May ?0, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



17 



blooms expand fully, kuyers have been 

 known to refuse them as too open, fig- 

 uring that they would be past their prime 

 when wanted for use. This is not the 

 case. The flower must be cut open and 

 will stand much longer than any other 

 of the cut flower varieties, without pass- 

 ing beyond its most salable shape. 



CHATENAY. 



A year and a half ago the Chatenay 

 rose was possibly more abundant than 

 any other in the Chicago wholesale cut 

 flower market. This was in the autumn 

 of 1907. All that fall Chatenay was over- 

 abundant and its selling price lower than 

 that of any other rose offered in quan- 

 tity. Chatenay fell from grace with the 

 growers that season, and last spring, 

 when time for replanting came around, 

 only a few retained the variety ; the great 

 majority gave its space to Killarney, al- 

 though some fell back on the old stand- 

 bys. Maid and Bride. In the season now- 

 drawing toward a close few Chatenay 

 have been seen in the Chicago market and 

 there has been no special call for the 

 small numbers that were available ; hardly 

 ever is an order received that calls specif- 

 ically for Chatenay. The result has been 

 that the price realized has been low. 



In preparations for replanting for the 

 season of 1909-10 Chatenay is being 

 dropped by almost all the growers who 

 have not already discarded it. Its sun 

 is set, although so good a judge as 

 August Poehlmann says it will rise again. 

 But for cut flower purposes, so far as 

 the present is concerned, it is about to go 

 the way of Meteor and Liberty. 



STERILIZING SOIL. 



Since good soil is so difficult to obtain 

 here, I had thought of getting pipe and 

 having a sterilizer made, and keeping the 

 same soil in another year, adding ma- 

 nure. What do you think of it? Has 

 it been ])roven that the productiveness 

 of the soil is not interfered with by 

 sterilizing? Our roses have some eel 

 worms every season, and I thought by 

 tiie above process it could be prevented. 

 Our soil here is of a firm, retentive na- 

 ture, and fine for roses if eel worms 

 couM be ])revented. J. W. P. 



There is some aondict of testimony in 

 regard to the effect of sterilization on 

 the productivity of soil. Many of the 

 leading vegetable growers would not 

 think to plant cucunil)er or lettuce crops 

 without sterilization. One prominent 

 grower lately told me that it made his 

 soil as good as new. While there is prac- 

 tical unanimity of opinion concerning its 

 beneficent effects on soils to be used for 

 indoor vegetable culture, some rose men 

 fight shy of it. for some reason. Speak- 

 ing for myself, I would unhesitatingly 

 recommend its use for clearing out eel 

 worms and other soil pests. I have tried 

 it on composts used for many varieties, 

 'and have never seen any ill effects from 

 its use, but always the reverse. 



The question of whether sterilization 

 and the addition of manure will be as 

 satisfactory as new soil, I must, how- 

 ever, answer in the negative. Better go 

 to the additional cost of securing fresh 

 loam. It will pay you in the end. Spread 

 your old loam on grass land. This can 

 be plowed up and used again a couple 

 of years hence, when it has made some 

 good fiber. Use nevy soil, by all means, 

 and do not be afraid to sterilize it be- 

 fore planting. C. 



American Beauties Grown Under Glass at New Orleans. 



ALLAMANDAS. 



These Are Splendid Climbers. 



Allamandas are among tlio most beau- 

 tiful of exotic climbers. What more 

 charming j)icture can be imagined than a 

 big conservatory witli pillars and roof 

 festooned with the lovely yellow flowers 

 carried by these poj)ular stov<> plants? 

 While commonly classed as exotics, alla- 

 mandas will thrive and flower l)eautifully 

 in an ordinary greenhouse, an<l either 

 planted out or in tubs they yield a wealth 

 of bloom for several months. The flow- 

 ers are useful for table decorations and 

 can be eftectively used in floral designs, 

 if carefully wired. 



The most useful allamamla for pot 

 culture is the dwarf A. Williamsi, intro- 

 duced by the late B. S. Williams, at one 

 time a noted dealer in exotics at Upper 

 Holloway, Tjondon, at whose establish- 

 ment many good present-day gardeners 

 and florists have had some training. This 

 allamanda carries smaller flowers than 

 the climbing varieties, but blooms when 

 small, and a plant in an 8-inch or 10-inch 

 pot, which has been carefully pinched 

 and well grown, makes a splendid deco- 

 rative subject, far too seldom seen in our 

 high-class stores. 



There is no special difficulty in rooting 

 and growing allamandas. In a brisk bot- 

 tom heat they will root as readily as 

 crotons or dracwnas. Keep them moving 

 in a warm, moist house, and after the 

 middle of .Tune place them in a frame, 

 where they can be plunged, and in com- 



mon with crotons, dracanias, caladiunis 

 and other warmth-loving subjects, they 

 will make rapid growth if they are syr- 

 inged (i\-er each afternoon and a good, 

 moist heat bottled up. 



A Reason for Failure. 



Many fail witii nllanuuidas tinouyh not 

 allowing them to become well ripened in 

 winter. The water supply should be grad- 

 ually reduced after Xovend)er, and by 

 the early part of .January the ]dants 

 should be kept i:early dry. The pruning 

 and repotting is to be done early in 

 March and carefid watering is necessary 

 until the plants break freely. At pres- 

 ent the plants are growing strongly and 

 are already coming into flower. A light 

 shade will be beneficial, but give the 

 plants a i)lace well up to the light. An 

 ample water supply and liquid manure 

 twice a week Avill be needed when the 

 pots are filled with roots. Plants in 

 l)oxes, tubs or the ground should have a 

 liberal top-dressing, if this has not j-et 

 been given. There is no better variety 

 for climbing than the old A. Hendersoni, 

 «ith its large, golden yellow flowers. 



A few years ago we planted out some 

 allamandas. The summer Avas a specially 

 warm one and they flowered profusely, 

 being occasionally watered. The flowers 

 in the full sun took on a slightly bronzy 

 hue, which, however, was pleasing. It 

 will pay any retail florist to grow one or 

 two allamandas. They flower when really 

 choice flowers are scarce and will be 

 found extremelv useful. 



