NOTBUBEB 9, 1911. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



15 



Crosa on an Easel. 



Lyre of Oarnatlona and Roaes. 



Funeral Dcug^ns by H. R. Fisher, Marysville, Kansas. 



every time. Place the trap so that it 

 is in their runs. There is little use of 

 laying poison for them. You can poison 

 the rats by mixing Eough-on-Eats or 

 rat biscuit with finely chopped meat 

 and laying it around, or making a 

 bread sandwich of it. If you can stop 

 up the holes thoroughly, pour a few 

 spoonfuls of carbon bisulphide down 

 each hole and close it up at once with 

 soil. Carbide dropped down a hole, 

 moistened and then covered, also suflfo- 

 cates. Traps can be used, always being 

 careful to cover them witb bran or 

 chaff and to hold them over the fire 

 after each rat has been caught, to take 

 away any smell, as rats are suspicious 

 characters. C. W. 



VINCAS FOR SPRING SALES. 



I have serious trouble with soil -and 

 water. Our city water was originally 

 caught in a pool, but there has been 

 little rain for three years and it is 

 now dry. The city has put in two deep 

 wells giving plenty of water, but strong 

 with alkaline soda — too strong for 

 plants in pots, and the soil which I 

 have used for sixteen years seems to 

 be in the same fix, so I can no longer 

 grow ferns in benches or pots. Is there 

 anything I can do to counteract the 

 difficulty t If so, please let me know. 



What is the best method of keeping 

 flowering vincas through the winter 

 from seedlings sown now, or when is 

 the best time to sow for spring plants. 



A. D. H. Jr. 



It would not pay to carry over plants 

 of the flowering vincas (V. rosea) 

 under glass. The best plan is to sow 

 seeds about the end of February in 

 pans or flats in a warm, moist house 

 and pot them off singly when of suffi- 



cient size. Grow them quite warm until 

 well established in the pots; then 

 gradually inure them to cooler treat- 

 ment. 



I regret my inability to answer con- 

 cerning alkaline soda in the soil and 

 water. Perhaps some Texas, Colorado 

 or other grower accustomed to similar 

 soils could give some helpful advice. 



C. W. 



VIOLETS IN A FRAME. 



I wish to grow a few violets and I 

 thought I might plant them under 

 sashes at the south side of my carna- 

 tion house. They would get full sun- 

 shine there, and in cold weather a door 

 might also be opened to admit some 

 heat from the greenhouse. I have never 

 grown violets and I should like to know 

 what variety would be most suitable 

 under the conditions described. Would 

 field-grown plants be suitable? 



H. E. S. 



Violets will do well planted under 

 sashes, as suggested. You do not state 

 whether you want a double or single 

 variety. If you want a double sort, 

 Lady Hume Campbell is among the 

 most reliable, »being more immune from 



disease than most others. If singles are 

 desired, the best one for you will be 

 Princess of Wales. This ranks so far 

 above all other singles that it is really 

 in a class by itself. Field plants are 

 the best and you should secure them 

 without delay. It is getting late for 

 the planting of doubles, which are also 

 less hardy than the singles. The latter 

 should have a little frost before hous- 

 ing, or they will make a strong leaf 

 growth at the expense of flowers. The 

 night temperature for Princess of 

 Wales violets should not exceed 40 de- 

 grees in winter. C. W. 



HYACINTHS. 



Can I leave single Dutch and Soman 

 hyacinths in a cold bed outside all win- 

 ter and do they need much protection 1 

 Also, please give the names of some 

 late varieties of the same kind which 

 could be kept to blossom for Decoration 

 day. L. A. G. 



Both Dutch and Roman hyacinths 

 can be kept in a cold frame if well pro- 

 tected. The latter variety is naturally 

 early and can not be held back as late 

 as the Dutch hyacinths, which can be 

 kept until the middle of April, but 

 none of the hyacinths can be retarded 

 until Memorial day. The Dutch hya- 

 cinths, when in pots or flats, are not 

 hurt by a slight freezing, but the Ro- 

 mans must not be allowed to freeze. 

 Cover them with a good laj'er of fine, 

 coal ashes or sand and over this a thick 

 bed of perfectly dry leaves. C. W. 



Bedford Hills, N. Y.— E. C. Haines 

 & Co. has been incorporated to do a 

 general florist and nursery business. 

 Capital, $75,000. Incorporators, E. 0. 

 Haines, E. Kratsch, W. R. Adams. 



