28 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



January 27, 1910. 



to cross fertilization, usually called 

 hybridizing, which term is in this in- 

 stance incorrect, as a hybrid is the result 

 of a cross between different species of 

 the same genus, while the various kinds 

 of carnations, as we grow them, are sim- 

 ply different varieties of the same spe- 

 cies. 



For his experiments in cross breeding, 

 he will select parent kinds that seem to 

 combine the qualities he desires in the 

 looked-for progeny, and after growing 

 and testing a few thousand seedlings, he 

 may be rewarded by the production of a 

 prodigy, which may, indeed, result from 

 the very first pod of seed produced. 

 When he has bestowed on this a plain, 

 short name, somewhat descriptive, if pos- 

 sible, and sold the stock, or a portion of 

 it, for $10,000, be the same more or less, 

 he will probably feel repaid for the time 

 and trouble expended on its production, 

 and if liis efforts do not result so profit- 



ably, he will at least be repaid in a meas- 

 ure by the interesting experience he has 

 had. 



The intelligent, observant and careful 

 grower of carnations will soon be able to 

 distinguish the different varieties he cul- 

 tivates from each other by inspection, 

 guided by differences in appearance 

 and habit that cannot be described in 

 words. And, possessing this faculty, if 

 mixtures occur in his stock, as they may, 

 he will be able to identify and name the 

 interlopers. He will find the work, in its 

 variety, both healthful and interesting, 

 and, if located within reach of a good 

 market, profitable as well. 



He may, also, as a result of experi- 

 ments, discover some improved methods 

 in the culture and care of his stock, that 

 will be of general interest and benefit, 

 and having done so, he will of course re- 

 port the same to the American Carnation 

 Society. 



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Bouvardiat. 



The bouvardia plants will now have 

 finished flowering, and if cuttings have 

 not yet been taken it is time to start 

 some. If the plants of the large, white, 

 sweet:scented variety, B. Humboldtii, are 

 rested a little, pruned back and then 

 placed in moist heat, they will soon give 

 an abundance of nice soft cuttings, which 

 root as freely as chrysanthemums in a 

 warm cutting bench. The other varieties 

 of bouvardias do not break so freely as 

 Humboldtii and we find root cuttings 

 make much more satisfactory plants than 

 soft shoots. Cut the thicker roots in 

 pieces half an inch long and place these 

 in a propagating bench where a good 

 Itottom heat, 75 to 80 degrees, is main- 

 tained. Cover with sand. Soak well with 

 water every day and few will fail to 

 grow. 



Bouvardias are not grown as they were 

 twenty-five years ago. The scarlet va- 

 rieties are, however, good sellers at 

 Christmas, while the more persistent 

 blooming Humboldtii may be had in 

 flower from August to Christmas. It is 

 one of the best selling choice flowers of 

 the day, being superb in either design 

 or bouquet work. 



Fancy Caladiums. 



If your fancy caladiums have been 

 wintered in a warm, dry shed or room, 

 the tubers should not have decayed, as 

 so often proves to be the case when they 

 are shaken out prior to starting. Too 

 cold resting quarters and an excess of 

 moisture will speedily raise havoc with 

 the tubers. Provided they are plump 

 and sound, now is a suitable time to start 

 them. Do not pot at once, but chop up 

 some sphagnum moss and mix with sand. 

 Rest the tubers on this, over heating 

 pipes, either in a propagating case or in 

 a box placed where it will have a good 

 bottom heat. Damp slightly until the 

 roots and growths appear. Pot before 

 the roots run and become entangled. 

 Those having fancy caladiums and not 



possessed of a warm, steamy house had 

 better wait a few weeks before starting 

 their tubers. 



Asparagus Spteogeti, 



Take advantage of any lull in other 

 duties to look over the benches of As- 

 paragus Sprengeri. Cut away all un- 

 salable shoots and give the plants a top- 

 dressing of decayed barnyard manure or 

 fine bone, scratching over the surface 

 after applying. Avoid the temptation to 

 cut away all shoots on any of the plants. 

 The inevitable result is a decided weak- 

 ening of them, and if you will take note 

 of the aftergrowth on any cut down alto- 

 gether and those on which one or two 

 shoots have been retained, you will soon 

 be convinced of the correctness of this. 



Herbaceous Calceolarias. 



