38 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Makcu 28, 1912. 



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II SEASONABLE <^ If 

 1 ^ SUGGESTIONS 1 



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Easter Preparations. 



Tlio biis'u'st scusoii of llie yoiir witli 

 t 1r' jrrowor <ij' jiot ]il:uits will soon be 

 lioro. "While cut tlowors are sold in 

 large quanlitii's, tlioy are oacli year bo- 

 • oining less of a lactor when compared 

 with jiot i)lants, and it will be noticed 

 that the average Easter prices for cut 

 flowers ar(> no higlier, and in some castas 

 lower, than those obtained at Memorial 

 day. There is mucii to be done lietween 

 now and Easter to lia\e llow(^ring plants 

 look presentable. Above all things, have 

 pots, ]ians and tuljs scrupulously idean. 

 .See that all plants requiring it are 

 neatly staUed, and use stakes ]iainted 

 green, if you have them or can i)rocnre 

 them, as tiiey look much neater tiian 

 those generally used. Then, again, do 

 not use white twine if yon have green 

 twine or ratlia. Tiiese little points, 

 seemingly uniuiportant to numy, mean 

 tnu(di when it comes to selling jdants. 

 We never know how the Easter weatlier 

 will be and must, therefore, be ])re 

 pared for eventualities. An abundant 

 supjdy of news))a)>ers and other wra])- 

 ping ]iajier siiould be on hand, as it will 

 ne\er 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 jierhaps tiio i)lants themselves, if 

 you do so. Then, again, remember the 

 thirsty nature of spineas, hydrangeas, 

 marguerites, rambler roses and otliers, 

 and see that they are well watered. 

 When shipping i)lants to your customers, 



it is good policy to bang tags on each, 

 stating whether they should be watered 

 once or more daily. Try to fill orders 

 jiromptly, and no not promise shij)ments 

 Avhen you know you cannot send them 

 on time. 



Poinsettias. 



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, 

 i'erhaps 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 arc 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 the 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- 

 liead. Start the corms in Hats 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 grocii. 

 house. A few fine achimenes are: Mur. 

 garetta, large white; longitlora maj.n-, 

 splendid dark blue; .\urora, delicate 

 mauve; Mauve Queen, light purpli^.- 

 Rose Queen, rose lake, and Ambrose 

 Vers(diafl'<dt, white with \iolet lines. 



Mahernia Odorata. 



That old, rather insignificant bt 

 nevertheless sweet and popular plai -^ 

 Maliernia odorata, is now in flower, t 

 makes a good basket subject, and f 

 grown in pots should be trained ov. i 

 a light wire frame, not too formal , 

 but just sufhciently to keep it erect. . 

 the plants pass out of flower, head the i 

 back somewhat. A number of shoo - 

 suitable for propagating purposes will 

 be found, which will root readily in ui 

 ordinary cutting bench. Cuttings i; 

 serted now and kei)t potted on wi i 

 make nice stock in 5-inch to 6-inci' 

 pots or pans for flowering next Fe' 

 ruary and March. If you have nevi 

 grown this })lant, secure a few and tr^ 

 it. The culture is of the simplest. On • 

 point to rememl)er is that it wants .1 

 cool house; 45 degrees at night wi^ 

 suflice. In a warm house it will coni> 

 almost blind. 



Perennial Phlox. 



The clumps of phlox lifted last fa! 

 and planted in a cold house will now b<- 

 yielding an abundant crop of cuttings- 

 Keep inserting these in the propagatin;.; 

 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 a- 

 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. Thes. 

 spring rooted phloxes will each produce 

 one large head of bloom next summer 

 better heads by far than are carrier 

 on the older clumps, which, as they 

 become crowded, deteriorate in size. 



Easter Cut Flowers Offered in Artistic Pottery and Basket Vase Holders. 



