August 26, 1010. 



The Wccjdy Florists^ Review. 



17 



MAHEBNIA ODOBATA. 



"Will you please inform me as to the 

 care of mahernias, and also if they can 

 be propagated and how? W. G. B. 



Mahernia odorata is probably the 

 variety you have. This is a popular 

 cool greenhouse plant. Propagation 

 from soft cuttings in winter or early 

 spring is an easy matter. Use an ordi- 

 nary cutting bench, such as will root 

 carnations or chrysanthemums. The 

 plants in summer are much better 

 grown outdoors. Owing to its twiggy, 

 branching habit, it is easy to train this 

 plant into any desired shape. It also 

 makes an excellent basket subject. The 

 mahernias are natives of South Africa 

 and want cool treatment in winter. 



C. 



MAKING LEAF-MOLD. 



Will you kindly give me directions as 

 to a quick way of making leaf -mold? 

 When fall comes I usually have plenty 

 of beech, oak, chestnut and maple 

 leaves, but I have not much space in 

 which to store them. C. T. M. 



There is no quick way to reduce 

 leaves to leaf-mold without partly de- 

 stroying their quality as fertilizers. 

 Gather the leaves into a heap arid turn 

 them over frequently, thus creating a 

 gentle fermentation. By the next sum- 

 mer there will be a partial reduction to 

 mold, which can be separated from the 

 rest by passing it through a screen with 

 a I-inch mesh. 



It takes from one to two years to 

 reduce mold to the finer form. Bibes. 



JOHN CONNON. 



John Connon is the new president 

 of the St. Louis Florists' Club. He is 

 one of the younger element, an enthusi- 

 astic Avorker, and anxious to make a 

 record for his administration. 



NEW YORK. 



The Market. 



Carnation week was no exception to 

 the general rule; the market simply 

 marked time. It has been so all the 

 twenty-six years the S, A. F. has ex- 

 isted; usually it is the dullest Week of 

 the year. Many of the leading whole- 

 salers were at Eochester. Those who 

 remained closed early. Some are still 

 in the mountains and it will be another 

 month before the tide comes in. In 

 the meantime what stock arrives, if 

 good, sells quickly. Prices have not 

 advanced except for a few of the se- 

 lected Beauties. General shipments are 

 light, except of asters and gladioli. 

 Carnations are hardly worthy of the 

 name. Some of the asters now arriv- 

 ing are almost as good as the chrysan- 

 themums. Of the latter it is interest- 

 ing to note how many reach the mar- 

 ket already. The new roses are begin- 

 ning to arrive, but it will be another 

 ten days before their influence is great- 

 ly manifest. Orchids are not abundant 

 and little called for. Lilies have fallen. 

 Of hydrangeas there is a great abun- 

 dance. There is no limit to the gladi- 

 oli. Few sell above 50 cents per hun- 

 dred. 



Most of the retail windows depend 

 on asters and tritomas for their attract- 

 iveness. In some windows the water 

 lily displays remain. Many are devot- 



\ 



John G>nnon. 



ing the dull days to repainting and re- 

 decorating. Everyone seems optimistic 

 as to the, new season, and all are get- 

 ting ready for the beginning of the 

 contest. 



Various Notes. 



The lafet of the conventionists re- 

 turned Aiigust 21.- Many made side 

 trips to the Falls, Toronto, or the Thou- 

 sand Islands. The general verdict here 

 is that the Rochester convention stands 

 at the he^d of the procession, in extent, 

 in management and in generous wel- 

 come and entertainment, with perfect 

 weather, grand exhibits and complete 

 harmony. Eochester has set a high 

 mark, but Baltimore and southern hos- 

 pitality together declare they will 

 "raise the ante! " 



Eobert E, Berry, who has been con- 

 nected with the management of the city 

 parks for some years, has accepted a 

 position of trust with the Elizabeth 

 Nursery Co. He is a prominent and 

 popular member of the New York Flo- 

 rists' Club, and its most enthusiastic 

 bowler. 



Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Shield, of D-alton, 

 Mass., have been spending a week in 

 New York. 



Mr, and Mrs. J. T. D. Fulmer and 

 Miss Perle Fulmer, of Des Moines, are 

 in the city this week, returning home 

 via Cleveland. 



Mr, and Mrs. Geo. A. Kuhl, of Pekin, 

 111., are enjoying the last week of their 

 month's holiday reveling in the excite- 

 ment and attractions of the "Great 

 White Way," after a prolonged stay 

 at Asbury, 



W. E, Marshall and his family are 

 at Eockaway Point on their vacation, 

 on his partner's yacht, fishing and sail- 

 ing until September, 

 . Ealph Gretsch has resumed complete 

 control of his wholesale business at 52 

 . West Twenty-eighth street, the connec- 



tion with a firm in Madison, N, J., 

 having been dissolved. Mr. Gretsch 

 was at one time manager for O, V, 

 Zangen, 



B. S. Slinn, Jr., has returned from 

 his camping season in New York state 

 and is finishing his vacation at Atlantic 

 City. 



H. E. Froment gave up his intended 

 trip to the convention in favor of the 

 waters and seductive climate of Sara- 

 toga, 



Work has begun in earnest with the 

 seedsmen. Fall bulbs are being shipped 

 in enormous quantities. Everybody is 

 already busy, A great season is gen- 

 erally anticipated and salesmen are 

 cheerful over what has been already 

 accomplished. J. Austin Shaw. 



PE0VIDENC3E. 



The Market, 



The week, as a whole, was quiet. The 

 last couple of days, however, showed 

 renewed activity because of several 

 large funerals. One funeral, that of 

 three young boys, all in one family, 

 who were killed by the cars at Cow- 

 esett, had more than fifty pieces, includ- 

 ing an immense gates ajar. Prices on 

 cut flowers ranged about as last quoted. 

 Stock is abundant. 



Various Notes. 



S. M. Vose is bringing in the first 

 cuttings of his dahlia crop, which is 

 fine and contains many of the latest 

 varieties. 



John Johnston, of Johnston Bros., has 

 returned from a two weeks' vacation, 

 well tanned. 



Michael J. Leach, of Pawtucket; 

 John A. Macrae, of this city, and F. E. 

 Pearce, of Norwood, represented this 

 state at the Eochester convention. 



The twelfth annual ball of the New- 



