March 4, 1900. 



Tlie Weekly Florists' Review. 



13 



'.h. 



Co-operative Flower Market, where the Next Boston Trade Show will be Held March 20. 



more grassy. Another advantage in using 

 side breaks is that one is more apt to 

 get the cuttings in a uniform condition 

 .'ind size, consequently a more even lot of 

 plants. We d» not hesitate to use top 

 cuttings when propagating scarce varie- 

 ties, providing we can get them in proper 

 condition. In no case should they be 

 used if they have begun to run up. 



I would root these cuttings and next 

 year select breaks from the flower stems. 

 Xo harm should result from this. 



A. R J. B. 



OVERFEEDING. 



What result has too heavy feeding on 

 carnations; stem, flower and the J)lant 

 in general? How soon may overfeeding 

 be detected? What are the symptoms 

 that show that a carnation plant is ' ' run- 

 ning out"? Has mild, sunny winter 

 weather a tendency to soften carnation 

 growth, even though the temperature has 

 been kept at the proper mark with 

 proper ventilation? 



I have two benches of Enchantress. 

 One was planted August 20 and the 

 plants for the other bench were lifted 

 August 20 and carried over in pots and 

 planted in the bench October 15. I have 

 had a heavy cut of flowers from both 

 benches. A large percentage of the old 

 stems which bore fine quality of flowers 

 are now sending up weak, spindling 

 growths at every node. Can you tell me 

 why they are weak and spindling? I 

 feel certain that it is not because of too 

 close planting or a dark house with poor 

 exposure. In January I began feeding 

 with liquid manure, using about three 

 pecks of strawy horse manure to fifty 

 gallons of water and diluting this about 

 three times. I have fed them three times 

 at intervals of ten days. I have given 

 them also a dressing of bone flour. I 

 can see no difference in the growth of 

 the plants in the two benches. L. E. K. 



I said overfeeding, but I do not mean 

 exactly that. Not many plants are over- 

 fed in point of quantity applied. The 

 trouble is, they are fed at the wrong 

 time. A mulch or liquid food is applied 

 when all such should be withheld. If 

 the plants are handled properly from the 

 time they are set on the benches until 

 the middle of November, no extra food 

 need be applied through December and 

 January unless the weather is unusually 

 bright for those months. That is the 

 period of time when nine-tenths of the* 

 cases of overfeeding are developed. This 

 year February, too, has been too dark to 

 do much feeding, as is shown by stock 



we have seen from growers who are in 

 the habit of feeding over-much. Great, 

 large, fine-looking blooms, with poor 

 keeping qualities, are the products of 

 such places. 



What are the symptoms of running 

 out? How does an athlete look when he 

 is "all in"? Most varieties have a 

 tendency toward some fault, defect or 

 disease. As the variety weakens this 

 fault becomes more pronounced, and 

 every little neglect in culture sends it off 

 into a spell of misbehavior. Some vari- 

 eties will split, others will show streaks 

 in the color. Others will take rust or 

 (Continued on page 80.) 



Too much feeding will soften the 

 growth of carnation plants. It will also 

 cause many varieties to split a large pro- 

 portion of the calyxes. The blooms, too, 

 will be soft and flimsy and will have 

 poor substance. They will bruise easily 

 and will keep poorly. Usually overfeed- 

 ing will show first in the blooms in the 

 manner suggested above. 



TO RETARD ROSES. 



I have some H. M. Stanley and En- 

 chantress roses in a bench in one of my 

 houses and I want the room for other 

 purposes. How can I keep them until 

 summer? L. C. 



You do not state whether these roses 

 are in a semi-dormant state or are act- 

 ively growing. If the former, place in a 

 cold pit just clear of freezing, to retard 

 them. If they are growing, you cannot 

 do this, but must gradually inure them 

 to cooler treatment. Any quick change 

 will cause mildew to attack and ruin 

 them. If growing, be sure to give them 



a sunny house. A shaded structure will 

 speedily render them a prey to mildew. 

 C. W. 



NEW ROSE APPLE BLOSSOM. 



Special attention ought to be given to 

 the new sport of the famous little 

 polyantha rose, Mme. Norbert Levavas- 

 seur, which received the name of Apple 

 Blossom. It is really worth quite special 

 notice, as it is as strong a grower as the 

 parent plant and shows the same bushy 

 habit. The color of the flowers, which 

 have a fine odor and form large panicles, 

 is a lovely light pink, exactly the same 

 lovely hue as a real apple blossom. The 

 name is certainly well chosen. 



The new rose, Apple Blossom, will find 

 favor with a good many growers on ac- 

 count of its good qualities, but it will no 

 doubt be given special attention on ac- 

 count of the fact that it can be forced 

 with good results. For Christmas and 



•I 



