DBCBMBKE 28. 1911. 'the Weekly Florists' Review. 



17 



Table Decoration by the E. Wienhoeber G)^ Chicago. 



not affected with spot or mildew. Can 

 you suggest a remedy? E. M. S. 



Sterilization of the soil with steam 

 before planting is the best way to get 

 rid of eelworms and other pests infest- 

 ing the soil. This, of course, can not be 

 done when the plants are in the benches, 

 and the next best remedy is carbon bi- 

 sulphide. Bore holes twelve to eighteen 

 inches apart each way with a sharp 

 pointed stick. This is best done when 

 the soil is damp, as the fumes of the 

 carbon are then more penetrating. Pour 

 a small teaspoonful of the carbon into 

 each hole and at once cover it. Go over 

 the benches in this way carefully and 

 you should kill out the eelworms. The 

 carbon costs 25 cents per pound can at 

 retail. Naked lights should not be 

 placed near it, as it is rather of an ex- 

 plosive nature. The carbon will not 

 harm the plants. C. W. 



KAISEBIN ROSES FOB EASTEB. 



Would a house of Kaiserin roses, 

 rested immediately after Christmas and 

 pruned back hard, be in crop for 

 Easter? They are 2 and 3 years old 

 and are big plants. Would you advise 

 <i thorough or only a slight rfest for 

 them before pruning ? J. W. M. 



A slight rest a'nd not a thorough one 

 would be best. Kaiserin is not a winter 

 rose or even a spring one and gives its 

 best returns in hot weather. It hangs 

 fire longer than most of the other 

 roses used for forcing. While you can 

 probably get a moderate Easter crop, 

 you will be more certain of a good crop 

 by giving a longer rest and holding 

 them for Memorial day, a time wheii 

 the flowers are just as valuable as at 

 Easter. C. W. 



GLADIOLUS THE BBIDE. 



Will Gladiolus The Bride, if planted 

 now in a lettuce house between the let- 

 tuce, be in bloom for Easter? 



J. W. M. 



Gladiolus The Bride, planted now in 

 a lettuce house, where the usual night 

 temperature is 40 degrees, would not 

 be in flower for Easter. It is late now 

 to start these small-flowered gladioli. 

 The proper time is during October or 

 the first half of November, The bulbs 

 by this time must have lost much of 

 their vitality. Gladioli such as The 

 Bride, Peach Blossom, etc., to flower 

 early in April, should now be well 

 sprouted, and in a night temperature of 

 45 to 50 degrees after January 1 will 

 flower from March 25 to April 10, ac- 

 cording to the nature of the season. 

 Bulbs planted now would not flower 

 before early May in a lettuce house 

 temperature. C. W. 



BAYS Ain> BHODODENDBONS. 



Would you please tell me how to prop- 

 agate bay trees, and what tim©> of year, 

 and how to propagate rhododendron or 

 rose bay? J. W. N. 



The bay, Laurus nobilis, is propa- 

 gated from well ripened cuttings four 

 to five inches long, placing them in 

 clean sand and keeping close and moist 

 until rooted. Practically all bay trees 

 used in America are imported -from 

 Belgium. They are planted out there 

 in prepared beds, lifted and stored over 

 winter in light sheds just clear of freez- 

 ing, and then planted out again in 

 spring. 



Rhododendrons are propagated from 

 seeds, layers and by grafting. For our 



American climate K. maximum or R. 

 Catawbiense are the best stocks to use. 

 R. ponticum, much used in Europe, is 

 not hardy here and any plants imported 

 which are grafted on that stock will 

 have but a short lease of life outdoors. 

 Grafting is the usual form of propa- 

 gating adopted. Little of this is as 

 j'ct done in America, owing to the low 

 prices at which good European grown 

 plants can be procured and delivered 

 here. Side grafting is generally adopted, 

 occasionally cleft grafting. The stocks 

 should be in pots in a cool greenhouse. 

 Cut the leaves halfway back on the 

 scions. Early spring and late summer 

 are the two best seasons to do the 

 grafting. The stocks should not be cut 

 back when grafting is done; wait a 

 year for this; and care must be taken 

 to shade the plants and keep a close 

 and mpist atmosphere until the graft 

 has united with the stock. C. W. 



BOUOAINVILLEAS. 



I have several large plants of Bou- 

 gainvillea Sanderiana growing in the 

 center bed in my greenhouse. They are 

 well established, having been planted 

 three years, and have made fine growths, 

 running to the ridge, sixteen feet high, 

 but they do not bloom. The growths 

 are strong and vigorous. The soil in 

 which they are growing is fairly rich, 

 but I have used no manure or fertilizer 

 of any kind. Can you inform me what 

 I should do with them to induce them 

 to bloom? W. H. H. R. 



Bougainvilleas planted out as yours 

 are should flower freely. The most 

 probable cause of their not blooming ifi 

 that they have been kept continuoufilly 



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