OcT(iiii:i: in, 1!)()S. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



White Chrysanthemums and Birch Bark in a Church Decoration. 



"How often should I water this plant?"' 

 or, "How many times a day does it need 

 n-ater?'' or, "Should I set it in a dish 

 filled with water?" 



This query is not more sensible than a 

 question asking a doctor, "When should 

 a person sleep?" or, "When should be 

 eat?" If the reference in either case 

 were to a plant that needed particular 

 treatment or a person whose health was 

 not up to the mark, it would be justi- 

 fiable, but when it is attached to every- 

 thing sold it ceases to have any meaning. 



If the purchasers used judgment in 

 watering, they would know tliat prac- 

 tically all plants sold for indoor decorat- 

 ing are well established, and, if the con- 

 ditions are at all favorable, they should 

 be watered whenever they need it. This 

 is the proper answer to give to all such 

 queries, and whether the soil dries out 

 <»nce a day or once a week makes no dif- 

 ference if the plant is not allowed to get 

 too dry. 



The situation in which the plant is 

 kept has the greatest influence on the 

 moisture required. Draughty rooms, prox- 

 imity to glass windows or doors, .'.bsence 

 of light, <|uantity of gas burned, heat 

 radiation from steam or other methods 

 of heating, glazed plant jars and many 

 other conditions have much more effect 

 on the health of the plant than the 

 simple watering. Yet it is rare that 

 anyone asks about any of these things 

 and it is only when the disgruntled cus- 

 tomer drags the poor, suffering plant 



back to wlicnce it came, or comes in to 

 scold the jilantsman for selling a palm 

 that was ■"sick" when delivered, that a 

 few of those salient points arc brought 

 out. The customer usually prefaces the 

 remarks by saying, "I took care of the 

 plant just the way you told me to. I 

 watered it once a day and it kept getting 

 worse and worse all the time, until I 

 liave brought it back for you to see it. 

 I guess it was sick when you sold it to 

 me." 



When the poor florist timidly inquires 

 about the conditions in the lady's home, 

 lie always brings forth the information 

 that the plant had been put into a fancy 

 jardiniere, kept in a room in which gas 

 had been burned every night and in a 

 ihirk corner or a draughty hallway, and 

 he is really surprised that the misused 

 specimen kept as long as it did. 



The pulilic should be made to under- 

 stand, if possible, that plants are anxious 

 to live as long as they can, and. if gixcn 

 just a lighting chance, will do their best 

 to keep themselves .-is ])rctty as their 

 surroundings. Hut. wlicn tht> elVort is 

 too mucli. the plants will sadly droop 

 their lea\is. in a feeble protest against 

 too great odds to be overconu', and, 

 strange to ndate. it is always tiie fault 

 of the lli>rist for having sold a "sick"' 

 j>lant. (!. 



(iRAXD Forks, X. D. — E. O. Lovel! 

 has ordered material for the construction 

 of an extension to his greenhouse. 



FERTILIZER FOR PLUMOSUS. 



Will you please let me know which is 

 the best fertilizer or manure for Aspara- 

 gus plumosus, on land not very well sup- 

 lied with humus? The land is principally 

 niaile up of a sandy soil and is quite 

 heavy. The as'paragus is grown under a 

 slatted shed. 



What causes A. plumosus to have a 

 blighted appearance? What causes the 

 fronds to turn brown or yellow? What 

 treatment would you recommend? 



S. II. 



The best fertilizer for Asparagus 

 plumosus is good, well roUM stable 

 manure, and this may l)e used liberally 

 in preparing the l)ed for this crop. The 

 soil may also be improved by plowing in 

 a crop of cowpeas or cluver in the 

 autumn previous to jdanting the aspaia 

 Uiis. this being one of the liest wavs Tn 



supply Juiuuis ;iiid 

 soil. 



Without s(>eing th(^ 

 conditions und(U' which 

 grown, it is (Jillicult to give an opinion 

 regarding the blighted apjiearaiice. bni 

 it is (juite possible that it is c.-iiis,',] I,\ 

 getting drv at the root. W. |[. T. 



Ilitr(i;;('M to the 



plants and tiie 

 thev lia\c lifeii 



Pekix. III.— At the State Fair at 

 Springfield, III.. (!eo. .\. Kulii distin 

 guished himseif as a winiu^r of jirizes. 

 Out of nine entries of jdants. he carried 

 (df six ]iremiums. Ont of eight cut 

 flower designs, he i'eceiv(id six premiums. 



