The Weekly Florists' Review* 



July 29, 1009. 



Would it be necessary to take much 

 soil with them, or could we give them 

 new soil? We would like to use old car- 

 nation soil from bench, which has been 

 used the previous year, with one-half pas- 

 ture sod loam. Would it not be well to 

 leave out manure, and feed when they 

 begin to show growth? We would be 

 pleased to have you give us full particu- 

 lars as to the best way to proceed. 



H. F. C. 



The asparagus in question may read- 

 ily be transplanted from one house to the 

 other if the plants are carefully lifted 

 with a moderate sized ball of earth. If 

 they have been kept on the dry side for a 

 time previous to the transplanting it is 

 better for them. 



The old carnation soil with one-half of 

 new soil added will be none too rich for 

 these plants, and it would be well to add 

 about one-fourth part of well-rotted sta- 

 ble manure to the compost, for asparagus 

 is a gross feeder. 



Shade the house moderately, in which 

 the new planting is made, and spray the 

 plants frequently in bright weather, but 

 do not get the soil sodden before the 

 plants begin to root afresh. In a short 

 time they should become reestablished. 



W. H. T. 



BOUGAINVILLEAS. 



Of late years I have always grown 

 boug.ainviiloas for Easter, but I now 

 wish to grow them for Christmas. Can 

 you give me any information regarding 

 these plants — what temperature to start 

 them at, etc.? Will it be necessary to 

 rest them before bringing them into the 

 houses? What is the best variety for 

 early forcing? I have always grown B. 

 glabra Sanderiana. E. K. 



Bougainvillea Sanderiana is the most 

 suitable variety for forcing. For Christ- 

 mas flowering it is necessary to have the 

 growths on your plants thoroughly rip- 

 ened early in September. The plants 

 will now require an abundant water sup- 

 ply to enable them to complete their 

 growth, and should be kept under glass 

 all the time. Give them a thin shading 

 only. To secure well ripened wood 

 early, gradually withhold water, but not 

 suddenly, or you will probably ruin the 

 plants. 



Potting should be done just after 

 flowering in the case of plants to be 

 carried over. Shake away as much as 

 possible of the old soil and prune roots 

 and shoots at the same time. The plants 



ought to be kept tolerably dry for a f .\v 

 days before potting. 



If your wood is tirm and well ripeiu'd 

 early in September, the bulk of sn h 

 plants will come in flower for Christni ts. 

 All foliage should have fallen from ihe 

 shoots, which should be hard and nut v. 

 In starting the plants, do not run th( n\ 

 too warm at first; 60 degrees at night ia 

 easily maintained in September and is 

 sutficienLiy high for them. Use waicr 

 sparingly at the root, but syringe f ret ly 

 until the plants break into active growth, 

 when the water supply must be in- 

 creased. A rather airier atmosphere can 

 be given them when well started. Avoid 

 a heavily shaded hous3. Bougainvilleas 

 want little shade at any time, althoui.fh 

 when in bloom it helps to hold their 

 color. Get the plants as well advanced 

 as you can before the last part of Octo- 

 ber, as the declining solar heat at this 

 season is different from that preceding 

 Easter. 



Use liquid manure when the bracts are 

 showing, discontinuing it when the 

 flowers show color. Endeavor to get the 

 plants in a cool house a few days be- 

 fore Christmas. An average night tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees during the for- 

 cing period is, as a rule, sufficient. 



C. W. 



GREAT EXPECTATIONS. 



One of the most interesting diversions 

 for the florist is the attempt to produce 

 new varieties by cross-fertilization; and 

 the ever present possibility that the re- 

 sult may be so valuable as to realize a 

 fortune for the hybridist adds zest to 

 the operation. 



The plant upon which inter-pollination 

 is most frequently attempted is probably 

 the carnation, owing, no doubt, to its al- 

 most universal cultivation and the de- 

 mand for newer shades of color, better 

 habits of growth, more profitable kinds 

 and greater size of flower. 



Many florists who are still in the har- 

 ness wiU remember the time when Ed- 

 wardsii, Degraw, La Purite and a few 

 other small-flowered sorts made up the 

 stock in cultivation and when a carna- 

 tion flower three or four inches in diam- 

 eter seemed impossible of attainment. 



It is wonderful what a diversity there 

 may be in plants produced from seed ob- 

 tained from the same pod. Some may 

 have flowers that are almost single, while 

 others have so many petals that the calyx 

 cannot contain them ; and the colors may 

 vary from pure white through different 

 shades of pink, variegated, yellow and 

 red to darkest crimson. 



Most of the seedlings will be totally 

 valueless, but when a variety is obtained 

 the stock of which can be sold for $10,- 

 000, it pays well for much experimenting. 



W. T. Bell. 



CARNATION NOTES.- EAST. 



Housing the Plants. 



Previous to the lifting of any plants, 

 it is important to see that everything is 

 in reaoiness in the houses for their re- 

 ception. It is probable that the bench 

 soil is somewhat dry. This should be 

 watered lightly in the afternoon of the 

 day before setting with plants, thus al- 

 lowing time for the soil to become 

 evenly moist throughout. A convenient- 

 sized box in which to stand the plants, 

 as Jifted, is about 18x30 inches and ten 

 or twelve inches deep, with a layer of 

 damp moss on the bottom. This can be 

 carried from the field directly to the 

 planters, thereby saving unnecessary 

 handling. It is obvious that a sufficient 

 number should be provided to keep 

 things moving. 



The number of plants, in each variety, 

 that are to be housed should be decided 

 upon and space assigned. 



Lifting the PUnts. 



It is immaterial whether long-handled 

 spades or spading forks are used to lift 

 the plants, and, although we prefer the 

 latter, we do not think it requires a man 

 on each side, each with a fork, to lift ;' 

 plant properly. It is desirable, of 

 course, that the main part of the root 

 system be secured, but we cannot expect 

 to get the whole. The object should br 

 to secure the principal part without in- 

 jury, rather than a large quantity oi 

 delicate roots which would be cumber 

 some to handle, and one man, by intelli 

 gent use of spade or fork, ought to 

 accomplish this successfully. 



As fast as one man lifts, another 

 should remove what soil will easily comi 

 away from the roots and place the plants 

 upright in the box containing the layer 

 of damp moss. 



Removal of Soil From Roots. 



The question of removing the soil 

 from the roots has been much discussed 

 in times past, but since the practice ha? 

 been to pot young stock as it comes from 

 the sand, the general opinion seems to 

 favor the soil's removal. My experience 

 has been that it is best to leave as little 

 as possible of the field soil on the roots. 



