8 



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The Weekly Florists' Review* 



Sbptember 5, 1907. 



own country. Then we should not have 

 to go so far afield as 7,000 miles for our 

 stock. Even if the bulbs cost more money 

 to grow in our own country, we might 

 be reasonably si^re of getting what we 

 purchase. The ezperinent stations 

 should take up this work and, if success- 

 ful, and a proper location found, capital 

 and experience would soon take hold and 

 mak^ it a success, and a great benefit 

 would accrue to the trade. A few more 

 flowers to the plant would make it more 

 4)rofitable . to the florist and that is the 

 line most to be desired. 



'^'^ Cultural Methods. 



My mode of culture differs little from 

 that of other growers, so it is not neces- 

 sary to take up valuable time describing 

 what all already know, but I will, state 

 in as few words as possible some of the 

 distinct features of culture: Have your 

 soil prepared in summer, that it may be 

 in good condition for potting when your 

 bulbs arrive. Do not delay potting one 

 hour after their arrival. Have good loam, 

 four or five parts to one' part of well 

 rotted manure, according as the loam is 

 rich or poor. I put 7 to» 9-inch bulbs in 

 4-inch pots, shifting after they are four 

 or five inches high and well rooted. After 

 potting, put them into a violet tempera- 

 ture. In this northern locality it is not 



worth while putting them outside, for it 

 soon becomes too cold to make quick 

 root action. I prefer keeping them very 

 dry; they make stronger and better root. 

 As soon as well rooted, gradually raise 

 the temperature to 65 or 70 degrees. If 

 buds are showing four weeks before Eas- 

 ter they will be in time, but it is safer 

 to have your buds showing five or six 

 weeks previous to Easter. Japan bulbs 

 ' require hard f oircing to get them in, espe- 

 cially if Easter is early. 



It is much easier to grow lilies than 

 tell how to do it in a short convention 

 paper. I cannot go into all the minute 

 details of culture. Good judgment and 

 experience are absolutely necessary. Tak- 

 ing into consideration the vagaries of 

 the weather and the change of date of 

 Easter, lily growing is no sinecure. The 

 public is able and willing to pay good 

 prices and there is no reason why the flo- 

 rist should not have a fair remuneration 

 for his labor. Do not get stampeded into 

 the belief that lilies are too plentiful; 

 the last few days before Easter will clean 

 them all out. 



Someone had the audacity to say that 

 florists are not business men. That may 

 apply to the growers, but not to the 

 store men, some of whom I am sure 

 would make a success on Wall street. 



FUMIGATING FOR GREENFLY. 



With the longer and cooler nights 

 greenfly will be certain to make its ap- 

 pearance. Whilst this is one of the 

 most annnoying and persistent enemies 

 of the rose-grower, it is also one of the 

 easiest to control and any one who gives 

 its habits a close study need be in no 

 fear of its ravages. Tobacco in its va- 

 rious forms is the most effective remedy 

 known. For roses which are in bud or 

 bloom vaporizing or fumigating are the 

 safest and most effective. 



To derive the greatest benefit from fu- 

 migating at this season it should be done 

 in the morning before sunrise, immedi- 

 ately after the morning's cut is taken. 

 At that time evaporation is at its mini- 

 mum, the glass is cool and the soil is 

 comparatively dry, which allows the 

 vapor or fumes to settle closer to the 

 soil and to cling closer to the leaves and 

 stems than if the work was performed 

 in the evening. 



By keeping the ventilators closed for 

 twenty minutes or half an hour the 

 fumes will have done their work, when 

 syringing can be proceeded with. The 

 ventilation required during the day will 



dissipate the odor of the tobacco before 

 it is time to take the evening cut. 



Fumigating, when done in the evening, 

 is apt to leave a disagreeable stale smell 

 on the morning cut which is very notice- 

 able after the flowers have been packed 

 and shipped a distance. The water from 

 the syringe seems to cling more tena- 

 ciously to the leaves, giving them a wet 

 and bedraggled appearance which is ab- 

 sent after a morning fumigation. 



