May 20, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



63 



ration day, and, with the revival of 

 business in the downtown section, there 

 should be a heavy out-of-town trade. 



Various Notes. 



A. H. Hills is erecting two more 

 orchid houses on his grounds in East 

 Oakland, Cal. 



Domoto Bros, are building a show 

 house 35x400 feet, for large decorative 

 plants, at their Elmhurst nursery. 



The showing of calceolarias at the 

 present time at Golden Gate park is one 

 of the finest exhibits seen there in sev- 

 eral seasons. 



Geo. E. Parker has departed on a 

 month's tour of southern California and 

 Arizona. 



Geo. Beck, of Los Angeles, is in town. 

 G. 



A COMPOST HEAP. 



We are located at San Bernardino, 

 Cal., and want advice on how to make a 

 compost heap. T. A. N. 



The subscriber does not state in his let- 

 ter what particular kind of compost he 

 wishes to make, or what class of stock he 

 expects to plant in it, so a few general 

 directions that will apply to ordinary 

 hardy plants will probably suflSciently 

 answer his ease. 



Composts are usually mixtures of 

 manure, loam and sand. These three in- 

 gredients can always be had, and they 

 are all that are necessary, except in 

 special instances. The quality of the soil 

 used is the first consideration. It is best 

 to select loam that is not too sticky or 

 too sandy. A medium black soil is the 

 best, and if there is any tendency in its 

 composition toward adobe, it should be 

 fairly well pulverized and an excess of 

 sand mixed in the compost pile. 



To begin with, take half the entire 

 quantity required of black loam and put 

 it in a pile. Work it over with a shovel 

 and, should there be any rocks or coarse 

 gravel in it, put it through a coarse 

 screen; otherwise it can be broken sufii- 

 ciently with a shovel. Then take a pile 

 of manure about half the size of the 

 loam. I refer to rotted manure, for if 

 it is fresh use a quantity that will be 

 equal in size to the pile of loam. It 

 makes but little difference whether the 

 manure be fresh or old, excepting that 

 it will take at least three months longer 

 before the compost is ready for use 

 should fresh manure be used. 



Sand is the next requirement, and it 

 makes little difference whether beach or 

 fresh-water sand is used, as long as it is 

 clean and free from gravel. Of this take 

 about one-quarter the quantity of loam 

 used and pile it by itself. 



Having selected a place where the 

 compost is to be piled, first put a layer 

 of manure about six inches thick on the 

 ground and cover it with about four 

 inches of sand. Over this spread about 

 six inches of loam, and, if the manure is 

 fresh, wet down the entire pile with the 

 hose and continue piling as before — first 

 the manure, then the sand and then the 

 loam, wetting it well whenever a layer 

 of loam has been added. The wetting 

 down is not so important if old, well 

 rotted manure is used. 



After three layers of each have been 

 added the pile is finished and should be 

 allowed to stand, if fresh manure has 

 been used, at least four months. If old 

 manure is used a month or six weeks 

 will be all that is necessary to blend the 

 ingredients into a splendid mass of 

 compost. 



The purpose of allowing a space of 





One Day's Shipment of Mlttine's Bulbs, 1908. 



Calla Lily Bulbs 



Per 100 Per 1000 



1 Inch to m Inch In diameter $3.00 $25.00 



1^ inch to 1% inch in diameter 6.0O 60.00 



2 inch to 2^ inch in diameter 8.00 70.00 



2% inch and over 10.00 



(250 at 1000 rate.) 



When cash is sent with order, we prepay the freight 



and guarantee safe arrival. 



Nircistus Alba Graadiflori, $10.00 per 1000. Ready July 1. 



A. MiniNG GALLA LILY BULB GO. 



Lock Box 880. SANTA CRUZ, CAL. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



Fischer's Grand Freesia PURITY 



Tbe unequaled ^rblte decorative Freesia. Send in your orders early if you want the 

 large sizes, as I am booking large orders for them now and will have to refuse orders for 

 mammoth, although 1 will have many more bulbs than other years. Our stock is absolutely 

 pure, as great pains is taken to remove any rogues, as they may appear, and all seed pods 

 are removed, avoiding all danger of mixture, as Purity does not come true from seed. 

 Dealers getting their stock from us, will always be cure to get the purest of stock. 

 For Sale by the Leadlns Seedsmen. 



RUDOLPH FISCHER, R.F.D..San Gabriel, Cal. 



ttlentlon The Review when you writp. 



CUT CARNATIONS ^ZZ\'^ 



PLACE TOUR ORDER NOW FOR MEMORIAL DAY. 



5000 R. P. KNCHANTRB8S PLANTS, good ones, now growing out of doors, $2.25 per 

 100; $20.00 per 1000. Express prepaid on these plants to clean them out. 



BASSETT'S FLORAL GARDENS, Carnation Ave., LOOMIS, CAL. 



time to elapse before using the mixture 

 is to kill out the fungi in the manure, 

 and also to destroy the weeds which are 

 always so abundant in manure. 



Should a compost be wanted for use 

 immediately after mixing, greater care 

 must be used in the selection of the 

 manure, which should be old, dry and 

 screened before spread in the pile. 



For greenhouse plants, a mixture of 

 one-half loam, one-sixth each of leaf- 

 mold, sand and well rotted manure 

 makes a splendid mixture that can bo 

 used as soon as made. For ferns and 

 other delicate plants, a mixture of one- 

 third each of loam, sand and leaf-mold 

 will work nicely. Unless for some varie- 



RAHN & HERBERT 



WHOLESALE GROWERS 

 Portland, Ore., Mt. Tabor P. O. 



Carnations, Mums, rooted cuttings. 

 Geranium*, Baddlns Plants, 2^-in. pots. 

 Boston Ferns, in all varieties, young plants. 

 Prices on application. 



ties of strong feeding plants, there is no 

 necessity of mixing in bone meal, guano, 

 potash or lime. This is occasionally done 

 where big results are wanted for some 

 special occasion, but for the ordinary run 

 of plants the first method I have given 

 will cover the points nicely. G. 



