September 5, 1912. 



The Florists^ Review 



9 



is THE NEW 

 HYDRANGEA HYBRIDS 



FINE THINGS FROM FRANCE. 



Notes of an American Grower. 



Say hydrangea, and ninety-nine of 

 very hundred florists will picture the 

 ame thing — Hydrangea Otaksa. With 

 . few it will be a most pleasing pic- 

 ure, because they have been successful 

 n producing satisfactory plants of this 

 ^'rand florists' standby. They have 

 nrobably been favored by soil or other 

 iocal conditions, permitting them to 

 ijrow fine, vigorous plants, with im- 

 mense trusses of beautiful pink or 

 blue flowers. 



To a great many this mental picture 

 will not be so pleasing, and I speak 

 confidently when I say that I believe 

 the great majority of growers and forc- 

 ers of Hydrangea Otaksa have not 

 been at all satisfied with the results 

 they have obtiiined. The greatest fault 

 or difficulty they have encountered has 

 l)oen the unsatisfactory coloring of the 

 flowers when the plants have been 

 forced for Easter, and, as this is one 

 of the special occasions for which hy- 

 drangeas are largely forced, this short- 

 coming is a serious one. 



Origin of the Hybrids. 



To those who have found this trou- 

 ble, I can unhesitatingly say that the 

 new I'^ench hybrids will bring ease of 

 mind on this score. Whether your soil 

 produces pink or blue, the color in the 

 varieties I will recommend stands out 

 strong and clear. The writer has had 

 exceptional opportunities to make com- 

 parisons. 



The introducers of these new hydran- 

 geas tell us they are hybrids of Otaksa 



Hydraogea Dentelle. 



monstrosa, Mariesi, Souvenir <W (lair 

 and rosea, all good varieties. I am 

 pleased to credit their statements, and 

 have every reason to believe that in 

 the main they are correct. Nature 

 works some curious miracles, and with 

 the pedigree of these hydrangeas given 

 us, it is indeed a series of miracles 

 that has produced the grand new white 

 sorts, beginning with Avalanche and 

 including Mme. Emile Mouillere, Mile. 

 Agnes Barillet, Mile. Kenee Gaillard 

 and Mile, de Tremault. Then, again, 

 there are marks on some of the varie- 

 ties that suggest the infusion of arbo- 

 rescens and paniculata. 



But, be this as it may. We do not 

 care much for the pedigree of a work 

 horse if he looks good and is a good 

 actor. In these hydrangeas we have 

 much to please and interest us and 

 great promise of profit. 



After years of standstill, it was quite 

 a shock to be suddenly introduced to 

 a score or more of new hydrangeas. In 

 fact, the contemplation of the proposi- 

 tion was disheartening to those wiio 

 would cheerfully have undertaken to 

 try out one or two new sorts. As a 

 result, these new varieties are practi- 

 cally unknown except to a few who 

 have had the temerity to j)lunge into 

 deep water. 



Some of the Better Varieties. 



Two or three growers about New 

 York went pretty heavily into a few 

 varieties that were recommended to 

 them, and their venture proved profit- 

 able. The varieties they forced imme 



Lu Lurraiiic, Pink. 



•Vvalanclu". White. 



Two of the New Hydrangeas Photographed in a Chicago Retail Store at Easter, 1912. 



