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The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



UJlRCu 28, 1912. 



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^ SEASONABLE ^ 



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i 

 ^ ^ SUGGESTIONS \ 



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Easter Preparations. 



The busiest season of the year with 

 the grower of pot plants will soon be 

 here. While cut flowers are sold in 

 large quantities, they are each year be- 

 coming less of a factor when compared 

 with pot plants, and it will be noticed 

 that the average Easter prices for cut 

 flowers are no higher, and in some cases 

 lower, than those obtained at Memorial 

 day. There is much to be done between 

 now and Easter to have flowering plants 

 look presentable. Above all things, have 

 pots, pans and tubs scrupulously clean. 

 See that all plants requiring it are 

 neatly staked, and use stakes painted 

 green, if you have them or can procure 

 them, as they look much neater than 

 those generally used. Then, again, do 

 not use white twine if you have green 

 twine or rafSa. These little points, 

 seemingly unimportant to many, mean 

 much when it comes to selling plants. 

 We never know how the Easter weather 

 will be and must, therefore^ be pre- 

 pared for eventualities. An abundant 

 supply of newspapers and other wrap- 

 ping paper should be on hand, as it will 

 never do to send out plants exposed to 

 the elements in frosty weather. 



You are probably handling some hard- 

 wooded plants, such as acacias, ericas, 

 boronias, azaleas, etc. Be sure never 

 to allow them to get really dry; it will 

 mean the loss of many of the flowers 

 and perhaps the plants themselves, if 

 you do so. Then, again, remember the 

 thirsty nature of spiraeas, hydrangeas, 

 marguerites, rambler roses and others, 

 and see that they are well watered. 

 When shipping plants lo your customers. 



it is good policy to hang tags on each, 

 stating whether they should be watered 

 once or more daily. Try to fill orders 

 promptly, and no not promise shipments 

 when you know you cannot send them 

 on time. 



Foinsettias. 



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While there is yet ample time in 

 which to start the poinsettias, it is a 

 good plan to look over the stock plants 

 and be sure that they are all right. 

 Perhaps you are accustomed to root an 

 early batch and later plant them out 

 in a bench, or, as some prefer, grow 

 them singly in 6-inch pots, and where 

 bracts eighteen inches in diameter and 

 upwards are wanted, some of the plants 

 should be started now. Do not water 

 too freely at first, or you are liable 

 to lose many of your stock plants. 

 Where plants are wanted for pans only 

 it is yet rather early to start poinsettias. 



Achimenes. 



Achimenes are useful summer bloom- 

 ing plants in pots, pans or baskets, and 

 last a long time in flower when they 

 can be afforded fte necessary protection 

 from the sun's rays. Points to remem- 

 ber about achimenes are that they are 

 liable in the early stages of growth to 

 become infested with thrips unless care- 

 fully fumigated or sprayed, that they 

 like a light but moderately rich com- 

 post, and should never be sprayed over- 

 head. Start the corms in flats of sand. 

 Place them in their flowering receptacles 

 before they have made much growth. 

 While they appreciate warm house treat- 

 ment until we get warmer weather, they 



need only a cool, airy and shaded green- 

 house. A few fine achimenes are: Mar- 

 garetta, large white; longiflora major 

 splendid dark blue; Aurora, delicate 

 mauve; Mauve Queen, light purple- 

 Rose Queen, rose lake, and Ambrose 

 Verschaffelt, white with violet lines. 



Mahemla Odorata. 



That old, rather insignificant but 

 nevertheless sweet and popular plant, 

 Mahernia odorata, is now in flower. It 

 makes a good basket subject, and if 

 grown in pots should be trained over 

 a light wire frame, not too formally 

 but just sufficiently to keep it erect. As 

 the plants pass out of flower, head them 

 back somewhat. A number of shoots 

 suitable for propagating purposes will 

 be found, which will root readily in an 

 ordinary cutting bench. Cuttings in- 

 serted now and kept potted on will 

 make nice stock in 5-inch to 6-incb 

 pots or pans for flowering next Feb- 

 ruary and March. If you have never 

 grown this plant, secure a few and try 

 it. The culture is of the simplest. One 

 point to remember is that it wants a 

 cool house; 45 degrees at night will 

 suffice. In a warm house it will come 

 almost blind. 



Perennial Phlox. 



The clumps of phlox lifted last fall 

 and planted in a cold house will now be 

 yielding an abundant crop of cuttings. 

 Keep inserting these in the propagating 

 bench before they become too long. 

 When rooted, if for your own use, 

 plant in flats; if to sell, pot off singly. 

 If you have no stock lifted, take cut- 

 tings from plants outdoors as soon as 

 procurable. They can be planted direct- 

 ly from the cutting bench to nursery 

 rows outdoors, provided a cool, moist 

 day is selected for the work. These 

 spring rooted phloxes will each produce 

 one large head of bloom next summer, 

 better heads by far than are carried 

 on the older clumps, which, as they 

 become crowded, deteriorate in size. 



Eaiter Cut Flowen Offered in Artittic Pottery and Basket Vase Holders. 



