July 14, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



BED SPIDER ON CAENATIONS. 



Please inform dip as to what will 

 keep red spider off < urnations. 



T. H. J. 



Usually the only thing needed to keep 

 down red spider is a good strong spray 

 of clear water, applied with all the 

 pressure at hand. In case they get the 

 upper hand, more drastic measures must 

 be resorted to. Of these, perhaps the 

 best is a weak solution of brine, sprayed 

 on the plants with a fine nozzle. Use 

 about a 2-inch potful of common table 

 salt to three gallons of water. This 

 will not injure the most tender growth 

 and will at the same time destroy the 

 spider with a few applications. Put 

 it on in the early morning, and later 

 wash it off by syringing the plants 

 with clear water, shooting it against 

 the plants as hard as you can. Repeat 

 this every other day, as often as may 

 seem necessary to clean off the plants. 



In the field the pest is not so easy 

 to handle. You can apply the brine 

 early in the morning, but it is not so 

 easy to wash it off, if you have a large 

 patch to go over. In the absence of 

 rain you must resort to the hose, re- 

 gardless of the work it may entail. 



Some growers use a soap solution, but 

 I prefer the brine. We have found it 

 more effective, and less liable to injure 

 the growth when tender. 



A. F. J. B. 



SOME ENGLISH MALMAISONS. 



Carnations with stems five feet long 

 and blooms seven inches across, with 

 the plants selling at $2.50 each, are re- 

 ported by Montagu C. Allwood — but 

 they are Malmaison carnations, which 

 thrive exceedingly well in England, but 

 will not do so here. Mr. Allwood is 

 widely known as a carnation specialist. 

 He is in the employ of Stuart Low & 

 Co., a corner of whose block of Mal- 

 maison houses is shown in the ac- 

 companying illustration. 



"In sending the photograph," says 

 Mr. Allwood, "I do not do so because 

 this section of the large family of 

 dianthus has any .particular interest to 

 our American friends, seeing it has 

 been proved beyond doubt that your 

 climate in summer is far too hot for the 

 plant and thus they have no commer- 

 cial value in America, but because I 

 think that we, who are so deeply in- 

 terested in the perpetual or American 

 carnation and its future developments, 

 can at least obtain some food for reflec- 

 tion from the Malmaison. For instance. 



in this section there are several shades 

 of color with a commercial value, which 

 we have not at present in the perpetual 

 carnation. This, in itself, should be an 

 inspiration to the raisers. 



"In the foreground of the photo- 

 graph is one of our new seedling Mal- 

 maisons, Irene. The flowers of this 

 average six and one-half inches across, 

 and quite fifty per cent have sound 

 calyxes. Of course, Malmaisons only 

 bloom in the spring and summer of the 

 year and are looked upon by all as a 

 dying plant; yet I venture to think 

 that to obtain this size in one section 

 of the family proves, to a certain de- 

 gree, the possibilities which lie within 

 the other. Not that I think it would 

 enhance the beauty or value of the per- 

 petual carnation to be so abnormally 

 developed, yet perhaps it is a glimpse 

 into the future, for good or for ill. 



"In the background of the photo- 

 graph can be seen some Malmaisons 

 with very long stems. These average 

 five feet in length and are perfectly 

 rigid. We have cut flowers measuring 

 over seven inches across, with per- 

 fectly sound calyxes. In fact, this 

 variety never splits, and when we first 

 sent it out we sold the young plants at 

 10 shillings ($2.50) each. This looks 

 like knocking the Beauty growers for 

 length of stem, and the orchid growers 

 for price." 



PINCHING WARD CARNATIONS. 



I should be glad if the editor or any 

 reader of The Review would give us a 

 little advice regarding pinching plants 

 of Alma Ward and Mrs. C. W. Ward 

 carnations. We have a fine batch of 

 some that never have been stopped at 

 all as yet. What results may we ex- 

 pect? Is this latter a good method of 

 growing these varieties? S. J. 



Both Alma Ward and Mrs. C. W. 

 Ward carnations will stand considera- 

 ble pinching. We always plan, how- 

 ever, to have our plants in shape so 

 that they will not have to be topped 

 after August 15. S. J. would have got 

 better results had he topped his plants 

 in the earlier stages of their growth. 

 Cottage Gardens Co., Inc. 



Helena, Mont. — The newly-formed 

 Helena Flower Show Association will 

 hold its first exhibition August 25 and 

 26. There is a great deal of interest 

 displayed in all the branches of horti- 

 culture in Montana, particularly on the 

 part of the ladies, and the show prom- 

 ises to be a great success. There has 

 been no lack of contributors to the 

 prize fund and the State Nursery Co. 

 has furnished cash prizes fof three of 

 the contests. 



Malmaison Carnations in England. 



