OCTOBKB 8, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



soil to cover the bottom is put in. Then 

 the plants are sheared hard back and 

 the refuse carefully swept off. Finally, 

 as much soil as possible is worked in 

 among the plants and between them and 

 the edges of the flats, for their sus- 

 tenance through the winter. 



I have found that by this method the 

 plants kept much better than plants usu- 

 ally did when a smaller number were 

 carefully placed in flats previously filled 

 with soil. 



Another point in favor of the method 

 of which I now write is that a vastly 

 larger number, relatively, can be kept in 

 any given space than by the other 

 method. Thus, if conditions are at all 

 favorable to growth, no diflBculty will be 

 met in getting plenty of cuttings in 

 early spring, or in late winter if they 

 are then needed. If propagation is done 

 by breaking up the wintered stock, that 

 which has been carried through success- 

 fully in but a few flats will give mate- 

 rial enough to work on even when a 

 great number of plants is required. 



A good watering should be given the 

 plants when put in flats, and thereafter 

 they should be kept on the dry side until 

 they are brought into action again. M. 



EUHOPEAN NOTES. 



Two great horticultural exhibitions 

 are announced for 1910. In Belgium, 

 many who took an active part in the 

 Ghent Quinquennial are in harness again 

 for an international exhibition in Brus- 

 sels in 1910. A large and influential 

 committee has already announced its 

 progiam., 



Just across the frontier from Belgium, 

 the Dutch bulb growers are arranging 

 for a six weeks' show of bulbous flower- 

 ing plants from the beginning of April 

 till the middle of May, to be held in 

 Haarlem. The event is to celebrate the 

 jubilee of the Dutch Bulb Growers' As- 

 sociation. It was founded in 1860 with 

 about 150 members, and is now a strong 

 society with 2,800 members, a trade 

 journal of its own and a weekly bulb 

 market, a committee of arbiters for 

 dealing with disputes, and a floral com- 

 mittee for judging novelties at its 

 shows, held frequently during the flow- 

 ering season. The Haarlem city council 

 has granted the picturesquely situated 

 city park as a site for the show, and 

 the intention is to lay out a large por- 

 tion of it as a bulb garden. Haarlem 

 is always a delightful place to visit in 

 April and May, and attracts visitors 

 from all parts of the globe when the 

 bulbs are in bloom. The floral fete of 

 1910 is still a long way ahead, but it 

 is worth making a note of, with a view- 

 to planning your trip to include it if 

 possible. From what I know of Haar- 

 lem and the Hollanders, you will never 

 regret the visit. 



The peony-flowered dahlias introduced 

 by H. Hornsveld, Baarn, Holland, con- 

 tinue to increase in popularity, through- 

 out Germany, England and Holland, as 

 decorative garden plants. A few of the 

 varieties are good for cutting for mar- 

 ket, but it is on the plants that the 

 flowers are seen to greatest advantage. 

 Mr. Hornsveld is still busilj engaged in 

 hybridizing and leaves the distribution 

 of his novelties to Warnaar & Co., Sas- 

 senheim, Holland, and Gt. van Waveren 

 & Kruijff, Sassenheim. The best new 

 ones that I have noted this season are: 

 Geishn, a distinct, peculiar orange red 

 with yellow center, large flowers with 

 two or three rows of petals; Andrew 



Premium 'breath at Iowa State Fair. 



Carnegie, salmon pink, shaded bronze, 

 elegant habit, flowers on stout stems; 

 Bertha von Suttner, salmon pink, shaded 

 yellow, flowers very large, compact and 

 sturdy growth ; Sneewwitjc, or in plain 

 English Snowwhite, a lovely flower, 

 which should be in every collection. The 

 best of previous years' introductions 

 include H. Hornsveld, Glory of Baarn, 

 Queen Wilhelmina, King Leopold, Duke 

 Henry, Queen P]mma, and last, but not 

 the least important, Germaria, a perfect 

 gem in the garden. In the course of a 

 conversation a day or two ago, Mr. 

 Hornsveld mentioned further surprises 

 in store for next season. 



Belgium growers are experiencing 

 quite a slump in the prices of Araucaria 

 excelsa. All sizes up to three feet can 

 be picked up at probably the lowest 

 prices on record. Reports are current 

 in Germany and England that the com- 

 mon spruce Christmas trees are scarce 

 and that prices will be high, so it looks 

 as if the Belgians might clear otf a 

 larger number of araucaria^ thai, 

 usual for the Christmas trade. Prices 

 may stiffen before then and the growers 

 are devoutly praying that they will, 

 for present rates are ruinous to them, 

 although highly favorable to buyers. 

 Azalea Indica is also fairly plentiful, 

 and present conditions point to a sur- 

 plus on hand at the end of the season 

 in many of the nurseries. The dwarf 

 growing and free flowering Hexe is an 

 exception. This is in great demand and 

 supplies are short. 



The reports on the German lily of the 



valley cultures are varied. In some 

 districts the crowns have done well ; in 

 ethers they have suffered from continu- 

 ous rains. One grower, near Hamburg, 

 says that prospects are good, the in- 

 quiries being equal to those of former 

 years, with prices firm. 



J. C. Schmidt, of Erfurt, has a new 

 climbing rose of the Wichuraiana type, 

 said to be of a violet-blue color. Flower 

 of Fairfield, the everblooming crimson 

 rambler, is giving a good account of it- 

 self in several places, and there are 

 fairly large stocks of it in several of 

 the nurseries of Boskoop, Holland. 



J. Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen. Scotland, 

 have a sport from Dorothy Perkins, a 

 most distinct and beautiful shell-pink 

 flower. At the National Rose Society's 

 autumn show, in London, this firm car- 

 ried off the premier pr'zc for the fourth 

 year in succession. 



Horticulture at the Franco-British Ex- 

 hibition, London, has been quite a fea- 

 ture, French and English firms combin- 

 ing to beautify the extensive grounds. 

 The jury is now at work, but the awards 

 are not yet known. I hear, however, 

 (bat J. Carter & Co., London, and Sut- 

 ton & Sons, Reading, are bracketed for 

 highest honors. 



The old established and extensive 

 nursery bysiness of Richard Smith & 

 Co., Limited, Worcester, England, is in 

 financial difficulties. In addition to an 

 extensive home trade, they also did an 

 export business and the head of the firm 

 made a tour of the United States last 

 year. Bee. 



