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18 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Skptbuber 21, 1911. 



SEASONABLE SUQOESTIONS. 



The Question of Feeding. 



September is a busy month for the 

 mum grower. All the plants are rush- 

 ing into bud, and 'side shoots spring 

 into being, as it would seem, over 

 night. This means that the plants must 

 be gone over carefully, in order to 

 keep them in the straight and narrow 

 path where they belong. 



What feeding is needed must be done 

 during the next few weeks, as it is im- 

 ]iossible to continue feeding much after 

 the buds show color. The question of 

 feeding chrysanthemums is an especi- 

 ally important one and many otherwise 

 good growers seem to be all at sea as 

 to what and when and how much to feed 

 their plants. This matter has been dis- 

 <nissed at considerable lengtH in these 

 columns in years past and it seems 

 hardly worth while at this time to go 

 into details again, but certain points 

 may always be considered in order. 



When to Begin Feeding. 



As regards the time to feed, we be- 

 yin to feed after the plants have been 

 benched about ten weeks. At the end 

 of this time they have made plenty of 

 roots in the bench and are in excellent 

 ( ondition to take up nourishment. Feed, 

 at first, about once a week or so, alter- 

 nating between natural fertilizers and 

 chemicals. The chemicals most largely 

 employed for this purpose are nitrate 

 of soda, sulphate of ammonia and ni- 

 trate of potash. I prefer the two 

 last named to the nitrate of soda. A 

 safe proportion of any of these fer- 

 tilizers is at the rate of a 4-inch pot to a 

 50 gallon barrel of water, making sure 

 that the crystals are all dissolved be- 

 fore apjflying to the plants. 



During the month of September our 

 jilants have no clear water at all, ex- 

 tei)t at times when the bench may get 

 dry in spots without necessitating a 

 complete watering. 



As I have many times stated, the con- 

 dition of the plants themselves is the 

 best guide as to how much feeding 

 can safely be carried on without in- 

 juring the plants or without being 

 wasteful in the matter. 



Effects of an Overdose. 



A heavy dose of any liquid will kill 

 the root hairs which are the feeding 

 roots of the plants, and will do much 

 more harm than good. Such feeding 

 is an absolute loss and the plants would 

 be much better had the grower not 

 given anything at all. 



The proportion of natural fertilizer 

 is at a rate of about a bushel to a 

 barrel. This information is more for 

 the small grower or the beginner, as the 

 big grower, with his large tanks and 

 pumping supply, is able to figure out 

 his own formula. This fertilizer can be 

 allowed to stand in the barrel for a 

 couple of days and, after the water 

 has been drawn off, the barrel can be 

 filled again and in a week it will be 

 ready for use once more. 



Some growers use chicken manure, 

 which runs high in nitrogen, but it has 

 such caustic properties that it must be 

 used with a great deal of care. The 

 best way to apply this fertilizer, I 

 think, is to mix a little of it with cow 

 manure. 



Wlien to Stop Feeding. 



Many flowers have been ruined by 

 overfeeding — so many, in fact, as to 

 cause some growers to omit the feed- 

 ing altogether. This is not progress, 

 since it is only by our mistakes that 

 we learn for the future. The leaves 

 are the best indication as to whether 

 the plants ar^ getting too much or too 

 little feeding. If they are quite large, 

 black-green in color and so brittle that 

 they can be snapped apart at a touch, 

 you may be assured that the plant has 

 gotten about all the nitrogen it can 

 possibly use and feeding may be dis- 

 continued. So long as this condition 

 does not prevail, it is reasonably safe 

 to continue feeding. 



It is a good point to discontinue feed- 

 ing on each variety as the color shows 

 well in the bud. By that time most of 

 the petals are formed. While some 

 growers, who are looking for the last 

 fraction of an inch in size, will con- 

 tinue feeding until the flower is half 

 developed, this is not safe and the av- 

 erage grower does not need to take 

 such chances. 



Housing the Field Plants. 



We are running now into colder 

 nights and may get frost at any time; 

 therefore, any plants that have been 

 growing outdoors during the summer 

 should be housed immediately. Even 

 though frost does not occur in Septem- 

 ber, we generally get some heavy 

 rains in the latter part of the month, 

 which spoil the foliage and harm the 

 plants considerably. 



