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The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



OCTOBEK 28, lOt 



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SEASONABLE 



SUGGESTIONS 



f 



Schizanthus. 



Schizanthus plants are something of a 

 novelty at Christmas, and, as many pur- 

 chasers are constantly looking for some- 

 thing a little out of the common, a nice 

 batch of these in 6-inch j^ots, well flow- 

 ered, should sell easily. Azaleas, poin- 

 settias "and Lorraines are the great 

 Christmas staples among blooming plants, 

 and anything different is always accept- 

 able. The.se early schizanthus plants are 

 now in a bright house, kept freely ven- 

 tilated, and have recently had a few 

 short, thin stakes placed in the pots to 

 keep the plants intact. For early use 

 S. Wisetoncnsis is much the best sort to 

 grow, owing to its dwarf habit and 

 floriferousness. 



Schizanthus plants are quick to fill 

 their pots with roots and want rather 

 fr('(|ueiit appiicutiun.s of manure water to 

 keep them of a good color. Twice a 

 week is not too often to afford it. These 

 ]ilants are singularly free from insect 

 jie.'-ts. but mildew will overtake them 

 speedily if they are sprayed overhead 

 and grow in a cold, draughty house. We 

 like to pinch the plants to keep thorn 

 stocky. Tills ])inching must now be dis- 

 continued where the plants are wanted in 

 llowcr early. Tlie present is a good time 

 to make a sowing of seeds for Easter 

 llowering. Either drop two or three 

 seeds in small pots, or scatter thinly in 

 flats and pot off as soon as of sufficient 

 size. Always grow sciiiznnthus as near 

 the glass as" po.><sible. Tall, lanky plants 

 are not wanted at any price. A dry, 

 freely aired house, not over 50 degrees 

 at night, is what they need. 



Shamrocks. 



In something less than four months 

 the selling time for shamrocks will have 

 arrived, and after this date it is too late 

 to make any extra sowing or sowings and 

 secure good plants. A violet house tcm- 

 jterature grows good shamrocks. It is 

 a mistake to give them a warm house, 

 for in such they become spindling and 

 are an easy mark for thrips. On the 

 other hand," an excess of water on the 

 loaves is liable to start niihlew. A happy 

 medium is one in which the little seed- 

 lings make fairly rapid headway. Pot 

 tliem off ]>efore they got crowded in the 

 flats. Soil such as you would use for 

 carnations or roses will do nicely for 

 them. 



Amaryllis. 



The foliage is gradually disappearing 

 from, the amaryllis jdants, which have 

 boon koj't on the dry side now for a 

 month. Lot them have a dry, airy house 

 while any foliage remains on them. Aft- 

 erward they can be stored in a shed on 

 shelve.s until tile time for repotting and 

 starting them arrives. We do not like 

 to rest the amaryllis too cool; 45 to 50 

 degrees i.s better than a lower tempera- 

 ture. Seedlings which have not yet flow- 

 ered should not be rested until after they 

 liloom. It is a common practice for grow- 



ers to rest even the young seedlings of 

 the current year's raising the same fall. 

 It takes three years to bloom the amaryl- 

 lis under this plan, while it will often 

 flower in eighteen months or even less 

 when not rested. A good plan with seed- 

 lings is to plant them in a bench con- 

 taining four to five inches of good soil 

 and leave them there until they flower. 



Hydrangeas. 



Frosts will have blackened the foliage 

 on hydrangeas kept outdoors. If the 

 plants were rather dry at the root, the 

 leaves would be less affected. Those kept 

 moist, with green, sappy shoots, are killed 

 quickly and care must be taken or the 

 buds will be destroyed also. We like to 

 keep the plants out as long as safety 

 Mill allow, but covering is necessary on 

 sharp nights. If drier conditions are 

 maintained at the root, the foliage will 

 gradually fall and the wood at the same 

 time take on that russet brown color 

 which we always like to see, for such 

 plants we know will force well. It is 

 now a good plan to lay the plants in 

 pots on their sides to insure drier root 

 conditions. Let them be in the sunniest 

 possible place, and in case of a warm 

 spell happening along, it is easy by using 

 the hose to counteract too sudden drying 

 off, which would cause shriveling. 



Pansies. 



Pansy plants which are intended to 

 winter outdoors should be transplanted 

 right away, if this is not already done. 

 Some large growers sow rather thinly 

 and do not transplant. The extra labor 

 is well paid for, however, in the in- 

 creased vigor and stockiness of the plants. 

 Where the seedlings are to be wintered 

 in coldframes, the sash should not be 

 placed on them until the weather be- 

 comes quite .severe, after which time a 

 light mulch of dry leaves should be given. 

 In the case of outdoor plants no covering 

 should be given until the ground freezes. 

 The winter loss should be small, provided 

 the land has a good slope to prevent 

 water standing, and the mulch can be 

 held over the plants more especially dur- 

 ing ISIarch and early April, which is the 

 critical time with outdoor grown pansies. 



