8 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



December 30, 1909. 



GERANIUMS FOR SPRING. 



What is the best method for growing 

 geraniums so as to have them in bloom 

 during the latter part of April until 

 Memorial day? We are now shifting into 

 3% -inch to 4-inch pots. Is it best to 

 pinch out all buds? If so, how late in 

 the season? Is it all right to use any 

 fertilizer? If so, what kind? Last year 

 we used liquid cow manure and had fine, 

 stocky geraniums, but shy bloomers 

 durine the season above mentioned. 

 ^ A. 0. N. 



You are shifting your plants into 3^2- 

 inch and 4-inch pots somewhat early. At 

 present the bulk of stock intended for 

 spring sales is in 2V2-inch to 3-inch pots, 

 and the final potting into 4-inch pots 

 I prefer to postpone until about the last 

 part of February, or even later. From 

 eight to ten weeks is sufficiently long 

 for the plants to be in the larger size 

 pots. Afford your plants a night tem- 

 perature of 45 degrees, free ventilation 

 and all possible sunshine. Use moderate- 

 ly heavy loam for the last potting. Cut 

 out leaf-mold and substitute some old, 

 well-rotted cow dung. This may form 

 one-fifth to one-fourth of the whole. 

 Also use a 3-inch pot of fine bone to 

 each bushel of soil. 



When the plants want some stimu- 

 lating, the use of liquid manure will 

 promote leaf growth, but not floriferous- 

 ness. A top-dressing of a high grade 

 chemical, such as Clay's fertilizer, or a 

 little fine bone mixed with loam, pro- 

 motes a harder growth and makes the 

 plants flower more profusely. Avoid 

 overwatering, as it makes the plants 

 soft. Let them dry out well between 

 the waterings. This tends to make the 

 ,( ''. growths firmer. Pick off all flower buds 

 until about a month or six weeks before 

 you want vour plants in bloom. Gera- 

 niums like'a rather dry atmosphere and 

 do not need syringing overhead for in- 

 sect pests. Spread them out frequently 

 . so that thev do not crowd. If left too 

 close, the result will be moldy and yel- 

 low leaves and plants which are the re- 

 verse of stocky. C. W. 



GERANIUM FLOWERS FADING. 



We are growing some geraniums, and 

 as soon as the flowers open the edges 

 begin to turn a kind of purple and it 

 spoils them entirely. The trouble even 

 begins on the buds showing color and all 

 varieties look the same. Our house runs 

 east and west, with 24-inch glass m sides 

 We have hot water heat and raised 

 benches. We keep a night temperature- 

 of 52 to 55 degrees. We had the. same 

 trouble last spring. Can you tell w what 

 the trouble is? A. Ji;. i:*. 



Yojir house, temperature and other con- 

 ditiois would seem all right for growxHg 

 good! geraniums. For bedding stock 

 wanted for spring sales the temperature 

 should be 6 to la deg^rees lower, but if 

 --you'aregrowiiig: plants fo flower now, 52 



to 55 degrees at night will answer well, 

 provided that you ventilate freely on 

 every possible opportunity. The early 

 fading out of the flowers we cannot un- 

 derstand. Have you been using sulphur 

 freely on the pipes? This would bleach 

 out the flowers in the way you speak of. 

 We would advise running the house at 

 least 5 degrees cooler. Air freely. Let 

 the plants dry out well between waterings 

 and, if any show signs of starvation at 

 the roots, use some Clay's fertilizer or 

 weak nitrate of soda water to tone them 

 up. C. W. 



POLYGONUM BALDSCHUANICUM. 



Noticing the article on Polygonum 

 Baldschuanicum in the Eeview of Decem- 

 ber 16, and also the request for informa- 

 tion regarding it, I would state that I 

 have handled these vines commercially 

 for several years, and they have given the 

 best of satisfaction here in Colorado and 

 in other western states. 



I procured one of the first plants sent 

 out by Henry A. Dreer and it is now an 

 immense, fine plant. This plant is grow- 

 ing in a much exposed situation; in fact, 

 it has no protection except the naked 

 branches of the tree on which it climbs. 



