8 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Sbftb&ibbb 1, 1919. 



sisting of two loads of soil and one load 

 of cow manure. 1 turned this over 

 twice. Do you think it will be all right 

 for sweet peas? F. D. 



Sweet peas for Christmas must be 

 sowed at once. Sow in small pots or 

 flats, in preference to sowing m the 

 rows where they are to flower, later 

 transplanting them and allowing four 

 to six inches between the plants. A 

 night temperature of 46 to 48 degrees 



suits sweet peas in winter; it should not 

 exceed 50 degrees for the best results. 

 Good winter flowering varieties are 

 Mont Blanc, Watchung and Florence 

 Denzer, fine white; Christmas Pink, 

 pink and white; Mrs. William Sim, sal- 

 mon pink; Mrs. A. Wallace, lavender. 

 The compost, as prepared, should grow 

 good sweet peas. Be sure you allow 

 them ample head room — not less than 

 six feet, and more if you have it. 



C. W. 



i 



I THE RETAIL 



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THE STANDING WB£IA.IH. 



"Human existence, from infancy to 

 the autumn of life," is the idea the 

 Quakertown Plant Co., Quakertown, 

 Pa., sought to typify in the standing 

 wreath shown in the accompanying il- 

 lustration. The flowers used were lilies, 

 gladioli, roses, sweet peas and asters, 

 with cut fronds of Piersoni fern and 

 smilax, in addition to smilax for green. 



CHARGES FOR STORING PLANTS. 



Will someone who is familiar with 

 storing plants please give me a fair idea 

 of what it is worth to care for bay 

 trees, standard ptants about eight feet 

 high, with heads two feet in diameter? 

 I had several such to store last winter 

 and have no idea whether I charged 

 enough or too much for storing them; 

 hence I want to know what others ask 

 for this service. I also have some 

 hydrangeas in 24-inch tubs, and 1 

 should like to know what others charge 

 tor storing them. E. L. 



In the first place, do not attempt to 

 store or winter bay trees, hydrangeas 

 or the like unless you have a suitable 

 place for doing so. Storing plants is 

 actually an accommodation; at least, 

 this is the view that most florists take 

 of it. Perhaps you sold the plants that 

 are to be stored, or perhaps the owner 

 of them is a good customer of yours. 

 If you have a small house which can 

 be kept just above the freezing point, 

 then take the plants; otherwise you 

 Lave a good excuse for refusing to care 

 for them. Plants of this nature would 

 probably live if kept in the shed, but 

 would become covered with dust and 

 dirt and in the spring would be in no 

 condition to return to the owner. 



Bay trees and boxwood require but 

 little attention during the winter and 

 plants with 24-inch to 30-inch crowns 

 can be stored for $5 a pair. This, of 

 course would not be equivalent to the 

 usual 'way of figuring the value of 

 greenhouse space, as being worth $1 

 per square foot. Still, bay trees are 

 only stored about eight months at a 

 time, and they require little heat and 

 will stand crowding. 



Hydrangeas should bring more money 

 per square foot than bay trees. During 

 the winter they can be kept with the 

 bay trees, but towanl spring they must 

 have more room, nifrte water and more 



fMAttention in ^&Beial. ^Plants in 34- 

 inch tubs are easily worth $3 each for 

 winter storage. 



The foregoing charges would include 

 calling for and delivering the plants if 

 they are within a reasonable distance. 

 When a special trip has to be made to 

 some country place, then a small extra 

 fee should bo charged — perhaps what 

 an expressman would charge, or a little 

 less. 



Whoever is sent to call for the plants 

 should be able to tell whether they are 

 in such a condition as to be worth keep- 

 ing over winter. If they are half dead, 



Human Existence. 



then it would be wise to suggest to your 

 customer that it would probably be a 

 waste of money to have the plants 

 stored. H. S. 



Anderson, Ind.— Stuart & Haugh have 

 been making extensive alterations and 

 improvements in their greenhouses. 



AN UNKIND SUGGESTION. 



Mr, Editor: I want to tell you that 

 it is not always advisable to follow 

 your suggestions. I read in your paper 

 a florist should be original and give 

 his customers something new. So the 

 other day, when a gentleman wanted 

 something nice for the funeral of his 

 aunt and left it all to me what to 

 make up, I thought, "Here is my 

 chance to make something tasty and 

 original." I took the finest lily of 

 the valley and Blanche Ferry sweet 

 peas and made a fan for the old lady. 

 Jt was a beautiful piece, and original, 

 I too. 



The next day the young fellow came, 

 I and, while I was awaiting a few com- 

 i pliments on my work, after first im- 

 pressing it on my mind what a kind 

 ; old lady she was, he told me it was a 

 j mean suggestion to a kind and good- 

 hearted 6ld soul and he would not pay 

 for it. He struck me almost speeoh- 

 less, so I thought I would put it in 

 writing and send it to you. 



Fritz Schneeglockchen. 



ANOTHER NEW IDEA. 



The paradip of decorated automobiles 

 have become so common that these 

 events now are considered as one of 

 the florists' regular sources of busi- 

 ness, as much to be depended on as 

 any other aflfairs calling for flowers. 

 But motor parades are not the latest; 

 the new novelty, as the supply men 

 sometimes put it, is the motor boat 

 parade — the Venetian night at the sum- 

 mer resort. 



At a recent water carnival on Okau- 

 chee lake, Wisconsin, numerous prizes 

 were awarded for the best decorated 

 launches, sail and row boats. The ac- 

 companying pictures show the first and 

 second prize boats, which were deco- 

 rated by August F. Kellner, their 

 owner, who is considered one of Mil- 

 waukee 's most artistic decorators. The 

 boat which captured first honors was 

 decorated with trees at the front, while 

 at the rear were cat-tails, goldenrod, 

 wild daisies and other wild odds and 

 ends. The boat which won second 

 prize was draped with bunting and fin- 

 ished 6ff with garlands formed of oak 

 leaves. 



As there were over seventy-five boats 

 in line, the result of the competition 

 13 an honor for Mr. Kellner, of which 

 he has a right to feel proud. 



B. O. 



GARDENIAS. 



Will you kindly inform us as to what 

 treatment should be given cape ias- 

 mines, what soil should be used and 

 when they should be lifted? They are 

 now in the ground. I am located in 

 southwestern Michigan. j. "w. R. 



Gardenias or cape jasmines should be 

 lifted and potted at once. I do not 

 approve of the outdoor -culture of this 

 p ant in our northern states. If in pots 

 they will do well, but when planted out 

 they lose a good deal at lifting time. 

 Endeavor to procure all roots intact and 

 a htle ball m a.ldition. For compost 

 use two-thirds fibrous loam, with the 

 finer particles shaken out, and one-third 

 m,?PU "?'.' '"''T '"^""'•^J the latter 

 Add ?o the %"'' *''?'-«'^ghly decayed. 

 Add to the foregoing some rather 



hrow T'^' *, "'*'« «««t and some 

 broken charcoal. The soil shonli be of 



