- Ai'RiL 21, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



u 



this purpose, and while disbudding can 

 be done and good flowers obtained, it 

 pays much better to merely pinch out 

 the leading shoot and make the plants 

 break. The flowers on the lateral shoots 

 are of a size that every country florist 

 can find plenty of use for. Do not shade 

 any of the indoor asters at any time 

 until the flowers are opening, when a 

 coat of white lead and kerosene will cool 

 the temperature and add to their keep- 

 ing qualities. Keep the surface soil con- 

 stantly stirred and grow the plants cool 

 and airy all the time. 



Later sowings of asters will require 

 transplanting before they become starved 

 and crowded in the seed flats. Use a 

 moderately rich soil for them. Sowings 

 in coldframes are now timely, while, ex- 

 cept in the more northerly states, they 

 can be sown outdoors. Be sure to pul- 

 verize the soil well in every case. In 

 more southerly states asters can now be 

 planted out with perfect safety. In the 

 north it is necessary to wait until the 

 early part of May. Asters are hardier 

 than many people imagine and the plants 

 will withstand several degrees of frost 

 without injury. In the case of late va- 

 rieties, like Vick's Branching and Sem- 

 ple's, seed should be sown by the first 

 week in May, but the earlier varieties 

 can be sown until the middle of June. 

 Be sure that the land to be used for 

 asters is kept well cultivated. This kills 

 the weeds, and where cutworms are nu- 

 merous the constant stirring up exposes 

 them to the robins and other birds, which 

 will destroy thousands of them. 



Glozinias. 



The earUer started gloxinias are now 

 coming into bloom. These are given a 

 well shaded house, with a night temper- 

 ature of 60 degrees, the plants being kept 

 quite close to the glass. In watering, 

 care must be taken not to wet the foliage 

 any more than is absolutely necessary. 

 If the sun can strike such plants while 

 their foliage is damp, they are soon 

 badly scorched and made quite unsala- 

 ble. When well opened, gloxinias can be 

 placed in a house 10 degrees cooler, in 

 which they will get more substance and 

 keep much longer, but they must always 

 be well shaded from the sun and cold 

 drafts must never strike them. Later 

 tubers, starting up naturally now, even 

 in a cool storeroom, will be found use- 

 ful in late summer. Gloxinias enjoy a 

 light but moderately rich compost, and 

 it is better not to use chemical fertilizers 

 if flowers with substance are desired. 

 Seedlings started in January are now 

 of a good size in flats and will soon go 

 into 3%,-inch pots, with a later shift into 

 5%-inch, in which they will be allowed 

 to flower. 



Coldframes. 



The pressure on the greenhouses can 

 now be greatly relieved where there is 

 an abundance of coldframe sashes at 

 command. Almost any of the hardier 

 and many quite tender annuals can now 

 be placed in these, either in pots or flats, 

 or pricked directly into the beds them- 

 selves. Such annuals as asters, stocks, 

 verbenas, marigolds, salvias, zinnias. 

 Phlox Drummondi, dianthus and vincas 

 will be stockier and better in every way 

 if grown in frames. The main require- 

 ments are plenty of water, careful ven- 

 tilation, and protection on any unusually 

 cold nights. Geraniums will also now 

 do well in frames, and if they can be 

 partially plunged in ashes over a few 

 inches of well tramped, warm manure, 

 the growth they make will surprise you. 



Curly-leaved Sport of Begonia Feastii. 



It is yet rather early to risk coleus, 

 achyranthcs, cannas, ricinus, acalyphas 

 and other plants of a tender nature in 

 frames, but dahlias grown from green 

 cuttings or from divided roots, if grown 

 in frames, are far stockier than any kept 

 in greenhouses. 



Sweet Peas. 



The continued clear, warm weather is 

 telling on sweet peas under glass, if they 

 have flowered a good part of the win- 

 ter, and the flowers are now running 

 smaller on these. It will hardly pay to 

 keep these in any longer at prevailing 

 prices. ' Tomatoes or cucumbers make a 

 good summer crop if the houses are not 

 wanted for chrysanthemums. Later sown 

 peas under glass, which are just giving 

 their first pickings, mu.«t be carefully 

 looked after. A too dry atmosphere will 

 quickly allow red spider to get in its 

 deadly work, while an injudicious use of 

 moisture, with erratic ventilation, may 

 cause mildew to appear. Sweet peas like 

 to be kept cool and moist at the root. 

 They also love fresh, pure air, and if 

 they are in large, roomy houses they will 

 be unlikely to suffer from the ailments 

 peculiar to smaller and more old-fash- 

 ioned structures. 



The earliest outdoor sowing is now 

 making rapid progress and should have 

 been given brush or wire supports by this 

 time. This being done, loosen the soil 

 well and give the spaces between the 

 rows a liberal mulch of straw, hay, lit- 



tery manure, seaweed or any other avail- 

 able material. This will keep weeds 

 down, hold moisture and keep the roots 

 cool. If you have sown your seed 

 thickly — a common error — have courage 

 to thin severely and the results will well 

 repay you for so doing. 



Herbaceous Peonies. 



There are no more popular or more 

 generally useful hardy herbaceous plants 

 for florists than peonies. The demand 

 for them steadily increases, and of the 

 really good kinds it is doubtful if there 

 will be any overplus for some years to 

 come. The plants are now making rapid 

 growth and, with a continuation of warm 

 weather, a larger proportion than ever 

 should be in season at Memorial day. 

 The present is a good time to feed the 

 plants. An application of some quick 

 working fertilizer will materially improve 

 both stems and flower.s. For this pur- 

 pose nitrate of soda and dried blood are 

 each excellent. Liquid manure, where it 

 can be applied economically, is hard to 

 beat. It is best applied after a soaking 

 rain, and the soil should be cultivated 

 before it has time to dry out too much. 

 Constant tickling of the surface soil is 

 half the battle in successful farming and 

 gardening, and no good crops can be 

 grown where it is neglected. 



Colorado Springs. Colo.— The Knob 

 Hill Greenhouses have been sold to the 

 Colorado Springs Floral Co., who will 

 continue the business. 