The flower shoots on herbaceous cal- 

 ceolarias are starting to come up now and 

 the final potting should be delayed no 

 longer. Let the soil at the last shift be 

 of a porous nature. The plants like an 

 abundant water supply, but like it to 

 pass away quickly. Fibrous loam, dry 

 cow manure, a little leaf-mold, some 

 broken charcoal and pieces of rough peat 

 chopped up make an ideal compost. Press 

 it firmly in the pots. Continue to grow 

 the plants as cool as possible; 40 degrees 

 at night is better than 50 degrees for 

 them, and in the lower temperature there 

 is always less danger of aphis attacks 

 than when grown warmer. 



Bedding Geraniums. 



Continue to take off any tops from 

 strong geranium plants and insert them 

 singly in 2-inch pots of sandy loam. 

 These can still be grown into nice, sal- 

 able stock by Memorial day. The earlier 

 potted stock takes on an accelerated rate 

 of growth with the increasing solar heat 

 and should be looked over every few 

 days and given a fresh stand. Remove 

 any dead and decaying foliage and do 

 not use the hose over the foliage any 

 more than is absolutely necessary. Do 



not allow any of the little plants to be- 

 come cramped in the pots before giving 

 them a shift. One inch at a time is suf- 

 ficient, from 2-inch to 3-inch and 3-inch 

 to 4-inch pots. Get in a good batch of 

 thai useful little edging variety, Mme. 

 S;xlleroi. The cuttings root easily and 

 they will make nice, bushy little stock 

 before spring sales start. 



Cannas. 



It is yet too early to start any of the 

 cannas, but as it is possible some mois- 

 ture may reach the clumps, look them 

 over carefully. Remove any portions 

 showing signs of mold or decay, and if 

 they have been stored under a bench it 

 will be well to place them in flats in a 

 cellar or shed where a temperature of 

 45 degrees is maintained. As there are 

 many who do not grow their own cannas, 

 the present is an opportune time to pur- 

 chase a stock of dry roots of any varie- 

 ties wanted. A few excellent sorts, which 

 never fail to please, are: Alphonse Bou- 

 vier, splendid crimson, tall; Florence 

 Vaughan, gqlden yellow, spotted red; 

 Jean Tissot, bright vermilion; Mme. 

 Crozy, bright scarlet, still one of the 

 best; Duke of Marlborough, deep crim- 

 son; Richard Wallace, splendid canary 

 yellow; Buttercup, pure yellow; Souvenir 

 D'Antoine Crozy, crimson scarlet, edged 

 golden yellow; Egandale, bronze foliage, 

 currant red flowers; Tarrytown, a mag- 

 nificent scarlet; Beaute Poitevine, crim- 

 son, shaded scarlet. 



In the vigorous Italian or orchid- 

 flowering section. King Humbert, with 

 its bronzy foliage and bright orange 

 scarlet flowers, is still the best. Penn- 

 sylvania and Italia are each good. These 

 are useful for back rows or centers of 

 beds. The new canna, Black Beauty, has 

 distinct and richly colored foliage, al- 

 though the flowers lack size. 



Chrysanthemums. 



While it is still much too early for the 

 commercial grower to start propagating 

 chrysanthemum stock to plant in the 

 benches, it is well to take in hand varie- 

 ties which it is desired to grow in quan- 

 tity another season, and all possible cut- 

 tings of these should be placed in the 

 sand at once. Thess will each give a 

 cutting before they are potted long, and 

 if you are desirous of working up all 

 possible stock of any varieties, plant 

 them out in flats containinar four to five 

 inches of soil, or, better still, in a piece 

 of shallow bench, and they will give you 

 a big crop of succulent cuttings by the 

 end of April or during May, which is 

 quite early enough for inserting cuttings, 

 unless fancy blooms are desired. 



Double Feverfews, 



Any planting of double feverfews for 

 flowering at Memorial day should be done 

 without delay. It is an easily grown 

 and comparatively commonplace flower, 

 but at the end of May flowers of about 

 any variety will sell, and for quantity 

 there are few plants which will surpass 

 the old feverfew. Its strong, somewhat 

 disagreeable odor is objectionable to 

 many, but where an easily and cheaply 

 grown white flower is wanted it is still 

 one of the most useful for bouquet work. 



Potting Fine Foliage Plants. 



Many of the crotons, draca^nas and 

 other colored-leaved plants will be need- 

 ing a shift, and, as there is now time 

 to attend to this work, it is well to do 

 it before the busy season arrives. Avoid 

 bia' shifts. Pick away some of the old 

 soil from the top of the pots, scratch 



