i 



30 



The Florists^ Review 



Maech 13, 1913. 



fact, they scarcely can be overwatered, 

 and in place of the tag ' ' Water this 

 plant every day," let it read "Water 

 this plant twice a day. ' ' The old S. 

 Japonica, while still grown considera- 

 bly, is much inferior to such kinds as 

 Gladstone, grandiflora compacta and 

 astilboides, while the beautiful pink va- 

 rieties, Queen Alexandra and Peach 

 Bloasom, will bring even higher prices. 

 These latter cannot be had in the best 

 condition for Easter. They come better 

 for Memorial day, but a good many are 

 being grown for the coming Easter. To 

 hold their beautiful color, keep them 

 out of the sun when opening. Any 

 spiraeas which are late can be given a 

 night temperature of 70 degrees and 

 copious water supplies. Such plants, 

 however, must not be suddenly removed 

 to a low temperature, or they will surely 

 suffer. 



Dutch Bulbous Plants. 



The early Easters suit Dutch bulbs 

 well, for by being grown along cool they 

 become nice and stocky. For late East- 

 ers retarding has to be done and taller 

 plants are the result. It should not be 

 necessary to support any of the bulbs, 

 if properly grown. However, if sup- 

 ports are required, use green painted 

 stakes and green raffia, which will be 

 comparatively inconspicuous. Such 

 double tulips as Murillo and Couronne 

 d 'Or, and singles like Keizerskroon, 

 Queen of the Netherlands, Yellow 

 Prince, La Reine, Flamingo, Pink 

 Beauty and Duchess of Parma are popu- 

 lar. Victoria among the bicolor, large 

 trumpet narcissi, easily leads. It is a 

 stocky flower. Emperor may need a 

 little support, but Golden Spur stands 

 up well. If the hyacinth spikes are 

 well advanced, give a little support to 

 them to prevent breaking. All bulbs in 

 flower can be easily retarded in a cold 

 pit. Late ones can be forced, but it is 

 always at the expense of stockiness. 

 These Dutch bulbs, being so hardy, can 

 be stood outside the store and will not 

 suffer from drying, cold winds as would 

 spiraeas, ramblers or any of the forced 

 deciduous • shrubs. Earthenware and 

 wooden boxes made up with bulbs, with 



some small ferns or asparagus planted 

 in with them, will be found quite 

 salable. 



Primula Obconica. 



While some retailers taboo the prim- 

 rose. Primula obconica, on account of 

 the danger of poisoning from its leaves, 

 it remains one of the most popular of 

 moderate priced Easter plants. It is 

 now in splendid condition and in little 

 fancy baskets or hampers with a few 

 pussy willows added it has a delightful 

 spring effect. Of the various colors, the 

 clear, bright pink is the best and will 

 sell far better than either the pure 

 white or bluish shades. Pick off any of 

 the decayed flowers on the plants to 

 give them a perfectly fresh appearance, 

 and remember that they need a liberal 

 water supply. One real drying out will 

 mean the shriveling of nearly all the 

 flowers. 



Cyclamens. 



For late Easters it is not easy to have 

 cyclamens in good shape. This year 

 they are exceptionally fine. Of course, 

 to hold them back a cold house will 

 have been necessary, but if they have 

 been grown cold and airy, even as low 

 as 40 degrees at night, they should be 

 stocky and bristling with flowers and 

 buds. Cyclamens cannot be as easily 

 and cheaply grown as primulas, but any 

 well-grown plant, provided it is of the 

 large flowered type, will usually sell on 

 sight. Cyclamens need a moderate 

 water supply and do not dry up so fast 

 as primulas and many other plants. 



Bhododendrons. 



Rhododendrons are not grown to any- 

 thing like the extent of azaleas. They 

 are of larger size than the latter and 

 cannot be handled in small pots. The 

 most popular Easter variety, and for 

 that matter the finest of all for pot cul- 

 ture, is that beautiful pink sort, Pink 

 Pearl. There is never enough of this to 

 go around, although, being as yet com- 

 paratively scarce, it cannot be sold at 

 as low prices as old sorts like Cunning- 

 ham's White, roseum elegans, Charles 

 Dickens and Boule de Neige. The rho- 

 dodendrons should be well hardened off 



before being removed to a store or the 

 flowers will wilt badly. Remember that 

 these in common with other h&rd- 

 wooded plants have fine, hair-like roots 

 and must never become in the least dry 

 at the root. ; 



Deciduous Flowering Shrubs. 



In this class are a number of varie- 

 ties which always appeal to flower con- 

 noisseurs, being peculiarly suggestive of 

 spring. Lilacs are more grown than any 

 other variety, ahd at this advanced sea- 

 son, by being grown in full light all the 

 time arid well hardened off, they haVe 

 splendid foliage. It is noted that the 

 pink and lavender shades sell better at 

 Easter than the white ones. Marie Le- 

 graye, single white, and Mme. Lemoide, 

 double white, are the leaders of this 

 color. If white and pink, or white and 

 blue varieties are made up in large, 

 rather deep hampers and sprays ,of 

 mountain laurel are used to cover their 

 lower stems, they look charming. Other 

 deciduous shrubs in favor are the orna- 

 mental crabapples, peaches and almonds. 

 Care should be taken not to have these 

 too fully expanded, for once the petdls 

 start to drop they are not easy to sell. 

 Deutzias, wistarias, staphyleas, Cratae- 

 gus, forsythias and Azalea mollis are 

 other popular plants. The last named, 

 with its glorious shades of color, is 

 easily the most popular and a group in 

 any window produces a most charming 

 effect. All these deciduous shrubs, if 

 gradually hardened off, or grown cool, 

 will stand a quite low temperature. 



Lily of the VaUey. 



A sufficient lot of well-grown lily of 

 the valley in 6-inch or 7-inch pots rarely 

 comes in at Easter. It cannot be prof- 

 itably sold so cheaply as tulips or 

 daffodils, but well foliaged plants carry- 

 ing strong spikes, placed in suitable re- 

 ceptacles, will sell before almost any 

 other plants. The hard forced stock 

 with a little pale foliage and drawn-up 

 flower spikes is wanted by no one. Sala- 

 ble plants should be grown in the light 

 from the time the pips are three or four 

 inches high. Then they will be a credit 

 to anyone. 



Two of the New French Hydrangeai that Promiie to Displace Otakta at an Easter Pot Plant, 



