APHIL 22, 1909. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



J3 



Establtshtneat of Frank Bros., Beardstown, lU. 



ease than others. Overpropagation, im- 

 proper atmospheric conditions and com- 

 post will all cause disease. C. W. 



AT FRANKS'. 



The accompanying illustrations are 

 from photographs made at the establish- 

 ment of Frank Bros., Beardstown, 111. 

 One of the pictures shows the front view 

 of the greenhouses, which are 4 years old, 

 while at the right is the new office build- 

 ing, completed this autumn. 



The other picture shows a bed of Musa 

 Bumatrana, surrounded by cannas. This 

 musa is seldom seen, but it makes a fine 

 effect where a large bed of sub-tropical 

 plants is wanted. 



SINGLE VIOLETS. 



I have never grown violets, but intend 

 to do so next winter. I would like to 

 hear through the Review in regard to 

 the Princess of Wales violet. Which 

 way is considered the best to grow them, 

 ■n benches or solid beds? I live in 

 Massachusetts. Will runners rooted this 

 spring bloom next winter? F. H. B. • 



Everything considered, the Princess of 

 Wales violet will be the most satisfactory 

 \anety for you to grow. There are a 

 number of newer sorts, but Princess of 

 'Jiales can be had at a much lower price 

 t^nan any of these and is not surpassed 

 y any of them in vigor, floriferousness 

 •<nd size of flower. 



Runners rooted now, planted out in 

 ;' ? *^o feet apart and nine to twelve 

 '"•^nes between the plants, will make 

 ^JJ^ong plants to lift in the fall. The 

 , ' „"^^."i"st be kept clear of weeds and 

 tner V^^ ^y the cultivator all sum- 

 pear ^ Q funners removed as they ap- 

 raiitoi u° ^^^^ ^^^ much superior to 

 like „ ^^fches for single violets. They 

 a soil containing at least one-fourth 



of rotted cow manure. This should be 

 prepared and stacked as soon as possi- 

 ble. 



Do not be in a hurry about lifting 

 your plants in the fall. Doubles do well 

 housed in August or grown indoors all 

 summer, where there are movable sashes, 

 but singles are better left outdoors in 

 your state until the plants have had a 

 few degrees of. frost. A suitable date 

 would be October 5 to 10. -Many are 

 planted much later. C. W. 



EUROPEAN NOTES. 



The Horticultural Societies. 



Horticultural societies in England con- 

 tinue to make steady progress in the 

 right direction, and this may be taken 

 as a sure indication of the trade in plants 

 and seeds being in the ascendency also. 

 The Royal Horticultural Society had a 

 profit of £350 from its shows in 1908, 

 and the National Rose Society a profit 

 of £150. The latter has recently secured 

 126 new members. The National Sweet 

 Pea Society has enlisted about 150 new- 

 members since the annual meeting and 

 the Dahlia and Carnation Societies are 

 progressing satisfactorily. Unfortu- 

 nately, the National Chrysanthemum So- 

 ciety is in rough water financially, but 

 no doubt it will weather the storm. 



The National Sweet Pea Society keeps 



well abreast of all that is required of it, 

 thanks to the man at the helm. The 

 official catalogue of sweet pea names> 

 just issued, should be in the hands of 

 every man who professes to know or de- 

 sires to know about sweet peas. It is a 

 comprehensive list, reflecting credit upon 

 the compiler. Miss Jessie Cuthbertson, 

 daughter of William Cuthbertson, head 

 of the firm of Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, 

 and for this work she has been awarded 

 the society 's ' gold medal. The list, pub- 

 lished at sixpence, and all information 

 about the society, may be obtained from 

 the secretary, Charles H. Curtis, Ade- 

 laide road, Brentford, Middlesex. 



"Wired Stems in Shows. 



At the Carnation Society's shows it is 

 customary to show the blooms without 

 wiring the stems, but this system formed 

 the subject of ah animated discussion at 

 the after-dinner conference of carnation 

 growers March 24. R. F. Felton intro- 

 duced the subject and strongly advo- 

 cated wiring the stems to enhance the 

 general appearance of the shov?, as large 

 flowers on yard-long stems, describing a 

 semicircle, necessitated ladies and gen- 

 tlemen going down on their knees to get 

 a view of the flowers. 



It is true that many of the flowers 

 shown were too heavy for the stems'and 

 there was much bending and breaking of 

 the latter. The subject brought well- 

 known growers, - such as Page, Button, 

 Mortimer, Engelmann, etc., to their feet, 

 and while the balance of opinion was 

 against v.iring, the question is down 

 again for further debate. 



Carnation Culture in Europe. 



A considerable trade is done with Ger- 

 many, France and Belgium in carnation 

 blooms and plants, and their culture is 

 being taken up fairly well, especially in 

 Germany. It is to the interest of grow- 

 ers in these countries to take to them, as 

 heavy consignments of flowers are sent 

 from London weekly to the florists in 

 Palis, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc. A new 

 society has been formed at Antibes 

 (Alpes-Maritimes), France, in the in- 

 terests of carnation culture. It is styled 

 La Society Nationale des Oilillettistes 

 (Carnations), and the secretary is M. 

 Jules Grec, of Antibes. 



Vhich Are the Best Sweet Peas? 



Coming back to sweet peas, one of the 

 London gardening journals recently took 

 the votes of fifty sweet pea experts on 



Bed of Musa Sumatrana and Cannas. 



