Septbmbbb 26, 1907. 



^Thc Weekly Florists^ Review* 3 



EARLY VARIETIES. 



The grower who has many early vari- 

 eties planted is now praying for an early 

 frost. The eastern markets at present 

 are filled with asters, dahlias and such 

 outdoor flowers, and while one grower 

 confesses to having received $6 per dozen 

 for Montmort last week, it is a safe bet 

 that the quantity marketed was limited. 

 Aside from the novelty of the thing, the 

 demand for chrysanthemum flowers in 

 September is limited until some fine 

 morning a killing frost sweeps the mar- 

 ket almost bare of stock; then the buyer 

 gets hungry and the mum once more 

 comes into its own. We usually look for 

 a frost in the . vicinity of New York 

 around September 25, and when we get 

 it, as we did last year, the man with the 

 early varieties reaps his reward. When 

 we do not get it, and the mum has to 

 meet the aster and dahlia competition 

 till well into October, the prices received 

 are not particularly alluring. 



Monrovia and Montmort are now in 

 shape to cut at almost any time, and 

 Pacific and Polly Rose are close behind. 

 Before we know it, almost, we will bo 

 once more in the thick of the fray. Two 

 other varieties that are not grown so 

 much as they might be for early flowers 

 ;ire Mrs. T. W. Pockett and October 

 Sunshine. They can both be got in by 

 the first week in October if handled on 

 the early bud and will come as large 

 again as Monrovia. 



October Sunshine is very susceptible 

 to spider and should be closely watched 

 when the bud is swelling, but in this 

 respect it does not differ from Jeanne 

 Nonin, W. Wells or several other vari 

 eties. Why spider should find an affinity 

 in certain varieties more than in others, 

 no one appears iable to say, but often T 

 think the grower can find the reason in 

 his own carelessness. Some varieties 

 have a habit of curling their leaves in- 

 wards, and it is very hard to keep the 

 underside of those leaves free from spi- 

 der. A superficial spraying never touches 

 them, ami before one knows it the spi- 

 der has woven webs all over the bud ami 

 the flower never develops as it should. 



The early kinds — in fact, chrysanthe- 

 mums generally — are looking in first-class 

 shape this year, and if the fall fogs only 

 keep away we should see some fine stock 

 at the shows. It is years since I have 

 seen benches so uniformly even and good. 



Cultural Notes. 



Be careful in spraying now, as the 

 buds are swelling rapidly on the mid- 

 season kinds. So long as the husky cov- 

 ering is unbroken, water does not harm 

 the bud, but when the petals begin to 

 show in embryo, do not let any more 

 water near the bud if you can help it. 

 The petals forming first on the outside 

 make a receptacle in the center that 

 holds the water, and the consequence is 

 that the bud rots and tiie labor of months 

 is lost. Some kinds, owing to the shape 

 of the bud, will hold water more than 

 others, and among them I would include 

 white and yellow Eaton, white and pink 

 Duckham, E. J. Brooks, President Viger 

 and Rose Lawrence. Drip from the ven- 



tilating sash and leaks in the house cause 

 more loss of buds than the careless 

 grower has any idea of. 



As the nights run cool and the ther- 

 mometer outdoors runs down near the 

 freezing point, it is sometimes necessary 

 to run a crack of heat through the house. 

 The thermometer should not be allowed 

 to run below 45 degrees and it is not wise 

 to close the house tight to keep the tem- 

 perature up to the desired mark. Run 

 a little heat through the house and keep 

 the ventilators open several inches. This 

 will give a dry atmosphere, just what the 

 opening buds require. A damp, clammy 

 atmosphere is above all things to be 

 avoided. 



Do not, in using heat, however, go to 

 the other extreme and use too much. It 

 is sometimes a temptation, if one has a 

 good bench of early flowers that could 

 be sold at a good figure if they were 

 open, to run the house warm and push 

 them along. The chrysanthemum re- 

 fuses absolutely to bo forced, I have 

 experimented with batches of plants in 

 night temperatures from 60 to 70 degrees 

 and the flowers would open first in the 

 cool, airy temperature, running 45 to 50 

 degrees at night. 



Chrysanthemum weather is cool nights 

 and clear, crisp days, and when we get 

 these one can almost see the flowers de- 

 velop. Charles H. Totty. 



PRIMULA POISONING. 



Several subscribers having recently 

 written as to having been poisoned by 

 handling Primula obconica, we reprint 

 herewith notes as to remedies which have 

 been published when the questioti has 

 previously been under discussion. 



One reader writes: "As to a remedy 

 for poisoning by Primula obconica, 

 would say I have been poisoned several 

 times. I used Luytie's Pinus ointment 

 as a local application and sulphur and 

 cream of tartar to purify the blood. I 

 used one-third cream of tartar and two- 

 thirds sulphur, mixed well. Dose, one 

 teaspoonful every morning in milk. Also 

 take good nourishment. I have never 

 known it to fail," 



Another says : ' ' Tell the sufferer to 

 try good thick sweet cream well and fre- 

 quently rubbed on as a lotion. This has 

 with us proved a sovereign remedy," 



A Connecticut reader writes: "It 

 seems to me that the action of Primula 

 obconica poisoning is similar to that of 

 the poison ivy. The cure in both cases, 

 as far as my experience goes, is a free 

 application of tincture of blood-root. 

 Apply the tincture with a sponge or 

 clean cloth to the parts affected. I have 

 known of several cures by this tincture 

 where the poisoning has been caused by 

 either the ivy or the primula. ' ' 



"A few applications of peroxide of 

 hydrogen gave me relief," writes a 

 Pennsylvanian. 



An alcohol solution of sugar of lead 

 is recommended by the Department of 

 Agriculture as an antidote for rhus poi- 

 soning. It will probably cure primula 

 poisoning as well. An application of the 

 juice of Impatiens fulva is said to cure 

 rhus poisoning. 



ROSES FOR TEXAS. 



Please tell me what varieties of roses, 

 including all colors, will be best adapted 

 to growing under glass in Texas. Would 

 grafted or own-root stock give a beginner 

 at rose-growing the better results? 



Texas. 



The most profitable and easily man- 

 aged roses for culture under glass for a 

 beginner are, for white. Bride and Ivory ; 

 for pink. Bridesmaid and Mme. Abel 

 Chatenay, and for light pink. Golden 

 Gate, For red there is no rose at pres- 

 ent under cultivation which has proved 

 so accommodating to culture under glass 

 as Richmond, This is as easily handled 

 as Bride or Bridesmaid and does well 



at the same temperature and under the 

 same conditions. It may not be quite 

 so vivid in color as Liberty, but when 

 well grown it is hard to detect the dif 

 ference. 



As to the merits of grafted stock over 

 own-root stock, it entirely depends on the 

 condition of soil and climate. When 

 the soil is a heavy, loamy clay, requiring 

 a small amount of feeding during the 

 winter, own-root stock thrives well and 

 produces crops in paying quantities and 

 of first-class quality. Where the soil is 

 of a poor quality, requiring heavy feed- 

 ing during winter, grafted stock would 

 bo the most profitable, for the reason 

 that the Manetti stock possesses more 

 fibrous roots, which cover a larger area 

 and are more active and vigorous than 

 stock on its own roots and can conse- 

 quently handle more artificial food. It is 

 a wise plan to try both kinds of stock 

 side by side where conditions are equal 

 before discarding own-root stock, 



RlBES. 



