Januaby 9, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



UQUE) FEEDING. 



From now on during the remainder of 

 the season, where the plants are in a 

 vigorous condition and the benches full 

 of roots, stimulants in a liquid form 

 can be used with great benefit. 



For this purpose there is nothing bet- 

 ter and safer than fresh cow manure 

 from well fed stock, as this contains 

 nearly all the elements necessary to plant 

 life, and in the proper proportions, and 

 possesses few of those caustic properties 

 so prevalent in chemical preparations. 



To prepare this properly, the manure 

 should be placed in a tank with sufficient 

 water added to cause speedy fermenta- 

 tion. After fermentation, the liquid 

 should be drained off into another tank 

 and water added to reduce it to the 

 required strength. The first applica- 

 tions should always be weak. After ap- 

 plications can be made gradually strong- 

 er without incurring much danger. 



The correct time to apply this is when 

 the young wood is from »three to five 

 inches long and it should be continued at 

 least every alternate week until the buds 

 are well developed, and should be dis- 

 continued when the buds show color. 



As liquid food is so quickly and easily 

 assimilated, great care should be exer- 

 cised regarding its strength, especially 

 where any chemical preparations are 

 added. The use of ammonia and nitrate 

 of soda at certain stages of growth is 

 very beneficial, but being powerful and 

 immediate in their effect they should be 

 used with great caution. 



During dark weather it is safer to re- 

 frain from strong and frequent feeding. 



BiBES. 



VARIETIES IN SAME HOUSE. 

 I expect to grow in the same house 

 next year, for retail trade. Bride, Maid, 

 Chatenay, Killarney, Richmond and Rhea 

 Reid roses. After benching, should the 

 different varieties receive different treat- 

 ment as to feeding, pruning, etc., and if 

 so, in what respects? My Killameys 

 this year drop their bottom leaves badly. 



F. D. B. 



grees. Whether it requires feeding or 

 not, will be a question of the future. 



BiBES. 



Brides, Bridesmaids, Chatenay and 

 Richmond do well at the same tempera- 

 ture and with the same kind of treat- 

 ment. Killarney has done better with 

 me, and with many others, at a tempera- 

 ture of 60 degrees and can stand a lot 

 of feeding. As Rhea Eeid is a new rose 

 and has never been under my care, I can 

 say little about it. Being of the Beauty 

 type and of a good constitution, it ought 

 to succeed at a temperature of 58 de- 



PROPAGATING COCHET ROSES. 



What is the proper method of propa- 

 gating Cochet roses? I tried two batches 

 in sand in September and October, with 

 no success. J. P, K. 



Cochet roses, when grown outside, 

 should have an abundance of half -rip- 

 ened wood in August and September, 

 which will root readily if the proper 

 conditions are complied with. 



Prepare a frame with the lower side 

 at least ten inches deep. Place six 

 inches of clean sand in it> this must be 

 six inches deep after being made firm 

 enough to receive the cuttings. The cut- 

 tings should be inserted at least two 

 inches and a half in the sand. Water 

 thoroughly and shade with some light 

 material for three or four weeks. Some 

 growers are very successful with only 

 lath shades as protectors. Water and 

 syringe very sparingly. BiBES. 



AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY. 



Spring ExIiitHtion* 



The comments received by the secre- 

 tary of the American Rose Society from 

 the life members of the society who have 

 received their certificates, show that 

 these handsome parchments are highly 

 appreciated. 



The Chicago exhibition of the Ameri- 

 can Rose Society will open on the fourth 

 Wednesday in Lent, that is, March 25, 

 and vdll run three days. 



The Chicago Florists' Club advises 

 that the show will be held at Marshall 

 Field's or at the Auditorium. 



The Eose Society has the schedule of 

 prizes about ready for mailing. In Di- 

 vision F, the special prizes are thrown 

 open for support frorii all Americans 

 who have a good word or wish for roses. 



There will be some fine papers offered 

 at the annual meeting. 



Benjamin Hammond, Sec'y. 



ENGLAND^ ROSE SOCIETY. 



It will be of interest to note that dur- 

 ing the last year the National Bose So- 

 ciety of Great Britain gained 575 mem- 

 bers and that the total membership is 

 now 2,484, having increased from 880 

 since 1902. The income and expenditures 

 were practically $10,000 in 1907. Ar- 

 rangements for 1908 include three exhibi- 

 tions, two in July and one in September. 

 One of the July shows is to be at Man- 

 chester and the others in London. 



Williston, N. D. — M. Bartholomew is 

 building two houses, each 20x75, to be 

 ready for the spring trade. He also in- 

 tends to put in a complete line of nurs* 

 ery stock. The prospects for the coming 

 season are good. 



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SEASONABLE 



SUGGESTIONS 



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Begonia Incanuta. 



Many commercial growers do not grow 

 Begonia incarnata and probably not a 

 few have never seen it. While it will 

 never equal Gloire de Lorraine in popu- 

 larity, it is nevertheless a splendid va- 

 riety, erect and more robust in habit 

 than Lorraine, but equally floriferous, 

 the flowers being a trifle paler in color, 

 a beautiful soft pink shade. This be- 

 gonia is hardly at its best for Christ- 

 mas, but for decorative effects in Jan- 

 uary and February it is hard to beat. 

 There is a much improved form of B. 

 incarnata, which we believe originated 

 near Boston. The flowers in this case 

 are double the size of those in the old 

 type. This begonia is much more easily 

 propagated than Lorraine. After the 

 flowering season has passed, prune back 

 the plants, which will soon send up a 

 crop of fleshy shoots. These will root 

 readily in bottom heat. Potted off and 

 grown along, they will make bushy stock 

 in 6-inch pots for winter flowering. 

 Some pinching will be necessary to keep 

 the plants shapely. This begonia grows 

 well stood outdoors during July and 

 August, being, in fact, benefited by such 



treatment. It is a plant well worthy the 

 increased attention of florists. 



Begonia Rex. 



There is a fair call for plants of those 

 handsome, ornamental-leaved begonias, 

 the Bex section. They make good house 

 plants and have the advantage of being 

 almost free from insect pests. Now ia 

 a good time to increase the stock of the 

 best selling varieties. Propagation is 

 very simple and the merest novice can 

 hardly fail in rooting Bex begonias. Cut 

 weU matured leaves in pieces an inch 

 square, discarding the tWn outer edges 

 as being least likely to root. Set these 

 on edge close together, as you would 

 carnations, in a brisk bottom heat. Give 

 a good soaking of water; afterward 

 water more sparingly until the little 

 plants appear, when more moisture can 

 be afforded. Place in 2 1^ -inch pots of 

 leaf -mold and sand, and keep in a warm, 

 moist house until established, after which 

 somewhat cooler quarters will be suit- 

 able. If a propagating bed is not at 

 liberty, you can root Bex begonias by 

 merely laying the old leaves on a layer 

 of moss below the benches in a warm 