Yet, in spite of the fact that our winter;. 

 are quite trying, this plant has never 

 been injured by winter freezing. Ii 

 blooms freely throughout the summer, anti 

 I consider it as hardy as the common 

 woodbine. 



I regret much that it cannot be placed 

 on the market at a lower figure. As I 

 understand it, we are dependent upon 

 Europe for our supply and it has not been 

 successfully propagated by growers oti 

 this side, either from seed or cuttings. 

 It would seem to me that the propagation 

 of this vine would be well worth the at 

 tention of some of our growers who fol- 

 low this line. 



The plant seeds freely, and each spring 

 I find a few seedlings under and around 

 the large plant already referred to. These 

 seedlings make fine plants, but there are 

 only a few of them. Seeds, however, that 

 I have gathered and sowed, both in the 

 greenhouse and outside, have failed to 

 germinate. Of course, this is a little out 

 of my line. Yet I am wondering why I 

 have failed. Can anyone explain? 



W. W. WiLMORE. 



In the Review of December 16, page 

 39, a correspondent describes Polygonum 

 Baldschuanicum, especially as seen in 

 France by George C. Perkins, of Jackson 

 & Perkins, on a recent visit to that coun- 

 try. The correspondent says that the 

 plant is vigorous in growth and strikingly 

 decorative. It may be in France, but not 

 near Boston, Mass. I tried it for two 

 successive years. It made but little 

 growth during summer, although well pro- 

 tected, and it failed to live during winter. 

 Perhaps it might do well farther south. 

 I should like to hear about the experience 

 of others with this plant. J. H. CoOK. 



MUMS FOR CHRISTMAS. 



In the Eeview of December 9, page 

 20, H. J. H. inquires as to the best way 

 of handling Nonin mums in order to 

 have a good crop of them for Christmas. 



We have excellent success with cuttings 

 lifted from the sand the last week in 

 July. They can be benched immediately, 

 or, if the benches are not ready, they 

 can be potted up for benching up to the 

 last week in August. But, whether they 

 are in pots or benches, they must be 

 given good treatment and kept growing 

 right along. Nonin is a heavy feeder, 

 requires generous treatment and pays 

 for it. 



We find that six inches each way is 

 ample room for single stems, and this 

 spacing gives nearly twice as many 

 flowers as eight inches, each way. If 

 you are short of stock and can plant by 

 July 15, you Can plant 8x8 inches and 

 top the plants back so as to grow two or 

 possibly three flowers to the plant, but 

 .^ioi^le stems 6x6 inches will be better. 



You can prolong the season of a bench 

 of Nonius imo or three weeks by rubbing 

 off the first buds on tlie later plants and 

 taking the later buds. 



Wis are immensely pleased with J. 

 Rosette for a Christmas crop. Planted 

 in the same way «s Nonin, it makes a 



graceful 6-inch to 7-inch flower, of deep 

 Daybreak color. It is a good keeper and 

 our customers like it. 



W. J. Olds. 



GOLDEN GLOW IN ENGLAND. 



J. W. Cross, the big florist at Wisbech, 

 England, who is a brother of Eli Cross, 

 Grand Rapids, Mich., is this year featur 

 ing the American chrysanthemum, Golden 

 Glow. He calls it ' ' the money-maker for 

 1910," and says: 



' ' This is easy to grow, and the bloom 

 easy to sell; nothing in the market to 

 detract from its value. It is evidently 

 one of the best introductions for the 

 commercial florist. A contemporary 

 states: 'If it was grown largely this sea- 

 son, there is no question that at least 

 three times as many will be grown next 

 season. It is a chrysanthemum for every- 

 body. It can be had in bloom at almost 

 any time from spring till November, and 

 the flowers are always good. ' I have my- 

 self been cutting it during August, Sep- 

 tember and October and making excellent 

 prices on the bloom. I can safely say 

 that this has proved one of the best 

 chrysanthemum investments I have ever 

 made, and you will say the same after 

 giving it a trial this next season. It is 

 a splendid, rich yellow, a vigorous grower 



