26 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



Dbcembbs 10, 1908. 



It has always seemed to me, in ouif 

 vicinity, that after Thanksgiving there 

 is no frantic rush to get mums any more. 

 The public is tired of them and turns to 

 other flowers. In the west it may be 

 different, though I would advise P. H. 

 not to go into very late mums too heavily 

 till he sees how his market will take 

 them. 



He will, of course, understand that late 

 stock is planted late (sometimes as late 

 as August 15) and grown as cool as pos- 

 sible all fall and the terminal bud taken. 

 One exception may be noted, and that is 

 with the old Jerome Jones. The ter- 

 minal bud of that variety with us used 

 to be a light pink, and we discarded it a 

 decade ago, though some commercial men 

 still seem to get it in good shape. A 

 pink variety coming out this year, called 



CHRYSANTH^IUM SOCIETY. 



Work of the Committees. 



Cincinnati, Nov. 27. — Mrs. J. Boxall, 

 pink Japanese incurved, exhibited by 

 Elmer D. Smith & Co., Adrian, Mich., 

 scored 88 points commercial scale. 



Cincinnati, Nov. 27. — Improved Chad- 

 wick, white, exhibited by Elmer D. Smith 

 & Co., scored 90 points commercial scale. 



The variety Canadian seedling No. 20, 

 exhibited by C. H. Totty in Chicago, has 

 been named W. R. Brock. 



David Fraser, Sec'y. 



EUROPEAN NOTES. 



Chrysanthemum growers throughout 

 France and England are now celebrating 

 the centenary of the chrysanthemum. 



Single Chrysanthemum Irene Cragg, White* 



W. R. Brock, can easily be held for 

 Christmas if desired. 



Charles H. Totty. 



Hannibal, Mo. — Thomas A. Gulp went 

 into bankruptcy December 2. The meet- 

 ing of his creditors is called for Decem- 

 ber 12. 



One hundred years ago a French sailor 

 introduced the first plants from Japan 

 into France. His portrait now occupies 

 a place of honor at Paris, Tours and 

 the leading French shows, and his grand- 

 children are feted by the enthusiastic 

 mum growers. Many old prints, paint- 

 ings, cotalogucs, etc., have been got to- 



gether by enthusiastic collectors for the 

 occasion, forming a most interesting col- 

 lection, in which the progress of a cen- 

 tury 's work may be noted, step by step. 



Unfortunately, however, the chrysan- 

 themum itself has not risen to the occa- 

 sion, for 1908 is not an ideal year for 

 specimen blooms. The mild weather of 

 late October and early November played 

 havoc among the petals, and growers are 

 disappointed at not being able to show 

 tiptop blooms. There is a marked de- 

 cline in the quality of blooms at leading 

 English shows, such as those of London 

 and Birmingham, and a decrease in the 

 number of exhibits also. It is very un- 

 fortunate that Dame Nature should step 

 in and rob the centenary of its splen- 

 dor. There is no lack of new varieties, 

 and single flowered varieties still main- 

 tain their popularity for decorative ef- 

 fects. 



GREEN BAMBOO STICKS. 



Mr. Loechner, of the Yokohama Nurs- 

 ery Co., has the following to say of bam- 

 boo plant stakes: 



"Japanese bamboo sticks in natural 

 condition are well known to the growers, 

 particularly in the east, where they are 

 delivered at reasonable prices on account 

 of the cheap ocean freight on direct 

 tramp steamers via Suez to New York. 

 Most of these steamers belong to the 

 Standard Oil Co., and they carry freight 

 at extremely cheap rates instead of re- 

 turning under ballast. 



"The sticks are used in preference to 

 the so-called American canes, as they are 

 more durable, more slender, and do not 

 rot at the base, so they can be used over 

 and over again. Several trials have been 

 made to color them for pot plants such 

 as chrysanthemums, lilies, hyacinths, etc., 

 but the color did not stick to the glossy 

 surface of the sticks. But now one house 

 has succeeded in having them colored by 

 a special process and they are bought in 

 the east in preference to the wooden 

 sticks which we used before. ' ' 



PINK LUPINES. 



Can you give me any information on 

 growing Rawson's new Pink Beauty lu- 

 pine! Do you think it will make a good 

 florists ' flower? S. H. S. 



Annual pink lupines should make good 

 florists' flowers. They are of easy cul- 

 ture under glass, but so far seem to have 

 been largely neglected commercially. If 

 seed had been sown in small pots late in 

 September and planted in benches in Oc- 

 tober, they could have been had in flower 

 for Christmas. By sowing now, either in 

 pots or thinly in a bench in a cool house, 

 you will be able to flower them about the 

 middle of March. These lupines, like 

 many others of our best annuals, do bet- 

 ter under glass than outdoors. They keep 

 well when cut and I feel confident that 

 any wide-awake and up-to-date flower 

 stores would be glad to purchase them. If 

 you have critical flower buyers, looking 

 for something out of the beaten track, 

 these lupines will make a welcome change. 

 A house kept at 45 to 48 degrees at night 

 is sufficiently warm for them. 



W. N. Craig. 



CHICAGOS MONTHLY SHOWS. 



The Horticultural Society of Chicago 

 recently decided to try a series of month- 

 ly lectures and exhibitions this winter 

 and announces the first one for Decern- 



