12 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



September 29, 1910. 



coining due this week. Of these obli- 

 gations several fail and ask for more 

 time. Thus the money that must be 

 raised for the salary list is not forth- 

 coming. Can it reasonably be expected 

 that these buyers will be given credit 

 in future? 



Consider how the restriction of cred- 

 its helps the honest florist. It prevents 

 the beginner from buying large quanti- 

 ties of stock and, it may be, under- 

 selling the man with an established 

 business before he has proven himself 

 worthy. It prevents the unscrupulous 



from obtaining for nothing that for 

 which the conscientious buyer must pay. 

 Thus restriction of credits proves a di- 

 rect benefit to all legitimate business. 



The business success of the florists 

 today must depend largely on foresight; 

 the ability to see far enough ahead to 

 know whether the money will be ready 

 when the bills come due is of paramount 

 importance. The faithful promisor, who 

 promises and pays not, cannot hope to 

 compete in the race with the man who 

 meets his obligations when they are 

 due. Phil. 



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I SEASONABLE 



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SUGGESTIONS 



f 



Azaleas. 



Azaleas which were planted out in 

 the field in early summer must now be 

 lifted and potted. A light freeze will 

 not injure the flower buds, but it is 

 much better not to run any risks. Re- 

 duce the balls with a sharp-pointed 

 hardwood stick so that they will go 

 in as small pots as possible. A com- 

 post of three parts loam, one part leaf- 

 mold and a good dash of sharp sand 

 will suit the plants. Any manure used 

 must be old and thoroughly decayed. 

 The old idea about peat being a neces- 

 sity for successful azalea culture has 

 been long ago exploded. Be sure to 

 work the soil well around the sides of 

 the pots and ram it firmly, so as to 

 leave no open spaces. Soak well with 

 water and stand outdoors in the full 

 sun until threatened frost compels their 

 removal indoors. The best place to 

 store them is a pit, where they can get 

 sufficient light and where frost can be 

 excluded without any resort to fire 

 heat, unless it be in zero weather. 

 Spray the plants freely for a week or 

 two. 



Ericas. 



Ericas make more roots than azaleas 

 when planted outdoors and the balls 

 will need more reducing in order to 

 get them in pots of moderate size. 

 A compost in which they are found to 

 grow remarkably well consists of equal 

 parts of fibrous loam and leaf-mold, 

 to which is added some sand and well 

 decayed cow manure passed through a 

 fine mesh screen. It is not possible 

 to press the soil around the pots too 

 firmly. All hard-wooded plants should 

 have the soil rammed hard. While 

 ericas planted out make much stronger 

 growth than when pot grown, the lat- 

 ter make buds earlier and prove bet- 

 ter for Christmas flowering. E. melan- 

 thera is the best all-around sort. Lift- 

 ed plants may wilt a little on hot days, 

 to counteract which they should be 

 kept well sprayed. They are better 

 kept outdoors as late as possible. 



Callas. 



A good many grow callas in beds 

 or benches, but quite a number of small 

 growers giMrtJlfJMtem ii£!.'pot8, which are., 

 stood outdoors in a sunny spot. It 



is better not to risk these outdoors 

 much longer. They will make better 

 headway under glass and will not be 

 subjected to soddening rains, which we 

 usually get at this season. Keep the 

 surface soil well stirred and the plants 

 will grow all the faster for it. Do not 

 use any liquid manure for some time 

 yet. 



Lorraine Begonias. 



Lorraine begonias will now require 

 stakes. These should be light and not 

 rise above the growths. If they are 

 green, they will never be noticed at all. 

 It is absurd growing a lot of nice 

 plants and, as blooming time ap- 

 proaches, neglecting giving them sup- 

 port. Of course, as hanging specimens, 

 supports are not needed, but the vast 

 majority are not grown in this way. 

