22 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



May 20, 1909. 



there is likely to be a shortage of stock 

 for the coming year in many kinds of 

 bedding plants, like geraniums, petunias, 

 etc. Unless you carefully set aside plenty 

 of stock plants of each kind before the 

 bedding rush is on, you are likely to find 

 when it is over that you are all out of 

 certain kinds (and of course these are 

 always the popular kinds), or you have 

 only a few culls left, which no good 



grower wishes to utilize for stock plants. 



These notes have been written, hur- 

 riedly, as it is a hurried time; yet, if I 

 have succeeded in jogging your memory 

 on something that you have thought to 

 do, but have failed to do up to the pres- 

 ent moment, why, it is never too late to 

 reform, and I would suggest that you go 

 and do it now. 



One thing more : When planting plants 



in the field, do not fail to have the balls 

 of earth thoroughly wet, even if the 

 ground is in good, moist condition. Dis- 

 turbing the soil in planting makes it dry 

 out, and if rain does not follow quickly 

 after planting, the neglect to wet the 

 plants may mean the loss of quite a large 

 per cent of the stock, or at least a 

 greatly retarded growth. So again I say, 

 take care. R. E. Shuphelt. 



SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS. 



Plantiog. 



It is time that the stock which is ex- 

 pected to produce the exhibition flowers 

 should be planted out in the benches or 

 pots. One sees occasionally some fine 

 flowers produced from later planted 

 stock, but they are the exception that 

 proves the rule. The longer season of 

 growth will give the flower depth and 

 solidity, as well as mere spread, and in 

 present-day competitions there is no 

 room for anything but the best. The size 

 of some of the flowers staged today was 

 hardly dreamed of ten years ago, and if 

 the present keen rivalry continues we 

 may see even greater results in the im- 

 mediate future. 



Some of our best growers now keep 

 their plants continuously in pots, claim- 

 ing, with good reason, that a potbound 

 plant can be more heavily fed than the 

 same plant in a bench, thus giving 

 greater depth to the flower. My only 

 objection to that system is the cost of 

 production. Plants in pots need far more 

 care than in a bench, as they need more 

 watering. Personally, I shall continue to 

 grow my plants in a bench, recognizing, 

 at the same time, that I am somewhat 

 handicapped by so doing. 



The Soil. 



The soil for planting should be in good 

 shape mechanically, as well as rich in 

 plant food. The mum loves a live soil; 

 that is, a soil that has lots of fibrous sod 

 in its composition. Anyone who has ever 

 noted the roots of his plants has ob- 

 served how they bunch themselves in a 

 piece of fiber, thereby showing how they 

 like it. 



The old way of making a compost heap 

 in the fall, of three or four parts of sod 

 to one of manure, seems to be falling 

 into disuse in some sections, but while 

 there are quicker ways of preparing soil, 

 there is no better way. Such a compost 

 heap, chopped down now and having 

 bone mixed with it, furnishes a soil that 

 is ideal for planting mums in. The plants 

 root into it quickly and it will not sour 

 in the benches, as the particles of sod 

 keep the soil open and overwatering is 

 almost impossible. 



In filling the benches, fill just level 

 full, and then, after the plants are set 

 out and the soil made firm, there is about 

 half an inch or so of room between the 

 soil and the top of the bench, to allow of 



ample waterings. I always consider four 

 and one-half inches of soil ample to grow 

 mums in. 



The distance apart to set out the 

 plants is a question governed somewhat 

 by the habit of the plant itself. About 

 10x9 is the distance we plant most of 



A Florists' Representative. 



our kinds to grow single stems, and that 

 is none too much room for the average va- 

 riety. Miriam Hankey makes heavy foli- 

 age, and this foliage is prone to mildew 

 in the fall. Give this variety more room 

 and it will repay you. Other kinds, like 

 Mrs. H. Partridge, that droop ^h'^ leaves 



to the stem, may be planted closer and 

 not suffer for it. The chief idea in the 

 mind of the planter should be not to get 

 the foliage so dense that the sun cannot 

 penetrate to the bed after the plants 

 have made a good growth. When planted 

 too closely the plants draw each other up, 

 and hard, short- jointed wood is impos- 

 sible. It is far better to grow half as 

 many plants and have them all perfect. 



Plants Making; Buds. 



The usual complaints regarding plants 

 running to bud, instead of going ahead 

 and making growth, are coming in. Aa 

 we have many times explained in these 

 notes, some varieties are apt to run to 

 bud at this season, but they eventually 

 grow out of it by keeping the buds 

 closely pinched off, and the plant finally 

 throws up a sucker and comes away. 



Where buds show in all the kinds in 

 the same way, it may be taken for 

 granted that the stock has been neg- 

 lected, not kept sufficiently watered and 

 allowed to get potbound. In the par- 

 lance of the craft, young plants must be 

 kept "soft"; that is to say, in a grow- 

 ing condition, without check of any kind. 

 It is the hardening of the tissues conse- 

 quent on an insufficient supply of food 

 and water that throws the plant into bud. 

 So the remedy is obvious. 



Early varieties should be planted in 

 May, if possible, because it must be re- 

 membered that in eight to ten weeks 

 buds must be taken and the plant must 

 have time to make a long enough stem 

 to be salable. 



October Frost and Rosiere run up 

 quickly, but Pacific, Polly Rose, Monro- 

 via and Golden Glow are slower and need 

 the time to grow in. By all indications, 

 everybody will plant Golden Glow. Do 

 not forget to have some pink and white 

 to keep it company. It is possible to 

 have too much of even a good thing. 

 Charles H. Totty. 



THE CARNIVAL COSTUME. 



The business men of East Palestine, O., 

 recently held a carnival and J. N. Spana- 

 bel made use of the opportunity for good 

 advertising. Throughout the carnival he 

 w^s represented by Miss Ethel Stooks- 

 berry in the costume shown in the ac- 

 companying illustration. What she called 

 her "harness" was of Enchantress oar- 

 nations with wired stems, so that each 

 flower would retain its position. 



