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The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



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MAncii 2, 1911. 



OUTDOOR CULTUBE OF DAHLIAS. 



Kindly give me the treatment of the 

 dahlia, commencing with the large 

 dormant roots that have been wintered 

 in a frost-proof cellar. ' Having no glass 

 to start them under, I should like to 

 know the course to pursue to achieve 

 the, best results as regards the produc- 

 tion of flowers. H. H. 



Dahlias want a sunny spot in which 

 to grow and flower. The soil should 

 be well manured and deeply plowed or 

 spaded. If the soil is heavy, use some 

 loose, gritty material, such as sand, fine 

 coal ashes or road scrapings, to make it 

 freer. For best results, do not plant 

 your roots until the middle of May or 

 the first part of June. Cut up the roots 

 with a sharp knife, leaving a single eye 

 to each division. Cover the roots five 

 to six inches. Lay them flat with the 

 crown point upward. A distance of 

 thirty to thirty-six inches between the 

 plants gives space for their proper de- 

 velopment, but if you intend growing 

 a quantity under field culture, eighteen 

 to twenty-four inches in the rows will 

 suffice. If you plan to support your 

 plants, drive the stakes in position be- 

 fore setting out your roots. Allow four 

 to five feet between the rows. If you 

 do not propose to stake the plants — but 

 we would advise you to do so if you arc 

 only growing a few dozens or hundreds 

 — pinch the top out of the young shoot 

 when it appears and has made two or 

 three pairs of leaves. This will make 

 the plants dwarfer and stockier. Cul- 

 tivate the plants freely from the time 

 they commence to grow. C. W. 



MILE-A-MINUTE VINE. 



A recent issue of The Review con- 

 tained the following inquiry, signed by 

 G. H. P.: "I should like to know the 

 botanical name of a vine that is used 

 around Wilkinsburg, Fa., for porches. 

 It has a leaf like the oak, about one 

 and one-fourth inches wide. They call 

 it Mile-a-iviinute, but I have never seen 

 it advertised by that name." 



The following reply to this query 

 has just been received from William 

 M. Turner, who, like G. H. P., is also a 

 resident of Wilkinsburg, Pa.: "The 

 only name, other than Mile-a-Minute, 

 that I have heard used for it is Pilo- 

 gyne suavis. It is a rapid grower and 

 a beautiful vine, with small, white, 

 star-shaped, fragrant flowers. I have 

 never seen it grown anywhere but in 

 this section, but have had inquiries 

 concerning it from many different 

 states. The Eeview's columns are cer- 

 tainly the right place in which to ask 

 questions, if you want to find out any- 

 thing." ^ 



Mr. Turner's brief description of the 

 vine agrees well, as far as it goes, 

 with the description of Pilogyne sua- 

 vis which is given in the botanical dic- 

 tionaries, and thus the correctness of 

 Mr. Turner's identification of the vine 

 seems to be confirmed. The rapid 

 growth of Pilogyne suavis would also 

 make it appear not unlikely that the 

 name Mile-a-Minute might be popu- 

 larly or locally applied to it. 



Pilogyne suavis, by the way, also 

 has at least two other botanical names. 

 Bailey's "Cyclopedia of American 

 Horticulture" says of it: "Melothria 

 punctata is a beautiful climbing her- 

 baceous perennial, better known as Pi- 

 logyne suavis and sometimes called 



Zehneria suavis. Even when protect- 

 ed, it is too tender to stand the north- 

 ern winters. It blooms in clusters; 

 flowers, small, white and star-shape, 

 with a strong musk fragrance; leaves, 

 green, small and glossy. Being a very 

 rapid grower, it is desirable for cov- 

 ering verandas or for house culture. It 

 will do well in any part of a living 

 room where it has light. It will grow 

 as much as sixteen feet high in one 

 summer by having a liberal supply of 

 water every day and liquid manure 

 once a week. After growing outdoors 

 it can be cut down to six inches, pot- 

 ted and taken into the house for the 

 winter. In the spring it can be cut 

 back, again planted out and it will do 

 well. The roots can almost be called 

 tuberous, and can be kept dormant 

 during the winter, the same as dahlias, 

 buried in sand in a cool, dry place, 

 free from frost. Eapidly increased by 

 cuttings." 



The opinion of Mr. Turner with refer- 

 ence to the name of the vine in ques- 

 tion is further supported by a letter, 

 just come to hand, from N. E. Beck, of 

 Massillon, O. Mr. Beck says: "I no- 

 tice, in The Eeview of January 26, that 

 G. H. P. wants to know the name of a 

 vine which is called in his locality Mile- 

 a-Minute vine, and which has a leaf 

 like that of the oak. I think this must 

 be Pilogyne suavis. We have been 

 growing this for some time and it is 

 the most rapid growing vine we know 

 of. The foliage resembles that of the 

 oak, and it blooms through the sum- 

 mer and fall until cut down by the 

 frost. The flowers are small, pure white, 

 literally cover the vines and are partic- 

 ularly fragrant. We propagate it by 

 taking cuttings in the fall before frost 

 and keep it in the house through the 

 winter. Four-inch plants planted in 

 May, about three feet apart, will cover 

 a large space in a short time. This vine 

 is preferred by many to hardy vines on 

 account of not covering the wood- 

 work in the winter and holding the 

 moisture." 



