Dbcbimbeb 12, 1007. 



The Weekly Plorists* Review. 



■ ^ ;- 



33 



Single Chrysanthemum Edith Pagram, No Stakes Needed* 



. chrysanthemum now has its place and 

 its honor. Its forms seem almost end- 

 less and its varieties are bewildering, 

 I am, however, inclined to think that 

 some excellent people entirely miss the 

 real explanation of the great popularity 



• which the flower now enjoys. Permit 

 me to say, with all conviction and ear- 

 nestness, that the popularity is entirely 

 due to the growing of exhibition vari- 

 eties. I am convinced that if you were 

 to secure all the flower shop windows 

 on Broadway and fill them with pompons, 

 and with every other variety that grows 

 and flowers at this season, and omit en- 

 tirely the exhibition varieties — I am con- 

 vinced, I say, that they would attract no 

 popular attention whatever. I grant that 

 flower-lovers of the old-fashioned vari- 

 ety, who worship constantly at Flora's 

 shrine, no matter what she has to display, 

 would view them with pleasure; but the 

 greater public, the Press Society, and 

 even ' the man in ■ the street, ' would 

 pass them unnoticed. 



"The splendid position in popular and 

 social esteem now held by the flower is 

 due to that wonderful development from 

 the tiny little parent flower to these mas- 

 sive blooms that now entrance every be- 

 holder. If we had here before us the 

 'blooms that were exhibited even ten or 

 twelve years ago, even we who know 

 the history of the flower would be dum- 

 founded at the progress, and I mjike 

 bold to say that the end is not yet. The 

 flowers which only the few could pro- 

 duce when the shows first began are 

 now produced by the many, and the lead- 

 ers are more closely pushed by their fol- 

 lowers year by year. And, as the blooms 

 increase in size, in finish, in brilliance of 

 color, in > decorative quality, so also does 

 the popularity of the chrysanthemum in- 

 crease. The growing of larger, nobler, 

 "iP^'e, stately flowers, and in greater 

 abundance— this is one sure way of hold- 

 ing the popular favor." 



Adrian, Mich.— Nathan Smith & Son 

 report a good season on mums. 



COMMERCIAL FERNS. 



The list of ferns suitable for retail 

 sales is not very extensive, but there are 

 several varieties which are not generally 

 known to the average grower who makes 

 ferns a side line and not a specialty. Be- 

 yond ferns of the nephrolepis varieties, 

 comparatively few are sold in large num- 

 bers in pots, although quite a variety 

 may be suggested. The saying that a 

 good article usually sells itself is equally 

 applicable to florists' products, and a 



clean grown, bushy fern shouid not ordi- 

 narily be difficult to sell. 



Those florists who have used Poly- 

 stichum tsussimense for dishes know how 

 well such a dish looks, particularly with 

 a cocos in the center, or a graceful 

 Geonoma gracilis. Another useful fern 

 of a similar texture in the frond, dwarf 

 and tough, besides being variegated, 

 Polystichum aristatum variegatum, is to 

 be recommended. 



The tinted ferns present an assortment 

 which, to those who demand something 

 choice, cannot be surpassed. Adiantum 

 macrophyllum, A. rhodophyllum and 

 Doodia aspera multifida are three of the 

 best, inasmuch as they are dwarf in 

 habit. 



Among the variegated varieties Pteris 

 VictorisB, P. albo-Uneata and P. Mayii 

 are good and, for dishes entirely of 

 green, among the most common may be 

 mentioned Cyrtomium falcatum, Asplen- 

 ium biforme, Pteris serrulata, P. serru- 

 lata cristata, P. nobilis, P. Wimsetti, P. 

 cristata, Blechnum occidentale, Lomaria 

 Spicant, and numerous others. 



The selaginellas are worthy of con- 

 sideration. Selaginella Kraussiana, usn 

 ally called Lycopodium denticulatum, is 

 frequently used for dishes, but the va- 

 riety aurea and variegata make a pleas- 

 ant change, although the true glaucous 

 tint of Selaginella ceesia (S. uncinata 

 csesia) is quite unsurpassed and it is a 

 good seller because of its pretty, unique 

 appearance. 



Among the davallia some of the best 

 known are Davallia dissecta, D. Tyer- 

 manni, D. buUata, D. Canariensis and D. 

 Fijensis, the first three varieties being 

 suitable for dish work. Davallia dissecta 

 is easily raised from spores, besides hav- 

 ing dense foliage, and is especially recom- 

 mended. 



Beyond the nephrolepis group perhaps 

 Cibotinm Schiedei is the only fern usu- 

 ally seen in 6-inch pots. I maintain that 

 a well grown Asplenium biforme grown 



Single Chrysanthemum ZeroH, Yellow, No Stakes in Plant. 