 Where the earliest batch has the pots 

 well filled with roots, weak liquid ma- 

 nure applied every fourth watering will 

 prove helpful. Do not give it to any 

 which are not well rooted. It will only 

 help to sour the soil and make the 

 plants sickly. A temperature of 58 to 

 60 degrees at night will grow Lorraines 

 well. When in bloom, they are better 

 10 degrees cooler. The cooler house 

 makes the blooms have more substance. 

 As growth now is rapid, the plants 

 will need more frequent spacing, and 

 it is a good plan to elevate the larger 

 specimens well. 



Eucharis Amazonica. 



Where a Christmas crop of Eucharis 

 Amazonica is wanted, the plants, 

 whether in beds or pots, should be rest- 

 ed until the middle of November. Do 

 not withhold water entirely at once, 

 and do not let the plants at any time 

 become so baking dry as to lose much 

 of their foliage. A lower temperature, 

 say 50 degrees at night, is better for 

 the plants while they are being rested. 

 When the time comes to start them up, 

 a soaking of warm water, some bottom 

 heat and 70 degrees at night will bring 

 the spikes along in season for the holi- 

 days. 



Nerines and Amaryllis. 



Nerines, which have been baking in 

 the sun on their sides since last May. 

 should now be examined. The spikes 



will be found pushing. up .freely from 

 the earlier and stronger varieties, like 

 Pothergilli major and corusca. Any 

 top-dressing should now be given and 

 the plants placed in a cool, airy house. 

 It is unwise to repot nerines until they 

 becom.e much matted and the bulbs 

 overcrowded. They never bloom satis- 

 factorily until the pots are a veritablt 

 network of roots. 



Amaryllis Belladonna is also now 

 pushing its flower stems. It is hardly 

 ever seen commercially, although its 

 beautiful pink flowers, which have a 

 delicious perfume, should sell on sight. 

 This amaryllis wants the same baking 

 as the nerines. It also needs much 

 larger pots. Southern growers can do 

 this well outdoors, but those in the 

 north 'either have to grow it planted 

 out in protected brick frames or in 

 pots. 



Mignonette. 



Many growers have already had re- 

 course to fire heat. This is especially 

 necessary where roses and colored- 

 leaved plants of a tropical nature are 

 grown. On such crops as mignonette 

 there will, of course, be no need to use 

 it for some time yet. The house, if 

 up to 40 or 42 degrees in the morning, 

 is sufficiently high and air should be 

 left on about all the time, both night 

 and day. 



The green worms have been unusu- 

 ally troublesome on the foliage. Close 

 hand-picking has, however, prevented 

 much damage being done to the foliage. 

 As there is little demand for mignon- 

 ette before colder weather, it is better 

 to let the plants run up, so as to show 

 flowdr, and then head them back well. 

 This will allow three or four shoots 

 to start from near the base. These 

 will give fine spikes, if the soil, tem- 

 perature and other conditions are right. 

 Just as soon as time will permit run 

 the wires and cross strings along the 

 beds to keep the stems straight. Mi- 

 gnonette with crooked stems no one 

 wants. 



Brief Beminders. 



House and start a batch of Paper 

 White narcissi, now that the flats are 

 full of roots. 



Formosa lilies above ground, if placed 

 in a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees 

 at night, will start flowering in Jan- 

 uary and follow Harrisii nicely. 



Stake any cosmos being grown in 

 boxes or pots securely. Rain and wind 

 storms will raise havoc with them oth- 

 erwise. 



One of the finest hardy flowers now 

 in season is Anemone Japonica alba. 

 If you are not growing It, make up 

 your mind to do so another year. For 

 floral work it is invaluable. 



Continue transplanting any late per- 

 ennials or biennials. These grow rip- 

 idly at this season and there are still 

 several weeks in which they can make 

 growth. 



OIGANTEUM FOB EASTEB. 



Will you kindly tell me the proper 

 time to start gig nteum lilies for Easter 

 1911? P. N. D. 



Pot the bulbs of giganteum any time 

 during the month of October, or up un- 

 til the middle of November. Easter 

 comes next year quite late, April 16. 

 In growing them you want to get them 

 along so as to see buds by the first week i - 

 in March. C. W. ■' 



