12 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



Decembeb 3, 1908. 



possible to make them. The following 

 are the chairmen of the various com- 

 mittees having the matter' in charge: 

 Chas. Knopf, ou finance; H. L. Wiegand, 

 on entertainment; A. F. J. Baur, on ex- 

 hibition; F. Hukriede, on reception; H. 



Junge, on press. To these are added 

 J. S. Stuart, president of the S. F. A. 

 of Indiana. These men constitute an 

 executive committee on arrangements, 

 with Mr. Stuart as cliairman. 



A. F. J. Baue. 



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SUGGESTIONS 



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1 



I 



Thanksgiving Reflections. 



One more Thanksgiving has passed, 

 and the extremely warm weather made 

 it a simple matter to ship out both cut 

 flowers and plants. It is a little unusual 

 to have temperatures in the fifties and 

 sixties at that date. While Thanksgiving 

 is not a time when any heavy plant trade 

 is done, signs are not wanting that the 

 tendency is toward plants in preference 

 to flowers, for many customers who form- 

 erly bought roses or carnations now 

 prefer nicely flowered pots or cyclamens, 

 Lorraine begonias or primroses, arguing 

 truly enough that these will keep better 

 than the cut blooms. On questioning sev- 

 eral country florists, who do a good local 

 trade in plants and flowers at the various 

 holidays, one and all reported an in- 

 creased call for blooming plants com- 

 pared with previous years. 



Geraniums. 



Chrysanthemums being now practically 

 done, it is possible to give a little more 

 space to the bedding geraniums, which 

 have been rather crowded together dur- 

 ing the mum season. The little pots 

 should be spread out a little, any dead 

 leaves removed, weeds pulled out and the 

 surface soil loosened if it has become 

 baked. It is better to keep the plants 

 on the dry side for some weeks yet, af- 

 fording just sufficient water to keep the 

 foliage fresh. Cuttings in flats will re- 

 quire looking over, and any which have 

 damped off should be removed. Be sure 

 to keep these and, in fact, all geraniums 

 in a sunny, airy house and as near the 

 glass as possible. In syringing the 

 houses, try to keep the water off the 

 geranium foliage, especially in dark 

 weather. 



Gittleya Trianae. 



Cattleya Trianae, the most valuable of 

 all commercial cattleyas, by reason of 

 its flowering at the dullest season of 

 the year, is now coming into bloom and 

 will continue to furnish flowers for three 

 months or more. It is a pity that this 

 fine variety cannot be induced to produce 

 as many flowers per sheath as C. labiata, 

 but it is a fact that big, plump bulbs,, 

 which a grower will expect to give three, 

 four or five flowers, will often yield only 

 a solitary bloom. This is especially true 

 if the plants have been grown a con- 

 siderable distance from the glass. When 

 grown near the light, the bulbs will al- 

 ways flower better. "While in flower, 

 Trianses, in common with other cattleyas, 

 should be kept moderately dry at the 

 root and be stood at the cooler end of 

 the house. The drier the atmosphere, the 

 less likelihood will there be of the flow- 

 ers spotting. There is always a splen- 



did sale for this orchid and it is not 

 surprising that many florists, who a few 

 years ago classed orchids as outside their 

 sphere, are now handling batches and 

 finding them a useful and profitable side 

 line. 



English Primroses. 



English primroses meet with a good 

 sale in the markets each seapon. They 

 are easily grown, either from seed or 

 root division, and give quantities of 

 flowers in late winter or early spring. 

 When blooms alone are wanted, the best 

 plan is to grow in benches in a violet 

 temperature. For later picking, a batch 

 can be grown in a coldframe, where they 

 will render a good account of them- 

 selves in March and April. As pot plants 

 there is a good market for these prim- 

 roses. The pots or pans should not 

 exceed six inches in diameter. These 

 will hold one good clump each. They will 

 do better if they have been potted for 

 some time and kept in the open until they 

 have had sufficient frost to stop leaf 

 growth. If a few of these plants are 

 now placed in a temperature of 40 to 45 

 degrees at night, they will be found 

 useful late in January. They can be 

 sold cheaply and never need any fussing 

 over. They will not tolerate any forcing, 

 however, at any time. 



Chinese Primroses. 



