OCTOBBB 8. 1008. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



n 



rows of cuttings are watered thoroughly 

 as I put them in. If the weather is hot 

 and clear, I spray lightly on the leaves 

 the first two or three days. That is all 

 for ten days, and by that time they will 

 have roots. If on a shady bench, I keep 

 water away. 



Now, if there is any better way dis;- 

 covered, let us hear it. We are all learn- 

 ing, but, alas, I am afraid that there are 

 many of us Episcopalians, for we * ' leave 

 undone the things that we ought to do, 

 and do the things that we ought not to 

 do, ' ' and there is no help for us. 



J. S. POLLAND. 



PHYSOSTEGIA VIRGINICA. 



Physostegia Virginica, commonly known 

 as the Texas heath, is a useful summer 

 perennial, flowering from the last of 

 July until September. It is of easy cul- 

 ture, either by seed or root division, and 

 florists doing a retail business will find 

 it useful. For wreath-making it is good 

 and it makes an attractive vase when 

 cut with long stems. In Boston it has 

 gained considerable popularity as a mar- 

 ket flower. The illustration shows a 

 wreath and vase exhibited at a recent 

 show in Boston by the F. W. Fletcher 

 Co., Auburndale. The variety is P. Vir- 

 ginica grandiflora, the flowers being 

 mvLCh larger than in the type. 



W. N. Craig. 



PROTECTING BIG HYDRANGEAS. 



Newport is famous for excellence in 

 many things horticulturally, and de- 

 servedly so. The specimen hydrangeas 

 grown there in the open ground are by 

 common consent granted to be equal, if 

 not superior, to the best in any other 

 locality. These hydrangeas are not taken 

 indoors for winter protection. That is, 

 the large specimens, for which the place 

 is famed, are not. Those grown in tubs 

 are stored in cellars and storehouses. 



These smaller plants of hydrangeas 

 are admirably adapted for various forms 

 of decoration, but it must be admitted 

 that to realize what hydrangeas are at 

 their best they must be seen growing in 

 the open ground, undisturbed for years. 

 It is only when thus grown that such 

 splendid specimens, many of them stand- 

 ing eight feet high and crowned glori- 

 ously with hundreds of flowers of the 

 bluest of blue, can be expected. 



There is a good deal of work connected 

 with the protection of such plants, but 

 their prominence as decorative features 

 makes them well worthy of all the time 

 given to them. 



On approach of frost, every gardener 

 in Newport who boasts of his hydran- 

 geas lets other work, be it ever so urg- 

 ent, stand, and hastens to prepare the 

 hydrangeas for winter. Thia he com- 

 mences to do by stripping the plants of 

 all foliage. Then, if the plants are very 

 large, but more especially in cases of 

 specimen plants, the wood is tied se- 

 curely by means of rope or stout twine, 

 beginning at the base of each plant and 

 finishing at the top, so that, when the 

 work of tying is completed, the plants 

 have the appearance of conical bundles 

 of twigs. 



Four upright posts are next driven 

 into the ground, in close proximity to the 

 plants. To these posts one or more 

 boards are nailed at the base, and the 

 space thus enclosed is filled with dry 

 soil. Then the operation of nailing on 

 boards and adding soil is repeated until 

 the plants are completely covered except 



Vrcath and Vase of Physostegia Virginica Gx an diflora. 



a small space at the top, which also is 

 covered eventually. 



For smaller plants, and for plants 

 grown in continuous rows, a somewhat 

 different method is practiced. It con- 

 sists in tying the wood of one plant 

 down to that of another, and so on to 

 the end, then covering the plants with 

 dry soil to the depth of fifteen or eight- 

 een inches. The soil used in covering 

 the plants is usually dug from both sides 

 of the row of plants to be protected. By 

 doing this, ditches are made, which add 

 to the security of the plants by afford- 

 ing means for the surface water to pass 

 away from them during a period when 

 excess of moisture at their roots would 

 be very injurious. M. 



BRITISH NURSERYMEN CONVENE 



At Bush Hill Park and Other Places. 



A large gathering of British nursery- 

 men, numbering over 100, assembled dur- 

 ing last week for the annual conference 

 of the Horticultural Trades' Association 

 of Great Britain and Ireland. 



This year the time was spent in the 

 district of London. On the opening day 

 the party took a train for Bush Hill 

 Park, the headquarters of Hugh Low & 

 Co., the morning being occupied in the 

 glass department, which comprises ten 

 acres of palms, carnations, pot roses, 

 vines, figs, etc. Here, also, much interest 

 was taken in the hardwood plants, known 

 as "New Holland plants." 



The fruit treife and rose department, 

 of about 100 acres, then received the at- 

 tention of the visitors. One field, con- 

 taining trained trees only, caused much 

 comment, the standard trained forms be- 

 ing so extensively grown that one won- 

 dered whence came the demand. 



Cordon trained currants and goose- 



berries, also standards, proved that there 

 is a demand for these unusual forms. 

 Universal regret was expressed that the 

 new fruit, the Lowberry, figured in the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, was past fruit. 



The rose which caused so much com- 

 ment when exhibited at the White City, 

 the uniquely colored Lyon rose, was in 

 bloom from plants budded this season. 

 This variety is a strong grower and the 

 blooms are of fine form, the color a 

 blending of Marechal Niel and Killar- 

 ney. 



After lunch at the nurseries, a move 

 was made to the more distant grounds at 

 Forty Hill, Enfield, where standard and 

 pyramid fruit trees and dwarf and stand- 

 ard roses seemed to occupy the whole 

 space. Jhe party then proceeded to 

 Chestnut, on a visit to the Messrs. Paul, 

 whose collections of choice and rare flow- 

 ering shrubs took some time to examine. 

 The roses and fruit trees were then in- 

 spected. This completed a busy day, and 

 all were ready for the tea provided by 

 the Messrs. Paul. 



The remaining two days were spent in 

 useful work in the nurseries of Messrs. 

 Win. Paul, Rochford and Veitch, the 

 final visit being paid to Hampton Court. 



L. J. C. 



WooN'SOCKET, K. I. — On the evening 

 of September 26, fire did $1,000 damage 

 at the greenhouse of Jonas Brook. 



Saginaw, Mich. — In the windows of 

 the Wm. Roethke Floral Co. two new 

 varieties of gladioli have recently been 

 displayed. The plants were originated 

 by Frederick H. Stevens, and are the 

 result of about eleven years of persist- 

 ent efforts in hybridizing. One of the 

 varieties is described as a delicate and 

 perfect lavender, and the other is said 

 to be a beautiful, waxy white. 



