n"«; »»[".• T.vgi-^r ^s^s^.^j-frry^ 'i. 



24 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



February 2, 1911. 



'♦^'♦^.'♦=p?.<»H.'»^: 



I SEASONABLE 



|'^A^=' SUGGESTIONS 



Lilium Speciosum. 



TJic cH)kl storage bulbs of Lilium 

 speciosum potted in August are now 

 giving quantities of flowers, which 

 come in usefully. They make a pleas- 

 ing addition to long-stemmed flowers, 

 and purchasers securing them are in- 

 variably well pleased with them, as 

 they have excellent keejiing qualities. 

 For funeral designs the white variety 

 just now comes in especially valuable. 

 T^e new crop of bulbs potted in No 

 vembpr and placed under the benches 

 or a cool house are just appearing above 

 ground. It will be June before these 

 flower, and it does not pay to subject 

 them to any forcing. Before the 

 growths get drawn, stand them on a 

 bench and allow them to come along 

 slowly. If you want to hold them back 

 until later in the summer, they can go 

 into any light pit or frame which is 

 just clear of frost. Allow the soil to 

 become a little drier, however, before 

 moving them to colder quarters. 



Cyclamens. 



The cyclamen seedlings from seed 

 sown in September are now ready for 

 small pots. They have for some time 

 been growing on a shelf in shallow flats, 

 which have been frequently scratched 

 over. Use a light soil of flaky leaf- 

 mold, loam and sand for the first pot- 

 ting, and stand the plants on a bench 

 where they will not get cold feet. An 

 average minimum of 55 to 58 degrees 

 will suit them. This temperature would 

 be 10 degrees too high for blooming 

 plants, but is all right for young stock. 

 Plants which are coming into flower and 

 intended for early spring sales must be 

 grown cool; 40 to 45 degrees will suf- 

 fice. If, however, wanted earlier, 5 de- 

 grees more heat can be given. A top- 

 dressing of Clay's fertilizer is the best 

 possible food for them. You cannot 

 keep the plants too near the light if you 

 want them stocky. 



Bougainvilleas. 



There is a moderate sale each Easter 

 for bougainvilleas. They are hardly the 

 Easter color, but there are always a 

 good many plants sold with colored 

 flowers. Plants which have been kept 

 cool and tolerably dry at the root for 

 some time should now be top-dressed, 

 placed in a temperature of 60 to 62 de- 

 grees at night and freely syringed. 

 Give one good soaking at the root. 

 Then let the soil go rather on the dry 

 side until the plants are breaking freely. 

 If started at once, the plants should 

 flower nicely for Easter. If they are 

 open a little early, it is easy retarding 

 them in a cooler house. Few flowers 

 have better keeping qualities than 

 bougainvilleas. The variety Sanderiana 

 remains the most popular "for pot cul- 

 ture. 



Fuchsias. 



Fuchsias are looked upon by many 

 as old fashioned, but they are never 



theless popular with many and proba- 

 blj' always will be. While we cannot 

 make as inanifold uses of them for bed 

 iling and exhibition purposes as in 

 Europe, we can nevertheless use them 

 for flowering in pots, for planting out 

 in partially shaded beds and for piazza 

 boxes, where they do not get too much 

 sun. Nice little plants in 4-inch pots, 

 carrying a few flowers, sell well in May 

 and June, and an}' country florist who 

 grows a batch can easily dispose of 

 them. (Jet in a good batch of succulent 

 cuttings now. They are easily rooted. 

 Pot off into 2l^-inch pots and later into 

 4-inch, using at the last potting mod 

 erately rich soil, and you will have 

 neat plants for your customers. The 

 single varieties will be found rather 

 more floriferous than the doubles, Imt 

 each have their admirers. 



Fibrous-rooted Begonias. 



If seed is not yet sown of sucli 

 Itegonias as ?>fordii and Vernon, it 

 should be sown without delay in shal- 

 low pans of light soil. Being minute, it 

 needs no covering. Water the pans 

 first; then sow the seed as thinly as pos- 

 sible. Place glass and sheets of paper 

 over the pans until the seedlings ger- 

 minate. Those begonias of the semper- 

 rtorens, or everblooming, type are valua- 

 ble. They make neat pot i)lants, can 

 ite used in vases, window boxes and 

 piazza boxes, and can be bedded out 

 in either full sun, partial shade or heavy 

 shade, and wherever grown they arc 

 always in flower. 



r 



Gloxinias. 



Gloxinia tubers started in flats early 

 in January have now made considera- 

 ble growth and can be potted into 5-inch 

 or 6-inch pots, according to their size. 

 Gloxinias like a light but moderately 

 rich soil. One-half fibrous loam, one- 

 fourth each leaf -mold not too much de- 

 cayed, and dry cow manure, with a good 

 dash of fine charcoal and sharp sand, 

 will make an ideal soil for them. Water 

 rather sparingly until the pots are well 

 filled with roots; then more freely. 

 Avoid wetting the foliage at all times 

 as much as possible and grow in an 

 average night temperature of 60 de- 

 grees. The worst enemy of the gloxinia 

 is thrips. It disfigures both foliage and 

 flowers, but if the plants are fumigated 

 once a week it will not 'trouble them. 

 Many people imagine that tuberous 

 begonias and gloxinias have no insect 

 foes. No greater mistake could be 

 made, for once thrips get a foothold the 

 plants are practically ruined. 



Hydrangeas. 



The earliest batch of hydrangeas have 

 now made considerable growth, and the 

 flower heads can be seen at the ends. 

 These will be in good time for Easter. 

 Even later plants can be flowered by 

 the middle of April, but to be sure of 

 having them on time a temperature of 

 60 degrees at night should be main- 

 tained. Hydrangeas at all stages of 

 growth want an alaundant water supply; 

 in fact, given good drainage;, plants in 

 active growth can hardly be over- 

 watered. Any showing pale foliage can 

 be toned up by placing a little soot or 

 nitrate of soda in the water. In order 

 to work up a good stock of young plants 

 for next year, take off as many of the 

 non-flowering shoots as you can and 

 place in the cutting bench. 



Asters. 



There are a few growers each year 

 who grow benches of asters under glass. 

 Some there are who have had flowers as 

 early as May, and any of the early sorts 



%:^ 



^ i 



Rose Rose Queen. 