TOEONTO. 



The Market. 



Trade has been normal and stock 

 coming in quite plentifully. The sun 

 has made its presence felt, and on sev- 

 eral days last week stock was rushed on 

 the market. Daffodils are a glut. Roses 

 are coming in good. Violets are plenti- 

 ful and of exceptionally good quality. 

 Beauties are scarce. Sweet peas are 

 also on the short side, but some of the 

 stores have a few fine ones. Lilacs of 

 excellent quality are coming in, both 

 cut and on the plant. Prices are ruling 

 good. The T. Eaton Co. and the S. H. 

 Knox Co. are holding cheap sales of 

 daffodils, carnations and violets. Violets 

 sell at 15 cents a bunch, daffodils 15 

 cents a dozen, and carnations 30 cents. 

 The quality is poor, however. 



Various Notes. 



J. H. Dunlop recently was taken ill 

 with appendicitis while on a business 

 trip to Barrie, Ont, He was brought to 

 Toronto and operated on, with gratify- 

 ing success. He is at present in the 

 General Hospital and is recovering as 

 rapidly as can be expected. 



Recent visitors in town were S. H. 

 Waller, of Zanesville, O.; Robert Green- 

 law, of the S. S. Pennoek-Meehan Co., I 



Philadelphia, and the representative of 

 the Roseville Pottery Co., of Zanesville. 



Geo. Werley, formerly of J. H. Dun- 

 lop's, has accepted the management of 

 a retail store in Calgary. 



Miller Bros, and P. H, Lawrence both 

 report a good wholesale business. 



E. A. F. 



BOSTON. 



The Market. 



Cl.arer skies and somewhat more 

 spring-like weather have been our lot 

 in the closing week of February, a 

 month which has proved unusually cool 

 and has caused a heavy drain on the 

 coal pile. Supplies are more abundant 

 all around and there is a general de- 

 cline in prices, Roses average a drop 

 of 2 cents to 3 cents. The short-stemmed 

 flowers, which were making 6 cents, 

 are now down to 3 cents. The decline 

 is less pronounced on the better grade 

 flowers. Beauties are arriving of excel- 

 lent quality and Richmonds show a great 

 improvement, Mrs, Aaron Ward con- 

 tinues in favor, while Killarney and 

 White Killarney continue the prime fa- 

 vorites. Carnations are seen in much 

 greater abundance and the quality con- 

 tinues of the best. Violets are of su- 

 perb quality, especially the singles. The 

 quantity of th^se arriving is now im- 

 mense. The best average 50 cents per 

 hundred, many going lower. Sweet 

 peas are steadily improving and long- 

 stemmed flowers are plentiful. Prices 

 are as variable as the quality — 500 for 

 $1 in some cases, and 75 cents to $1 per 

 hundred for select flowers. Popular 

 sorts are Christmas Pink, Mrs, Wallace, 

 Mrs, Sim, Greenbrook and Florence 

 Denzer. 



The warmer weather has brought in 

 an avalanche of Dutch bulbous flowers 

 and these have taken a sharp drop in 

 price. The quality remains uniformly 

 good, Lilium longiflorum is overplenti- 

 ful and lower in price. L. speciosum 

 is not selling well. Mignonette is plen- 

 tiful, but of poorer quality. Callas are 

 excellent. Valley has been rather drug- 

 gy. The quality is a great deal better 

 than it was a month ago. Gardenias 

 are in heavier supply and the crop of 

 Cattleya TriansB is still ample for all 

 demands, Coelogyne cristata is now 

 seen in many of the stores, also a vari- 

 ety of dendrobiums. Green goods con- 

 tinue in good demand. Pot plant trade 

 is picking up nicely. Rambler roses in 

 variety are getting to be quite a fea- 

 ture in many stores, also acacias and 

 ericas. 



Midwinter Flower Show. 



Owing to the near- approach of the 

 national show, the midwinter exhibition 

 of the Massachusetts Horticultural So- 

 ciety, February 24 to 26, was much 

 smaller than usual, most of the regular 

 exhibitors holding back their plants for 

 the later show. Still there were some 

 interesting and meritorious exhibits. 

 Particularly noteworthy was the beauti- 

 ful collection of hard-wooded plants 

 from George Page, gardener to Mrs, 

 Frederick Ayer, which included splendid 

 flowered plants of Erica melanthera, E. 

 Mediterranea, E, Caflfra densa. Acacia 

 verticillata, A. Drummondii, A. longi- 

 folia and A. heterophylla. For a grand 

 specimen of Erica melanthera a cultural 

 certificate was awarded. Winthrop 

 Ames, Daniel Wlhyte head gardener, had 

 the best specimens of Primula Kewensis 



