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Decembeb 14, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



89 



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Two Good Ways of FilUns the Same Basket— Add Ribbon if Ordered. 



heavier foliage and the flowers are less 

 densly produced on the plants. It is 

 a much more enduring house plant. 

 We need a scarlet Christmas begonia, 

 such as Messrs. Veitch's new hybrids 

 between the tuberous-rooted begonias 

 and B. Socotrana, several times re- 

 ferred to in The Review of late. 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine does well 

 in shade or sunshine, and in a cool 

 store window lasts surprisingly well. 

 It needs fresh air, something sadly lack- 

 ing in many dwellings, and here lies 

 the principal cause of its persistent 

 dropping. 



Be sure, when selling these begonias, 

 not to run your stock so low that 

 sufficient propagating material is not 

 left, for remember that propagation 

 by means of leaf cuttings will soon be 

 in order. 



For several years there have been 

 shortages in the small sizes of Lorraine. 

 Little plants in 2^ -inch and 3-inch 

 pots, or shallow 4-inch and 5-inch pans, 

 which were propagated late, have sold 

 extra well. 



Spiraea Japouica. 



The roots of the herbaceous spiraeas or 

 astilbes are now at hand. These should 

 always be well soaked in a tub of water 

 on arrival, then stood in a coldframe, 

 where they can get a few good freez- 

 ings before they are potted. It does 

 not pay to start any of them thit, 

 early; better defer that until the early 

 part of January, for the plants will 

 break erratically if forced too soon 

 after arrival. Some plants in flower 

 are annually seen at Christmas, but 

 not so many here as in Europe. These, 

 however, are from cold storage clumps. 

 While the old S. Japonica is still much 

 grown, it is so inferior to such varieties 

 as Gladstone, compacta grandiflora and 

 astilboides that it is a wonder so many 

 still persist in buying it. These im- 



proved sorts cost little more than the 

 old Japonica, and as pot plants there 

 is simply no comparison between them. 

 Do not overlook the rather new and 

 extremely beautiful pink varieties, 

 such as Queen Alexandra and Peach 

 Blossom. Do not try to flower these 

 latter as early as the white ones, how- 

 ever. They are at their best from 

 Easter until Memorial day. At the 

 latter holiday they easily realize over 

 double the prices of the white varieties 

 when cut. 



Sambler Boses. 



It is, of course, too early to start any 

 of the ramblers for Easter, but there 

 is a good demand for them before that 

 time and, in the case of plants pot- 

 grown through the summer or potted 

 up early in the fall, the wood is now 

 hard and well ripened and, where kept 

 outdoors and on the dry side, it is now 

 in an excellent condition for forcing. 

 Cut out any weak or dead wood and 

 bend the canes around some short 

 stakes, so that they will break better. 

 Do not give too much heat for a start; 

 a temperature of 45 degrees to 50 de- 

 grees is ample. Syringe freely, but do 

 not water too much until the plants 

 break, after which they can have 5 

 degrees to 10 degrees more heat in a 

 sunny house. For early forcing use 

 Dorothy Perkins, Hiawatha and the 

 various baby ramblers. The old Crim- 

 son Rambler, once so popular, is a good 

 grower, but is now little seen in pots 

 or tubs. 



Euphorbia Jacquiulseflora. 



That old-time favorite, Euphorbia 

 jacquiniseflora, is coming back into fa- 

 vor again. Its brilliant sprays of flowers 

 are a welcome addition to our list of 

 Christmas flowers. It likes treatment 

 similar to the poinsettia, which is also 

 really a euphorbia, and, while it will 

 grow and flower well in quite a cool 



greenhouse, it is much better in a tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees at night. Cut- 

 tings rooted in spring and grown five 

 or six in a 6-inch pot or pan make sal- 

 able plants, but older plants give the 

 finest sprays, and these are especially 

 good when there are opportunities to 

 plant them out in a bench. 



Ten Weeks' Stocks. 



Stocks for cutting are not popular in 

 winter and it is doubtful if there is 

 any money in them unless, perchance, 

 in the case of country florists who can 

 use up the flowers at hand. Fronj 

 Easter until Memorial day they are at 

 their best, the latter holiday being the 

 time par excellence for them. Sown 

 now, in flats of light and sandy soil, 

 plants will be produced which should 

 flower well by the middle of March, 

 especially if the regular forcing varie- 

 ties are used, such as white and pink 

 Column, Beauty of Nice and the early 

 forcing varieties of ten weeks' stocks. 

 Do not grow mixtures, and use only one 

 or two colors. Those selling best are 

 white, pink and lavender. Few of the 

 other colors are wanted, unless it may 

 be at Memorial day, when practically 

 anything with color will sell. Keep the 

 flats of seed in a temperature of 60 de- 

 grees for a start. When well germi- 

 nated, give a cooler house. Pot ofif 

 singly when of sufficient size and plant 

 in benches before they get too pot- 

 bound. They like a house with a night 

 temperature of 45 degrees to 48 degrees 

 to grow and flower in. 



Dutch Hyacinths. 



Some of the Dutch hyacinths will 

 now be well started. If they have 

 sprouts a couple of inches long, a batch 

 ■can be housed. Do not give them any 

 bottom heat, but if they can be stood 

 in a dark and moderately warm case 

 for a few days, it will assist in draw- 



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