A system of periodical fumigating 

 should be adopted and strictly adhered 

 to, once a week being suflBcient to keep 

 the pest in subjection. 



If fumigation is deferred until the fly 

 becomes so numerous as to injure the 

 buds the amount required to effect the 

 purpose will be apt to destroy the luster 

 of the petals. 



The coloring of such varieties as Rich- 

 monds, Beauties, Maids and Chatenay 

 will also lose its intensity. Eibes. 



LEAF SPOT. 



I inclose some rose leaves. Will you 

 kindly let me know what the trouble is 

 and how to overcome it! 



I also inclose a chrysanthemum leaf, 

 taken from a Touset. The under side is 

 whitish. C. A. M. 



These chrysanthemums are infested 

 with the fungus septoria, which causes 

 leaf spot. This disease spreads very rap- 



idly and, if not checked, will entirely 

 destroy the crop. 



Pinch off all affected leaves and burn 

 them. Syringe twice a week with the 

 copper solution — carbonate of copper, 

 three ounces; liquid ammonia, one quart; 

 water, fifty gallons. Use a very fine 

 spray and see that the whole surface of 

 the leaf, upper and under sides, |[ets thor- 

 oughly washed. This spraying Sliould be ' 

 continued on the stock plants during win- }■ 

 ter and in the mum house, so that the 

 disease may be killed before next plant- 

 ing time. 



The roses are affected with the leaf 

 spot fungus and should get almost the 

 same treatment chemically as the chrys- 

 anthemums. As there is also a. trace of 

 burning on the rose leaves, evidently pro- 

 duced by some substance used as a 

 spray, this ought to be discontinued or 

 used in a weaker form. Bibes. < 



Carried over roses. 



I have never carried roses over till this 

 year. On the side benches the cut back 

 canes are, in some cases, only two feet 

 from the glass. Is it necessary to tie 

 them down? They have begun to grow 

 and the tying ought to be done at once 

 if necessary. C. A. M. 



Where the glass is only two feet re- 

 moved from the bench there is not suffi- 

 cient head room for carried over roses 

 of the varieties you grow. To get the 

 best of the situation, the wood should 

 be bent over at right angles at about six 

 inches from the ground. This should be 

 done at once and all small blind wood 

 should be removed. As soon as growth 

 commences, give a mulch of about one 

 inch in depth. Syringe twice a day dur- 

 ing bright weather and keep the new 

 growth tied up. Rises. 



roses as bedding stock. 



Kindly inform me as to what kind of 

 winter care I shouW give to Bride, 

 Bridesmaid, Uncle John and Richmond 

 when used as outdoor bedding roses in 

 summer. L. R. K. 



This class of. roses, when used entire- 

 ly for bedding purposes, should, if 

 wanted to stay in the beds, be mulched 

 immediately after the first frost. This 

 mulch should be spaded in in April. 

 This is usually all the care required. 



A very successful way to treat these 

 roses is to lift them as soon as they 

 shed their* leaves and heel them in in 

 a coldframe or pit, well protected. As 

 soon as the winter is past they should be 

 brought out, potted and started, and as 

 soon as the weather is favorable they 

 should be planted out. Rises. 



the largest greenhouse. 



The accompanying illustration is from 

 the latest photograph of the mammoth 

 greenhouse recently completed at the 

 Florex Gardens, North Wales, Pa. The 

 house is 156 feet wide and 575 feet long. 

 It is of truss construction, but the roof 

 is supported by six rows of posts. The 

 ridge is thirty-two feet high and, as is 

 shown in the illustration, the heating 

 pipes are next the glass. The house now 

 contains 45,000 Beauty plants, from the 

 earliest planted second-year stock, the 

 first flowers having been cut during con- 

 vention week. Half the stock is in ground 

 beds and half on tables. 



Growers take much interest in this 



