day, one can root prac- 

 tically 100 per cent without much trouble. 

 The cuttings intended for the 6-inch 

 pot plants should be watched and potted 

 just as soon as the roots are half an 

 inch long. If you can get some leaf soil, 

 make the soil for the first potting nice 

 and light by its use, putting in one-third 

 of leaf soil to two-thirds of soil. 



. After potting, stand the plants in a 

 frame outside and give them every care 

 {lossible, so that they will make stocky 

 plants. A drawn-up cutting is useless for 

 this work if one figures on exhibiting the 

 plants in the fall. 



Other things being equal, lue dwarf 

 plant will gain the prize over A longer 

 one. The ideal plant is not over twelve 

 to eighteen inches from the top of the 

 pot to the flower, so it can easily be seen 

 that a cutting neglected has not much 

 chance to make good. 



Another important thing is the selec- 

 tion of dwarf varieties. I would suggest 

 among others the following varieties: 



White — Beatrice Maj', Merza, Nellie Pock- 

 ett. May Seddon and Mrs. A. T. Miller. 

 Pink — Lady Hopetoun, Valerie Green - 

 ham, W. Duckham, M. F. Plant and Mir- 

 iam Hankey. Yellow — Cheltoni, Mrs. W. 

 Duckham, Old Gold, A. T. Stevens and 

 Col. Appleton. Bronze — Mrs. A. J. Mil- 

 ler, Mrs. G. Heaume, Mary Ann Pockett 

 and D. McLeod. Red — Merstham Red, 

 Merstham Crimson and Mrs. A. H. Lee. 

 From these kinds a fine selection for 

 twelve varieties could be obtained, and 

 they are all large in size and of splendid 

 habit. C. H. Tottv. 



IN A CARNATION HOUSE. 



I have built a carnation house this 

 spring, 12x24 feet, and I wish to grow 

 a limited quantity of chrysanthemums. 

 Should I plant them in the benches and 

 grow single-stemmed plants, or would it 

 be better to plant them in pots, or plant 

 them in the open ground and lift them 

 in September? The varieties are A. J. 

 Balfour, Wm. Duckham, Alice Byron, 

 Mrs. Robinson, Black Douglas, Wm. 



