Januaby 16, 1913. 



The Florists^ Review 



11 



Interior of Heory Lether's Fern House, Mancelona, Mich. 



MICHIGAN FEBNS. 



The gathering, packing, storing and 

 shipping of fancy cut ferns has become 

 a considerable industry in certain parts 

 of Michigan. It is only a few years 

 since the Michigan product has been 

 an important factor in the markets, 

 the entire supply having previously 

 come from New England and from the 

 south. Now, however, all through the 

 Michigan fern district there are such 

 storage houses as that shown in the 

 accompanying illustration, owned by 

 Henry Lesher, at Mancelona. The in- 

 terior view presents a scene of every- 

 day activity during the three autumn 

 months and a part of June. During 

 the busy season Mr. Lesher says he 

 puts up 100,000 to 150,000 ferns each 

 day. They are bunched and packed 

 by nimble-fingered women working in 

 light, airy quarters, as shown in the 

 picture. 



Mr. Lesher has drifted into the 

 flower business through his connection 

 with the fern industry. There is no 

 greenhouse at Mancelona and the peo- 

 ple were in the habit of sending to 

 larger cities for their flowers. It was 

 natural to have Mr. Lesher do the send- 

 ing, and he has thus built up quite a 

 little retail cut flower business. 



ASPABAOUS AND VINCAS. 



Will 3'ou please tell me how to grow 

 Asparagus Sprengeri and Vinca varie- 

 gata? Mine last year grew so slowly 

 that the most of them almost seemed 

 to stand still. Do they need rich soil 

 and lots of water, or what would you 

 advise? Is it better to have them pot- 

 ted or in the bench? t built my green- 

 house last year and so am new at the 

 business. Any suggestions you can 

 make will be appreciated. C. A. H. 



Asparagus Sprengeri grows more sat- 

 isfactorily if planted out on the bench 

 than in pots. About five inches of soil 

 will be enough, if the soil is of good 

 quality. Top soil from a pasture lot, 

 composted with one-fourth to one-third 

 of stable manure, gives good results, 

 and after the plants are well estab- 

 lished a top-dressing of manure will 

 help them. Asparagus requires quite a 

 lot of water when growing freely and 

 should have a night temperature of 60 

 degrees. 



Vinca variegata may be grown in 

 the same sort of soil as the Sprengeri, 



but during the winter the growth is 

 not so rapid as in spring and summer. 

 This plant may be grown in pots set 

 along the front of the asparagus 

 bench, although a little lower tempera- 

 ture than that advised for asparagus 

 will do no harm to the vincas. 



W. H. T. 



THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION. 



The annual meeting and bulb show 

 of the Western Dahlia and Gladiolus 

 Association will be held at 66 East 

 Randolph street, Chicago, Friday and 

 Saturday, February 7 and 8. 



Following the precedent established 

 at the 1911 show, the entries will not 

 be competitive. Each grower stands on 

 his own feet, and all will have equal 

 chance. A cordial invitation is given 

 every grower to come and show his 

 product, even if you have only one 

 dahlia clump, or a plate of a dozen 

 gladioli. Let the growers of the cen- 

 tral west put up a show of bulbs that 

 will cause the trade to take notice. 

 The reward will come to those who do. 

 Last season some difficulty was expe- 

 rienced by growers in attending the 

 Chicago show because of its being held 

 so near the holidays. Many who had 

 greenhouses and other lines of work 

 were rushed and could not attend. This 

 year the executive committee decided 

 to adjourn the meeting until February 

 7 and 8, as being the best all-around 

 time. Growers from everv one of the 



eight states now represented in the as- 

 sociation are invited to take these 

 dates for a business visit to Chicago, 

 enjoying both opportunities. The 

 Western Dahlia and Gladiolus Associa- 

 tion is endeavoring to interest every 

 grower who is making the business of 

 outdoor flower-growing a livelihood, to 

 come and aid each other and get what 

 benefit accrues to each by working to- 

 gether for mutual good. 



All exhibits should be sent by ex- 

 press prepaid to 66 East Eandolph 

 street, in care of the A. L. Bandall 

 Co., and someone will be on the ground 

 the day previous to care for them until 

 the owners give proper direction for 

 disposal. All exhibits should be on 

 hand at least one day before the show 

 opens, so that proper care can be used 

 in giving good space. All entries should 

 be sent to the secretary previous to Feb- 

 ruary 3, as he will go to Chicago Feb- 

 ruary 4. Additions will be made to 

 the following program and published 

 in the Bulletin to go out this com- 

 ing week: 



Exhibits to be in position by 12 m., 

 Friday, February 7. 



2:00 p. m. — Reports of the secretary and treas- 

 urer. 



2:45 p. m. — "The Iris," a paper by W. E. Fryer. 

 MantorvlUe, Minn. Discussion. 



3:30 p. m. — "The Gladiolus as a Commercial Cut 

 Flower, HandlinK. Etc.." a paper 

 by S. W. Pike, St. Charles, 111. 

 Discussion. 



4:15 p. m. — New bulbs for the American grower 

 a table talk. 

 EVENING SESSION. 



7:00 p. m.— "What About the Small Grower?" a 

 paper by Thomas Heaven, Benton 

 Harbor, Mich. Discussion. 



8:00 p. m. — "The Outlook for Bulb Growing," a 

 paper by E. S. Thompson, Benton 

 Harbor, Mich. Discussion. 



FRIDAY SESSION. 

 9 a. m. to 12 m. — lYade exhibition and discus- 

 sions. Adjournment. 



E. S. Thompson, Sec'y. 

 Benton Harbor, Mich, 



TROUBLE WITH SALVIAS. 



I have been having trouble with my 

 salvia plants. The leaves are covered 

 with little holes. I would be gla^^to 

 know the cause of this and what to do 

 in the matter. If you can give me any 

 helpful information I shall appreciate 

 it highly. H. D. 



Without seeing the leaves I can only 

 guess at the cause of the numerous 

 small holes. Probably some small flies 

 or other insects are responsible for their 

 appearance, in which case either fumi- 

 gation or spraying with some insecti- 

 cide should clean them out in short 

 order. C. W. 



Fern House of Henry Lcsfaer, Mancelona, Mich. 



