;y*7?f-v*v^T- 



6 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



Mabch 5, 1908. 



/ 



come to that stage. Though there may 

 be only a small percentage that need it, 

 yet it should be done at the proper time. 

 You will find that every few days there 

 will be quite a number ready to top, and 

 they should be looked over at least once 

 each week from now on. You need not 

 set over the whole batch of plants if 

 they do not need weeding or cleaning, 

 but just nip out the top of the plant 

 without disturbing the pot. If a large 

 percentage, say half or more, need top- 

 ping, it will pay to move the whole batch 

 over and clean off any undesirable leaves 

 or weeds. This setting over is good for 

 the plants. It lets fresh air around the 

 pots and sweetens things in general. 



As to the proper time for topping, 

 growers generally agree that it is when 

 the plants begin to run up to bud and 

 as soon as you can see the stem between 

 the joints where you want to take the 

 top off. About six joints should remain 

 above the soil after the top is removed. 

 This should be done when the plant is in 

 vigorous growth, and never while the 

 plant is in a starved 6r stunted condi- 

 tion. In the latter case the breaks would 

 be weak and less numerous, and the re- 

 sult would be poor plants. In fact, no 

 young carnation plant should ever be 

 allowed to get stunted or starved. 



While varieties differ widely in regard 

 'to the amount of topping required, you 

 will find that in the first topping they 

 are much the same. It is in the succeed- 

 iog toppings that you must discriminate 

 between the various styles of growth and 

 top accordingly. 



Soon after the breaks appear, many 

 of them will need shifting, either into 

 larger pots or into the bench, and you 

 must keep a close watch on them. This 



BUYING NEW VARIETIES. 



I should like to ask Mr. Osborn how 

 many varieties ho thinks a grower who 

 plants, say, 25,000 carnations, can afford 

 to buy each year if he buys not less than 

 250 of each kind. If he does not buy 

 nearly all the varieties offered, how 

 would he distinguish between the desira- 

 ble ones and the undesirable ones? "We 

 thought we had this problem solved pretty 

 well, but if Mr. Osborn has a better way 

 than ours, we would be pleased to know 

 his method. A. F. J. Baur. 



This inquiry evidently has reference to 

 my recent advice in purchasing new vari- 

 eties, to arrange for at least 250 cut- 

 tings. 



I think Mr. Baur has somewhat mis- 

 understood my position as to what con- 

 stitutes a new variety. Owing to my use 

 of the terms originator, disseminator and 

 new introductions, it might perhaps be 

 inferred that the article had reference 

 wholly to varieties being sent out this 

 year. 



To my mind a variety may be said to 

 be new to the trade for at least two years 

 after introduction. It certainly cannot 

 be called old even at three years. The 

 article under question was intended to 

 give advice on the treatment of new ar- 

 rivals, whether introductions of this year 

 or ones comparatively new to the trade. 

 Under these circymstances it will be seen 

 that the matter of cost, which must enter 

 largely into our calculations, becomes less 

 formidable. 



A grower of 25,000 plants would prob- 

 ably have at least ten varieties, and 

 under proper treatment his list would 

 not need replenishing to the extent of 

 more than two varieties each year, on an 



think the question which concerns the 

 grower for cut flowers is not how many 

 new varieties, of whatever price, he can 

 afford, but how many he needs to replace 

 those showing deterioration. It is just 

 as much of an accomplishment to judge 

 when to let well enough alone as to select 

 a variety to supersede one to be discon- 

 tinued. 



As to how a grower is to distinguish 

 between the desirable and undesirable 

 ones offered each year, I fail to see why 

 the average grower should take upon him- 

 self the task of growing even a small 

 quantity of each year's introductions, 

 when by inquiry, visits to up-to-date es- 

 tablishments and close perusal of our 

 valuable trade papers, he is able to learn 

 not only of a variety's behavior away 

 from home, but with what favor it is re- 

 ceived by the public. 



As remarked in the article in question, 

 if it is desired to grow a few for hy- 

 bridizing purposes or personal reasons, 

 that is another matter, and of course the 

 , requirements of the rooted cutting spe- 

 cialist do not enter into this discussion. 

 There is a fast gaining disposition to 

 let the other fellow try varieties in their 

 first year when the price is $10 or $12 

 per hundred, and the day is fast ap- 

 proaching, if not already at hand, when 

 the second year of a variety's existence 

 in the trade brings its reward to the in- 

 troducer of a meritorious variety, it being 

 but natural that buyers should go to 

 headquarters for stock. 



My method will not solve the problem 

 any better than Mr. Baur's, nor do I be- 

 lieve any one alone ever will accomplish 

 the feat, but it would seem in these pro- 

 gressive days as if the grower could be 

 provided against the necessity of buying 

 a "pig in a bag" at any time. 



Can we hope that, in the near future, 

 the Carnation Society may devise some 

 means whereby, without fear or favor, 

 the undesirable will be separated from 

 the desirable? Geo.' S. Osborn. 



House of Carnation Welcome at Joliett IIL 



is especially true a little later, when the 

 sun gets strong and the pots dry out 

 more quickly. Topping and shifting 

 should not take place at the same time, 

 if it can be avoided. Better do it ten 

 days before or after the shifting. The 

 breaks will be stronger. Be sure the 

 young plants get the full sun and plenty 

 of ventilation, and keep them clean of 

 weeds and diseased foliage of any kind. 

 Run them about as near 50 degrees as 

 you can. A. F. J. Baur. 



average. But, to make ample allowance, 

 we will ass^ume he purchases 250 cuttings 

 each of three sorts, one at $100 and two 

 at $50 per thousand, necessitating an 

 outlay of $50, which sum, I think, would 

 not be out of proportion to the volume 

 of business likely to be done. 



Mr. Baur will doubtless excuse my not 

 following the exact wording of his open- 

 ing question, it being manifestly impos- 

 sible for me to presume what a grower 

 should be able to afford. Then, too, I 



MANURE CONTAINING SHAVINGS. 



Will horse manure containing shavings 

 be all right to mix with soil for carna- 

 tion houses? B. S. 



Stable manure with shavings is not as 

 good as where straw has been used for ' 

 bedding. I cannot say that the shavings 

 do any particular damage if they have 

 time to rot, but they contain no plant, 

 food, while the straw does. Avoid that 

 kind of manure if you can get the straw 

 manure. A. F. J. B. 



CARNATION WELCOME. 



The aceompanying* illustration- shows a 

 house of Carnatipn Welcome at the es- 

 tablishment of "the Chicago Carnation 

 Co., Joliet, Dl., photographed February 1. 



Welcome originated with one of the 

 growers for the New York market, but 

 when disseminated was not brought to 

 the attention of any considerable propor- 

 tion of the western growers, so that this 

 house at Joliet is of special interest. 

 A. T. Pyfei*, manager of the Chicago Car- 

 nation Co., says Welcome is everything 

 that its name implies, because the qual- 

 ity speaks for itself and the crop shown 

 in this illustration is not exceptional, it 

 having given a steady and liberal- cut all 

 through the season to date. The color is 

 much like Winsor and at Joliet they 

 grow it with a stem as long and strong 

 as that of Enchantress." Mr. Pyfer say-s 

 the variety is perfectly healthy and pro- 

 duces as much as Lawson did when in its 

 prime.. 



