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The Weekly Florists' Review. 



15 



Decoration by M. A. Bswe, New York, for a Railroad Men's Dinner. 



companying illustration, but unfortu- 

 nately the photographer was too intent 

 on getting the detail in the napery to 

 get much in the plants and flowers, 

 so the picture shows little of the artistii- 

 success from the florists ' point of view . 



The oval table carried a moss-grown 

 railroad embankment, at the top of 

 which a miniature track was laid, with 

 bridges, stations, semaphores, and all 

 the "properties," even to a section hand 

 with a handcar. The locomotive and 

 train of three cars were kept in motion 

 all through the dinner by an electric 

 storage battery. In the center was a 

 little lake in which swam a swan. On 

 the shores of the lake were pussy wil- 

 lows, Adiantuni Farleyense, cattleyas 

 and other choice plants, all grouped to 

 harmonious effect in the unusual encir- 

 cling feature. 



ft is worth while noting that the en- 

 tire decoration was low, so that the diners 

 could see and converse across the table. 



To be of any account for pot culture, 

 Canterbury bells should be in not less 

 than 6-inch pots, and 8-inch is none too 

 large for good plants. 



Another season I would suggest that 

 you make a sowing under glass in April. 

 Plant outdoors in June, potting up in 

 early October in your Kentucky climate. 

 These plants will give you splendid stock 

 for the Easter of 1910 if you start them 

 this spring. 1 do not think the plants 

 you have will flower at all this season. 



C. W. 



CANTERBURY BELLS FOR EASTER 



In August, 1908, we planted some 

 seeds of Canterbury bells, cup and saucer 

 variety, and transplanted them in Octo- 

 ber into flats. We tipped them off into 

 21/. -inch pots in December, and January 

 20 we shifted them to ;|-inch pots. If 

 kept in a temperature of 40 to .50 de- 

 grees at night and repotted again into 

 4-inch pots, can they l)e forced into 

 bloom by Easter? ' A. & W. 



I am afraid your Canterbury bells 

 •were sown rather too late to flower the 

 <oniing spring. These campanulas are 

 Itiennials, flowering the second year, but 

 my experience has been that unless they 

 were sown in April or May the plants 

 would not have suflicient size and 

 strength to flower. I am sorry to dis- 

 courage you, but do not think it will pay 

 vou to attempt to flower these for Easter. 



HYDROCYANIC ACID GAS. 



In the Bkview of January 21 a sub- 

 scriber having white fly asks how to get 

 rid of it, and states that he has to be 

 careful what he fumigates with, be- 

 cause his residence is connected with his 

 greenhouses. C. W. answered the letter 

 \ery completely, but I am tempted to 

 "butt in" and inquire just how the 

 iiouse and greenhouses are connected in 

 this case, as I have had considerable 

 experience with cyanide and in just such 

 ( inuniftances. 



I am pof-itive that there is no danger 

 in fumigating with hydrocyanic acid gas 

 in a greenhouse connected to the resi- 

 lience by a covered vestibule, wood 

 house or summer kitchen, as is usually 

 the case. .Vly vestibule connection has 

 a \>indow in it. I open this window, 

 lock the door of the greenhouse and 

 close the door leading from the house to 

 the vestibule. Any gaa that comes 

 through into the vestibule is so diluted 

 as to be harmless. We often notice the 

 odor in the vestibule, but think nothing 

 of it. There is no disputing that cyanide 

 is a most deadly poison, but I am fully 

 satisfied that an ordinary dose, as given 

 for insects, would not be strong enough 

 to do any harm to anyone or anything 

 outside the closed doors of the green- 



house. I can remember that when I 

 first used it I was afraid to do it until 

 late at night, when no one was going 

 along the street past the front house. 



The most peculiar and interesting 

 thing about using hydrocyanic acid gas 

 is that its effects are decidedly different 

 at different times. It settles in moisture 

 quickly, and if the foliage is wet it is 

 likely to settle on it and burn the foliage 

 severely, or if the plants are dry and 

 the walks and soil quite wet, it will 

 settle there as quickly and do the insects 

 little or no harm. Contrary to the rules 

 for using all other fumigants. the 

 house and the plants should be dry when 

 it is used. 



In using cyanide, the stuff should be 

 kept locked up until needed and the op- 

 eration should be personally superin- 

 tended by the proprietor. Never leave 

 it to others. Stop and think before start- 

 ing to drop the papers: Are the ven- 

 tilators closed? Are the doors all fas- 

 tened except those left open to go out 

 by? Are these doors unlatched and 

 ready? Are there any pet animals in 

 the house? Keep your wits about you, 

 and lock the doors when you get out at 

 the end; then there is little or no danger 

 about it. There is no record of anyone 

 ever being injured by using it for fumi- 

 gating. H. G. 



COSMOS. 



Can anyone tell we whether seed from 

 Cosmos Lady Lenox will hybridize if 

 planted near the Giant variety; that is, 

 will the former variety stay true to 

 name? H. K. 



Lady Lenox should not be planted near 

 other varieties of cosmos, if you intend 

 keeping seed from it, as it fertilizes 

 readily and would not come true from 

 see<l. C. W. 



