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14 



The Florists' Review 



A out' ST 20, 1912. 



to thus feel the public pulse will always 

 retain the reputation of being up-to- 

 date and progressive, no matter how 

 many others follow his lead. 



Tbe Window Displays. 



There is nothing that indicates orig- 

 inality or the lack of it so clearly as 

 the windows of a florist. Too many re- 

 tailers retain practically the same dis- 

 play year in and year out, the only 



change noted being that the jars or 

 vases are filled with different flowers, 

 according to the season. 



Foreshadowing of local happenings by 

 window displays is a sure card to play. 

 When you have an idea, work it out. 

 Don't be afraid to let your competitors 

 see it and don't hide your light under 

 a bushel. Only by such means can 

 you be first and let others tail along in 

 the procession. 



i 



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^ 



^ SEASONABLE i^ 



i 

 i ^ SUGGESTIONS \ 



» 



Lorraine Begonias. 



Probably you have noticed how much 

 faster the Lorraine begonias are now 

 growing. They do not move much 

 during the hottest summer weather, 

 but now that the nights are cooler, 

 they, in common with many other 



Elants, are making much more rapid 

 eadway. Lorraines — and when we 

 mention them we would wish to in- 

 clude, also, that grand addition. Glory 

 of Cincinnati — like a tolerably warm 

 house to make their growth in. When 

 once the flowers are well opened, it 

 is better to keep them much cooler. 

 The strongest plants should now be 

 well established in 6-inch pots or pans, 

 and it is to be hoped that the neces- 

 sary staking has not been forgotten. 

 Be sure to use stakes which are light, 

 painted green and as inconspicuous as 

 possible. You will have discovered 

 before now, if you have been growing 

 along these beautiful begonias your- 

 self, that they succeed best in a light 

 but moderately rich compost. Plenty 

 of flaky leaf-mold, well decayed cow 

 manure and loam, with sharp sand, 

 makes an ideal medium. 



Schizanthus. 



If you have never grown any plants 

 of the charming annual, schizanthus, 

 you should try some for the coming 

 season. Whether as a pot plant or 

 for cutting, it is one of the most use- 

 ful subjects we have. It is often re- 

 ferred to as the "poor man's orchid," 

 as the flowers so closely resemble or- 

 chids, but, unlike the real aristocrats 

 of the floral kingdom, they require 

 but a few months, and not five to ten 

 years, to flower from seed. 



Schizanthus grows best under glass 



and is in every way the most satis- 

 factory during the cool months of the 

 year. August is as early as it is ad- 

 visable to sow the seeds, as in hot 

 weather they run rapidly up to flower 

 and, in spite of persistent pinching, 

 never make really shapely plants. The 

 best of all varieties for pots is S. 

 Wisetonensis. Some improved, large 

 flowered strains are offered and they 

 are fine, but such sorts as S. retusus 

 albus and grandiflorus oculatus grow 

 too tall for pot culture. Sow the schiz- 

 anthus in a flat, pot off singly, pinch out 

 the top when three inches high and 

 keep the plants out in a coldframe 

 for a month or so yet. Then give 

 them as cool and light a house as you 

 have, in order to get the best results 

 from them. 



Bouvardias. 



The one-time prime favorites, bou- 

 vardias, are not grown as they once 

 were. Like many other plants, they 

 have had their ups and doAsms and a 

 turn of the tide in their favor will 

 soon be due. As they will not stand 

 much frost, they should be lifted and 

 potted now; or, as some growers pre- 

 fer, they may be planted in benches. 

 If taken up with a little ball of damp 

 earth, they will lift quite well. If all 

 earth is shaken away, they will wilt 

 badly and be slow in recovering. Shade 

 for a few days after lifting and the 

 plants in pots will establish themselves 

 more quickly under glass than out- 

 doors. That fine white, sweet scented 

 variety, Humboldtii, will now be start- 

 ing to flower freely and it will pay to 

 stake and tie up a row of the plants 

 outdoors, in order to keep the flowers 

 clean. The roots of these can be lifted 

 before they get any sharp frosts, and 



can be stored in flats of soil for stock, 

 or they can, if desired, be planted in 

 the bench of a warm house, where they 

 will give a fine winter crop in Feb- 

 ruary and March. 



Annual Larkspurs. 



Crops to follow chrysanthemums are 

 fairly numerous. Popular ones are 

 snapdragons, sweet peas and bulbous 

 stock, including lilies. For the sake 

 of variety, annual larkspurs are worthy 

 of a trial. Quite a few florists now 

 appreciate them and more will do so 

 when once they have grown them. 

 They are splendid for cutting and 

 wofk in finely in funeral designs. The 

 leading colors are all desirable and in- 

 clude pure white, soft pink, rosy pink, 

 lavender and dark blue. Sow the seeds 

 in a coldframe or in flats, pot off 

 singly andj, stand them on the bench 

 of a light, well ventilated house. Plant 

 out aWi^e mums are cut over, placing 

 the plants a foot apart each way. Do 

 not try to fof«(5 them, or they will rot 

 off. A minimum, of 50 degrees should 

 not be exceedeckfn winter. 



Stevias. 



If you haVe not lifted and potted 

 your stevias, do so now. The plants, 

 as all growers know, are tender,' and 

 the least frost will spoil them. They 

 are also extremely brittle and easily 

 broken, and when left too long in the 

 field they are often badly broken by 

 the heavy winds and thunder rains 

 which we frequently get at this season. 

 Keep the plants outdoors as long as 

 safety permits,' and when housing is 

 done give them the coolest possible 

 quarters, as flowers early in the season 

 are not wanted, while in midwinter 

 they are of the greatest value to every 

 country florist, and the grower who 

 has not a good-sized batch of this old, 

 reliable standby will wish he had 

 grown more. Those who are short 

 should therefore try to procure some 

 extra stock as soon as possible. 



Berried Solanums. 



Berried solanums do not mind a few 

 degrees of frost, but they are, or 

 should be, heavily berried before now, 

 and should be lifted and potted. If 

 a little soil is left on the roots and 

 the plants are kept freely syringed, 

 they will soon establish themselves. 

 Some growers prefer to grow their 

 plants in pots, thinking that they get 

 better plants in this way. I have tried 

 both plans and have proved beyond 

 question that the planted-out stock is 

 immeasurably superior, giving larger 

 plants, bushier and more heavily 

 fruit^'"than such as are pot-grown. 



Employees of Bertetmann Bros. Con Indianapolis, on their Annual Picnic 