Bulb Planting. 



The ground is now in capital condi- 

 tion for bulb planting, and the work of 

 setting out tulip.s, narcissi, hyacinths, 

 crocus, etc., should be well advanced. 

 Fur another full month this work can be 

 done and excellent results follow, but the 

 latter part of October is a particularly 

 good time for it. The bulbs, when in 

 the .soil, will speedily make roots, while 

 in boxes or bags thoy fritter away much 

 of iheir vitality. Leave the planting of 

 Spanish iris until November, as these 

 start into growth quickly when placed in 

 the soil. It pays to pulverize the soil 

 thoroughly for bulbs, and always avoid 

 the use of any but thoroughly rotted ani- 

 mal manure. 



Winter Geraniums. 



Plants of geraniums are not so ftpn 



seen at Christmas as could be v, iipj 



There is surely nothing finer at thii sea! 



son than a bushy scarlet or c; ,snu 



zonal geranium, a plant which ;i ,1^, 



to everyone and which will contiii ^u 



flower in the dwelling house when m. 



settias are leafless and Lorraine? ve 



dropped all their flowers. There no 



need now to pinch off any more ; , ,• 



stems. A few plants in bloom will ],, 



ably sell at Thanksgiving, and the ,|. 



ance should be in first-class shape id ,,q 

 last holiday in the year. 



Avoid the overuse of liquid stimui: ^. 



These will give a healthy looking ir 



overgrown and soft plant, one which i 



not flower nearly so well as those w n 



have had occasional top-dressings \ ^ 



some highly concentrated and reli; ■ 

 fertilizer. A night temperature of 



degrees, full sunshine, plenty of fresli ;• 

 and careful watering will build up 

 plants wonderfully in the next few wor 



Coreopsis Grandiflora. 



Lift a few plants of Coreopsis gran- 

 flora and put them in 6-inch to S-in. . 

 pots, according to their size. Stand in i 

 coldframe, where they will soon becono 

 established in the pots. Started in gent!.' 

 heat early in January, these give a 11 1" 

 lot of flowers for cutting in spring, ai,: 

 as the flowers can be cut with long stem- 

 keep well in water and are popular n; 

 the stores, the plants will be found i 

 pay well. Another plant which can li. 

 forced in the same way is DoroTiicun 

 ])lantagincum, the form Ilarpur (Jrow 

 being perhaps the best. 



CANADIAN FLORISTS' SOCIETY. 



The Canadian Horticultural Assori; 

 tion will hold its twelfth annual convn. 

 tion at Toronto. November 10 and 1 1 

 and a large and interesting meeting i- 

 expected. The following program h:i- 

 been prepared : 



First Day. 



wr:r)xi:.<<nAV. novkmiu;r io-opening si:s 



SIGN, 11 A. .M. 



Address of Wolcomo Tlio Mayor of Toron' 



Hcspoiisi" Wui. Hunt, ()." A. C, Gut'l]' . 



Hcports of Socretiiry. Trt'asurer, Standing ai' 

 Spcciiil Comniitteos. 



Prpsidont's Addn-ss E. Dale, Bramptc. i 



I>isciission of President's Address. 

 Question Box. 



WKDNKSDAY. NOVKMBKR 10— SECOND SICS 

 SIGN, 2::J0 P. M. 



"Native Flora" ... .W. T. Maronn, Horticulturist 

 Central Experimental Earm, Ottaw 



"fJradinc Cut Flowers" 



Disinssion I(mI 1).v .T. A. Eraser, Prescott, On 

 Qnesiiun — Wliicli are tlie most profitable lili' 

 to liandle at Easter, wliy. and wliat trea' 

 nient lias to be f;iven tlio different vai 



eties? 



Ueplied to by Jos. Bennett, Montrca 

 Quest i<in Box. 



Second Day. 



TIIIKSDAY, XOVEMREIl 11— THIRD SE 

 SIGN, 10 A. M. 



"Inserticides and Tlieir Relative Value".... 

 I'rof. Tennyson I>. Jarvis, (». A. C. (Juell ' 



"Transporlation of Cut Elowers" — Diseussion 1' 

 by 11. E. Pliilpott. WiniiipeR. (Tlie Toroi, 

 ^.'.irdencrs and florists liave promised tli 

 Iliey will bave one of tlie Tonjiito Expr< 

 atrents present to take part in tliis discu 

 sion. ) 



Question -VVliat is the best way to handle <> 

 varieties of roses grown in pots for East<'! 

 — Replii'd to by George Robinson, Outremon' 



Choiro of place for next meeting. 



Question Box. 



THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 11— FOURTH SES 

 SION, 2 P. M. 



"The Trend of Public Taste" 



Franls McKenna, Montreal 

 I'nfinislied Business. 

 Election of othcers for ensuing year. 

 Final Committee Reports. 