The houses in which plants are grow- 

 ing should not be allowed to run below 

 40 to 45 degrees; 45 to 50 degrees 

 would be even better. If. however, 

 the outside temperature is running low, 

 do not close up the house with the idea 

 of saving the heat. Chrysanthemums 

 like, above everything else, a dry, 

 buoyant atmosphere when the flowers 

 are developing. Leave several inches 

 of air on in the ridge and run a line 

 of steam around if necessary, to keep 

 up the temperature. 



Mums at All Seasons. 



We have been cutting Golden Glow 

 and Smith's Advance for the last two 

 weeks, though the prices so far have 

 not been such as to cause anyone to 

 become wildly hilarious. For profitable 

 sales we need the October days, clear 

 and cold, with a touch of frost at night. 

 When the forest trees take on their 

 glorious tints of gold and yellow, peo- 

 ple's thoughts seem naturally to turn 

 to the chrysanthemum as a part of 

 their color schemes. 



Every year we see it recorded how 

 mums are coming in earlier and later 

 than ever before, till today, if one 



wishes, it is by no means impossible 

 to have mums at any season of the 

 year. 



I notice that in the schedule of prizes 

 for the International Horticultural 

 Show in London, May 22, 1912, provi- 

 sion is made for twelve bunches of 

 chrysanthemums, in at least six varie- 

 ties, and I have not the least doubt 

 that whoever sees this show will see 

 quite a large exhioit in this class, prov- 

 ing that the mum, to paraphrase Kip- 

 ling, "knows no east and knows no 

 west ' ' — knows no particular season 

 for flowering, ' Chas. H. Totty. 



WHITE ANTS IN MUM SOIL. 



I have an entirely new bed of chrys- 

 anthemums, outdoors, and I am bothered 

 with white ants. Will you kindly give 

 me some advice as to how to get rid 

 of them? The only reason for the 

 trouble that I can give is that I spaded 

 in fresh cow manure that was unclean. 

 Mv location is southern Louisiana. 



L. M. 



Possibly some southern grower who 

 has had experience with white ants can 

 give better information on this subject 

 than I can. I would state, however, 

 that if L. M. will use Paris green or 

 arsenic, mixing it with corn meal or 

 some other cereal of a like character, 

 and scattering it on the soil, this will 

 in many cases clean out the ants, and it 

 will also destroy sowbugs. It is not at 

 all probable that the ants originally 

 came from the cow manure. In most 

 cases, like Topsy, they ' ' just grow, ' '■ 

 but their presence, when they do get 

 here, is exceedingly real and unwel- 

 come. Chas. H. Tottv. 



NEW ENGLAND DAHLIA SHOW. 



The annual exhibition of the New 

 England Dahlia Society was held at 

 Horticultural hall, Boston, September 

 15 to 17. Neither in extent nor quality 

 was the exhibition up to the average. 

 The hot, dry summer, attacks of the 

 chinch-bug, and then a sharp frost the 

 morning before the show opened, all 

 tended to reduce the number of exhib 

 its. Still there were sufficient to fill 

 the main exhibition hall. The society 

 should strive to break away from the 

 stereotyped rows of flowers in small bot- 

 tles and give more prominence to tables 

 decorated with dahlias, baskets, wreaths, 

 etc., which are now ignored. At present, 

 the dahlia here has little value as a cut 

 flower and there is a grand chance 

 for the society to better its status. 



The H. F. Michell Co., of Philadel 

 phia, had large trumpet vases well ar- 

 ranged of their new single Century dah- 

 lias. Golden Century, Fringed Century, 

 Gladys, Mrs. J. C. Hance, Eckford 

 Century, and the double Dorothy Pea 

 cock; also the fine gladiolus, Kunderdi 

 Glory. J. K. Alexander, of East 

 Bridgewater, was the largest exhibitor, 

 nearly half filling the hall. His col- 

 lection embraced hundreds of varieties 

 and every known type. Some of his 

 best cactus sorts were: Ella Kramer, 

 Whirlwind, Mrs. Grinstead, Dainty, 

 Ivanhoe, Fl«radora, Gazelle, White 

 Swan, H. F. Robinson, Jeannette, Lady 

 Colin Campbell, The King, Volker, C. G. 

 Wilkins and Effective. The same ex- 

 hibitor had a large collection of phloxes 

 and gladioli. He was first for the 

 finest display of dahlias. 



The Fottler, Fiske, Rawson Co. had 

 two large tables with a choice collection. 



