Kkuiu'aky 



11)11. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



THE GOOSE PLANT. 



You have, of course, noticed witli what 

 jividity your hjcal newspaper seizes upon 

 the unusual, tiie extraordinary, the bi 

 zarrc in horticidture, how nothing seems 

 to interest tlie reporter so much as the 

 improbable and impractical. Then whv 

 not take advantage of it? 



Don't undertake to mislead the credu 

 l(jus scribe — perish the thought ! Just 

 give liim the hint and he will let his fancy 

 have fi'ee reign and save all strain on 

 your conscience. 



J'^r instance, call him up on the phone 

 and tell him that there is an Aristoloehia 

 grandiflora Sturtevantii in your green- 

 house, that it is quite harmless but a 

 great curiosity. Ask him to come up and 

 take a look. Lead him out into the green- 

 house and show him the goose plant; tell 

 liim that it is attracting wide attention 

 and causing much talk; that you have 

 thus far admitted all who have come to 

 sec it. He will set the tongues of the 

 whole town wagging and you will have a 

 stream of visitors, people who will come 

 a mile to .see the wonderful freak plant 

 who would not walk around the block to 

 see your really well grown but everyday 

 i-arnations and roses. 



Vou can tell them that the goose plant 

 IS lirst cousin to the Dutchman's pipe. 

 It's nothing but the truth, but you must 

 say it with great gravity. 



The name, aristoloehia, is applied to 

 I lie genus liecause of supposed medicinal 

 virtues. Most medicines taste bad and, 

 by the same token, most of the aristo- 

 lochias smell bad. Many of the tropical 

 forms have tlowcrs of extraordinary size 

 .•ind structure, but the odor is suggestive 

 of putridity. The best known representa- 

 tive of the genus is A. Sipho, the Dutch- 

 tnan 's pipe, than which there is no better 

 hardy dimljing vino for shade or screen- 

 ing purpo.ses, say about a porch. The 

 unly value j)ossesscd by A. grandiflora 

 •Sturtevantii is its unique form. In some 

 of the larger park conservatories it regu- 

 larly is grown because of the amount of 

 attention it attracts from those passing 

 through the houses. The flower when 

 well developed almost exactly resembles 

 a goose. The color is greenish white. 



The aristolochias are of easy culture, 

 requiring only good loam and careful at- 

 tention to keep them thrifty and free 

 from insects. Most of them require a 

 rather warm temperature, but if in pots 

 they may be flowered in the conservatory. 

 The large growing species require much 

 room and do not bloom as a rule until 

 they are quite large. Propagation is 

 easy, by means of cuttings rooted in a 

 frame. 



LILIES FOR EASTER. 



Many growers are now getting anx- 

 ious about their Easter lilies, to judge 

 from the queries which arc coming to 

 hand almost daily. A typical question 

 is: "My lilies arc four to five inches 

 high. Will these be in flower for 

 Kaster and how warm must T keep them 

 to be sure they are on time?" 



I,ilios, no matter whether Ilarrisii, 

 Miultitlorum cr gigantcum, are a little 

 late if only four or fwo inrlics in lioight 

 by the latter j^art of February. They 

 must liave a steady night temperature 

 of C)~) degrees, and ~> degrees more will 

 be better. Close the house in which they 

 arc growing early in the afternoon and 

 syringe the plants overhead twice a 

 day. There is one advantage in T'aster 

 • lulling later than usual, in that back- 

 ward jdants can be brought into flower 

 ratlier more quickly than a year ago. 



The Goose Plant. 



when it occurred in March. To be on 

 the right side with [dants. it should hv 

 possible to see and count the buds (>arl\' 

 in Lent, in which case a night teiii- 

 jieratiirc of (iO degrees will bring tln'iii 

 in tlower in good season and allow ot 

 their b<'ing placed in a I'nol liousc for 

 a i'ow days. 



Probably nine tenths of the lilies 

 grown for Master are giganteunis; next 

 to these come Tiiult illoriims. Loth ot' 

 these are dwarfer in habit than Ilar- 

 risii and I'ormosas and stand up well 

 without the aid of stakes. .\s tlu^ ]>ots 

 liecoine well matted with roots, appl.\ 

 manure water twice a week in nioder 

 ate doses. An adeipiate water sn|ip|\- 

 must be given, or considerable (d' the 

 lower f(diage will lie lost. Spray onci' 

 ;i week with nicotine for ajdiis, if you 

 do not fumigate. Ciganteuiiis Io\e hear 

 in every st.age ot' their growth, and 

 many who blame the dealers for celling 

 them diseased bulbs have only them- 

 sche^-- to tlian]< for their Io>;^cv. which 



.are really caused )>y starting the bulbs 

 too co(d. overwatcring in the early 

 stages of growth and not giving sufli 

 I'ieiit heat once the plants have started 

 into growth. 



If you can see your buds early in 

 M.irch, they are all right; if not, they 

 are late and want all the heat and 

 iiKiistiire you can give them. 



• andidum lilies are less seen at 

 |];ister than their merits would seem to 

 warrant. An inferior grade of bulbs, 

 which ]iroduces poor spikes, small flow 

 ers and much disease, has discouraged 

 many from growing them. Those who 

 h.ave the true, broad-petalod type need 

 have no fear of disease and can rest 

 .assured that the flowers will sell quick 

 ly to any of the up-to-date stores. 

 \'ow, if your candidiim- show their 

 buds I)y Slarch l.l. they will bo all 

 liulit it' .allowed an aver.agi- night tem- 

 iM'ratnre of "(O to ')'2 degrees, never let 

 ting it exceed T).! degrees. It vou give 

 your raiididiinis the swdt. ring treat 



