-V ■-.->--»;. .iT'T^'""*' 



16 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



Odcbmbkr 21, 1911. 



STEM-BOT OF CABNATIONS. 



In The Eeview of December 7, page 

 25, 1 read what E. S. has written regard- 

 ing stem-rot of carnations. We have 

 been troubled somewhat with the same 

 disease. 



Our soil is a heavy, clay loam, and, 

 no matter how careful we are, during 

 the month of September or just before 

 the cold days arrive the stem-rot makes 

 its appearance. Sometimes our plants 

 have rotted just above the ground and 

 sometimes directly beneath the surface, 

 but so far we have never noticed the 

 root in any way affected. The affected 

 part dries up and no water reaches the 

 stem br branches above it ; consequently 

 it goes quickly. 



Contrary to the experience of a good 

 many large growers, lime will prevent, 

 almost entirely, the progress of the dis- 

 ease with us. Of course, any plant that 

 has started downhill before the applica- 

 tion of lime, eventually dies. 



"We have tried a section of bench this 

 year with a light, sandy soil. In this 

 part we have had no rot, but of course 

 we shall not get the stem or the size of 

 flower that the heavier soil produces. 

 Next year we intend to try a combina- 

 tion of the two soils, and hope to eradi- 

 cate the disease entirely. Our loss this 

 year was 200 plants out of 15,000 

 planted, not a large loss, but yet large 

 enough to warrant an investigation. 



Occasionally, after feeding with liquid 

 cow manure, we have seen one or two 

 plants go off, but in such cases none 

 have rotted beneath the soil, always 

 above, and the roots were normal. In- 

 deed, only yesterday I pulled out a plant 

 of Beacon, and, though the top was dead, 

 starting up from the stem beneath the 

 area of rot was a small, new growth. 



If any reader uses the same kind of 

 soil for carnations, we should like to 

 hear something about his experieace 

 with this troublesome disease. 



J. E. Weir, Jr. 



of the season, providing you are reason- 

 ably careful with your watering, etc. 



A. F. J. B. 



THE TROUBLE IS STEM-BOT. 



You will find enclosed a sample of my 

 carnation plants. Please let me know, 

 as soon as possible, what is the matter 

 with the roots. I have a bench of about 

 150 light pink Enchantress and they 

 have done finely until now. This is the 

 first plant that has shown any disease, 

 and I am sending it to you so as to 

 learn what the disease is and what to do 

 to save the others from it. P. J. K. 



The specimen forwarded was undoubt- 

 edly attacked by the common carnation 

 stem-rot. If this is the only plant you 

 have lost, you need not be alarmed. 

 It may be the last one. Sprinkle a little 

 air-slaked lime around where this plant 

 stood; or, better still, take out about 

 a quart of the soil and then sprinkle on 

 the lime. If you have brought your car- 

 nations along this far without any more 

 stem-rot, you will not likely have much 

 tTOUble from that source during the rest 



CABNATIONS IN ENGLAND. 



Annual Winter Show. 



The annual winter show of the Per- 

 petual Flowering Carnation Society was 

 held in London, December 5 and 6, Trade 

 competitors were not quite so numerous 

 as on some former occasionq^, but ama- 

 teurs came out in strong^J: totCe aiid 

 the show was a most successful one. 



For group of cut blooms, arranged in 

 a space 3x10 feet, the gold medal and 

 premier award went to W. E. Wallace, 

 Dunstable, who put up bold vases of 

 finely developed blooms. Next in order 

 of merit came AUwood Bros., Haywards 

 Heath, winning a silver gilt medal, the 

 silver medal and third prize going to 

 Young & Co., Cheltenham. 



The American challenge cup for three 

 vases of recent American introductions 

 was awarded to W. E. Wallace, for 

 Gloriosa, Scarlet Glow and May Day. 

 Bertie Bell, Guernsey, came next with 

 Gloriosa, May D'ay and Mrs. C. W. 

 Ward, followed by W. Wells & Co., 

 Merstham, with Bonfire, White House 

 and Princess Charming. 



The Brunton challenge cup for three 

 British novelties was awarded to Bertie 

 Bell, for Coronation, Constance and Ju- 

 dith. 



The Covent Garden cup for two boxes 

 of blooms, packed for market, and two 

 vases, was carried off by W. E. Wal- 

 lace, and he also annexed a silver gilt 

 medal for a vase of Enchantress, the 

 best vase in the show. 



For a vase of any variety not in com- 

 merce — first, W. E. Wallace, with Una; 

 second, Bertie Bell, with Coronation; 

 third, W. Wells & Co., with Merstham 

 Beauty. 



In the color classes the principal 



honors went to W. E. Wallace, Bertie 

 Bell, W. H.. Page, A. F. Dntton, H. 

 Burnett, G. Lange and Mrs. D. M. Col- 

 lins. A large gold medal was awarded 

 to C. Engelmann, Saffron Walden, for 

 a. decorative display which filled a 50- 

 foot run of tabling. Another large, 

 meritorious display, from Stuart Low & 

 Co., Bush Hill Park, gained a gold 

 medal. G. Lange, Hampton, received a 

 silver gilt medal for a smaller collection, 

 an.d Newport Carnation Nursery a silver 

 medal. '. 



Novelties. ' . % 



The floral committee had seven or 

 eight new varieties to discuss, and gave 

 honors to four. A first-clasp certificate 

 was awarded to Triumph, from C. Engel- 

 mann. The flowers are the brightest 

 possible crimson, with nothing in exist- 

 ing varieties to equal it in color; flow- 

 ers, three to three and one-half inches, 

 of fine form and splendid calyx. The 

 habit of the plant is vigorous and it 

 produces flowers in large quantities. 



An award of merit was bestowed on 

 Geisha, from George Fairbairn & Sons. 

 Carlisle. This was one of the most dis- 

 tinct novelties in the show. The flowers 

 are mauve, with a dash of crimson at 

 the base of each petal; full substance; 

 petals serrated; grand calyx and good 

 constitution. 



Awards of merit also went to Corona- 

 tion, from Bertie Bell, Guernsey; a fine, 

 full flower, a bright shade of pink, and 

 to Una, from W. E. Wallace, a pleasing, 

 deep shade of rose, of good substance 

 and habit. 



Two American varieties were honored 

 — a first-class certificate to White Won- 

 der and an award of merit to Gloriosa. 



Dinner and General Meeting. 



On the evening of December 5 the 

 members dined together in Anderton's 

 hotel, with J. S. Brunton, chairman of 

 the committee, presiding. The usual 

 toast list was duly honored, that of the 

 Perpetual Flowering Carnation Society 

 being proposed in a happy vein by M. 

 Todd, of Edinburgh. C. Engelmann, in 

 a speech, referred to W. E. Wallace as 

 the champion carnation grower of the 

 world. Americans must look to their 

 laurels. Mr. Wallace's flowers on this 

 occasion were simply marvelous and he 

 practically swept the boards in the lead- 



Gloriosa. Scarlet Oem. May Day. 



Vasei with which W. E. Wallace Won the American Challeose Cup. 



^ 1^ :--^~- 



L - — .^^^.-.f.. 