A number of the earliest Chinese prim- 

 roses will have been sold for Thanks- 

 giving. This will enable you to give 

 the remainder a little more room. Much 

 of the beauty of the primroses is lost if 

 the lower foliage is gone, and to keep 

 this in good condition the plants must 

 not be crowded. To do them full justice, 

 the leaves of each plant should stand 

 clear of those on its fellows. Try to keep 

 the foliage a dark green color. If they 

 appear somewhat pale, try the effects 

 of weak doses of cow manure water, 

 to which some soot has been added. 

 Look over your stock, and if any are 

 shaky at the neck give them a support; 

 otherwise they are liable to snap off 

 while being handled. Primula obconica 

 will take more liquid food than P. Sinen- 

 sis. It sells well at Christmas and, while 

 its poisonous properties frighten some 

 florists from handling it, there is nothing 

 more useful for window boxes and help- 

 ing to make up mixed hampers than this 

 easily grown primula. A night tempera- 

 ture of 48 to 50 degrees is ample for 

 primulas. For the obconica section a 

 fumigation once a week is necessary. 



Lilacs. 



Lilacs are not forced to any consider- 

 able extent by country florists, but there 



are some who find uses for both plant» 

 in flower and the cut blooms. The im- 

 ported pot-grown stock of these is now 

 to hand. If the balls are at all dry, soak 

 them and plant outdoors or in a cold- 

 frame until wanted for forcing. It will 

 hardly pay to attempt to get any of these 

 in for Christmas. They sell better later 

 in the season, when they can be produced 

 with some foliage. If flower only is 

 wanted, a warm, dark cellar adjacent to 

 the heating plant will bring them along 

 fast, if they are damped over once or 

 twice a day and the atmosphere is kept 

 moist. As the flowers begin to open, they 

 should be moved into a warm house 

 where the sim's rays cannot strike them, 

 placing in cooler quarters when expand- 

 ed. For pot plants, it is better to start 

 in full light in brisk heat, as the plants 

 will then have satisfactory foliage. 

 <• 



Schizanthus. 



The earliest batch of S. Wisetonensis is 

 now coming into flower and should prove 

 a useful addition to our Christmas flow- 

 ering plants. If the plants were staked 

 some time ago they will need no special 

 attention, except to be kept in a cool, 

 light house and supplied with an abun- 

 dance of water, liquid manure being add- 

 ed every fourth day. Late batches of 

 this schiaanthus can be pricked off and 

 potted along before becoming matted in 

 the flats or pots. There is still ample 

 time to make one or two additional sow- 

 ings. Seed put in now will flower for 

 Easter. 



Protecting Evergreens. 



The broad-leaved evergreens, of which 

 rhododendrons are the most important, 

 will need some winter protection dur- 

 ing December. The beds containiag these 

 should receive a heavy mulching of 

 leaves, if this has not already been done. 

 These will keep the frost away from 

 the roots and keep moisture in, something 

 quite ilecessary with these evergreens. 

 The greatest injury is done to rhododen- 

 drons when we have long spells of severe 

 cold without any thaws. If the plants 

 can aet an abundant water supply, it ma- 

 terially aids in carrying them saiely 

 through the late winter months, when 

 drying winds, frosty nights and hot sun- 

 shine during the day do great damage 

 to unprotected plants. In the case of 

 hardy varieties established for a num- 

 ber of years, protection is less nec- 

 essary than with more recently planted 

 stock. A heavy covering is positively 

 harmful. What is needed is a light pro- 

 tection of pine or spruce boughs, suffi- 

 cient to keep the sun from the foliage. 

 Windbreaks, in the form of fences tied 

 with evergreen boughs, are also useful 

 where the wind gets a full sweep on the 

 plants. 



Protecting Bulbs and Perennials. 



Bulb beds should not be protected until 

 the ground is well frozen. It is a mis- 

 take to put on a heavy covering. Two 

 or three inches of leaves or meadow hay 

 is preferable to a foot of the same ma- 

 terial. All perennials, more especially 

 fall planted ones, are better mulched 

 with coarse manure, straw, meadow hay 

 or leaves, held in position with light 

 branches of any kind. The loss from 

 freezing and thawing is heavy during 

 a mild winter where no mulch is applied. 

 In every case, a light covering is pref- 

 erable to a heavy one, except it may 

 be in the case of a few somewhat tender 

 subjects, where the protection may be of 

 sufficient weight to exclude frost. 



