August 29, 



■] 



Garden and Forest. 



323 



next sized pot only, using about the same kind of soil as be- 

 fore, although it is best not to sift it now. The larger pieces 

 can be chopped up sufficiently fine to use, as Palms like 

 open, fibrous soil. At the ne.xt shift, and from that time on, I 

 lessen the quantity of peat to about one-third part, and add a 

 small portion of fine, well-rotted cow manure for all the 

 stronger rooting varieties. With most of the more rapid 

 growing varieties the plant will now have reached the four-inch 

 pot stage. This can be attained by proper handling in 

 about one year from the time they were taken from the seed- 

 pots. From now on the same precautions should be taken 

 not to over-pot or over-water at the roots. Good drainage in 

 the pots is always essential as the soil must be kept pure and 

 well dramed. While growing, all Palms require frequent 

 syringing over the foliage, especially during the spring and 

 summer months. In winter little or no growth is made and 

 water should not be applied so liberally. About the middle 

 of February they should be thoroughly overhauled, as this is 

 the time they will want to move forward again. Those re- 

 quiring more pot room should be shifted into a pot a size 

 larger; very often, however, it is better to shake the old soil 

 out and repot into the same sized pot if it is found that the roots 

 are not perfectly healthy and there are not plenty of them. 

 Care should be taken at every potting that no part of the 

 stem be buried. The plant-base must merely rest on the sur- 

 face of the soil. The roots should never be cut, as with some 

 varieties it might prove very disastrous. 



" During' the spring and summer the growth of the year 

 should be made, and shifting on should be done, whenever 

 required, before fall. Plenty of moisture and heat is necessary 

 to get a good growth, and syringing, once or twice a day, and 

 water thrown on the paths on hot, sunny days is advisable. 

 Sufficient ventilation should not be overlooked, as pure air is 

 essential. Even during the summer it is often well to keep 

 the fires going slowly, to maintain an even temperature. 

 The houses should be kept well shaded, as Palms will not 

 stand the full sunlight. The foliage is easily affected. A few 

 applications of manure water during the summer will be very 

 beneficial with most varieties. 



"If wanted for fall sales they should be hardened oft' liefore 

 that time by gradually lowering the temperature and admit- 

 ting air more freely ; it would not do to send them out in a 

 soft condition. " 



NOMENCLATURE. 



The purpose of tliis paper, prepared by Mr. R. J. Halliday, 

 of Baltimore, was not to correct the botanical names of plants, 

 but to enforce the advantages of uniform names of plants in 

 trade. 



" My idea," said Mr. Halliday, " is to correct floral nemencla- 

 ture, and to abolish the high-sovmding names which are be- 

 stowed on plants, so that we can understadingly liuy from 

 and sell to each other. The best way to accomplish this, I 

 believe, would be to appoint a committee of twelve reliable 

 men to classify and regulate nomenclature. The committee 

 would do much towards removing existing abuses — fixing 

 correct names in place of misleading ones. In catalogues and 

 classifications the scientific, as well as the popular name of a 

 rtower, should be given on all occasions. The omission has 

 been the source of much annoyance. Suppose we have a 

 Fuchsia named Souvenir de Prince Albert, imported from 

 France, under this florist's name. Some one, not satisfied 

 with the name, changes it to Babbling Brook, in order to have 

 something different from his brother florists. Is not the puli- 

 lic deceived by such a course ? Heliotrope Madame Blomage, 

 imported from Europe and here re-named Snow Wreath, was 

 ordered back by Cannell, of Swanley, England, who had it 

 already under its proper name. He was so angry with us for 

 iiur Yankee trick, having' the plant in abundance, that he 

 named it White Lady, and not a few American florists paid a 

 fancy price for it under the latter nanie, although, by this time, 

 it had become well known and cheap in this country under 

 two other names. There are many cases siniilar to this. 

 What is the proper name for rose Ball of Snow — is it an 

 .^nierican Seedling, or is it Boule de Neige, of French origin ? 

 It the latter, I would like to catalog'ue it with both names, 

 line in italics, as many persons believe this to be a new 

 Rose, French growers say. Only one of our Yankee tricks! 

 We do not want a bad reputation abroad. Is the Geranium 

 White Swan an Anierican seedling, or is it La Cygne, which I 

 imported two years ago ? If the latter, would not your com- 

 mittee recommend catalogues to give the French and Eng- 

 lish name in brackets ? 

 "To remedy this, as I have said, a committee of twelve men. 



of whom nine should agree before a verdict is formed, would 

 be a step in the right direction. The beginner in the 

 business wants authority for what he sees displayed in our 

 catalogues and heralded over the country in magazines and 

 newspapers. We want fevyer names and more distinct kinds. 

 Catalogues are beconiing a jumble and a reduction is needed 

 in plant names. Every florist should have the right to nanie 

 his own seedling ; this right should be preserved and no one 

 allowed to re-name it and place it on the market under anv 

 other appellation. This Cornmittee of Nomenclature which I 

 propose should be empowered to pass on lists of plants suli- 

 mitted by members of the association at its annual meeting. 

 Such species and varieties as in its judgment are entitled to 

 the approval of the Association, should bereconiniended when 

 at least nine of the members concur, and the list should be 

 official upon approval by a majority vote of the members- 

 present at any general meeting. It should also be the duty of 

 the comniittee to declare, when the same plant is sold under 

 different names, wliich name shall be adopted; to make lists of 

 Roses and other plants that are identical, although they have 

 been known under several names, and to settle all questions 

 brought before it as to the correct names of plants, \vhere the 

 name may be questioned or a dispute arise." 



Convention Notes. 

 In his address of welcome, Mr. John N. May gave the fol- 

 lowing graphic illustration of the growth of the trade in flow- 

 ers in this city : " About the year 1840 Isaac Buchanan, who is 

 still in active business, carried daily his available stock in a 

 large basket, to be sold at what is now the head of Wall Street, 

 and he then considered it a good day's trade to take in two 

 dollars, while three dollars was an extra large sum for one 

 day's sales. As late as the year 1871 two members of the 

 firm of Pennock Bros., of Philadelphia, then, as now, the lead- 

 ing cut flower dealers of that city, came to New York in search 

 of rosebuds for the Assembly ball, and, after spending three 

 days here and visiting all the principal growers, returned with 

 fifty-nine buds. Contrast that fact with the trade now, when 

 the daily average of rosebuds sent to this city amounts to over. 

 30,000, and when, instead of plants being Ijrought to New York 

 in baskets, more than one hundred large wagon loads are sent 

 every market day, in the spring, to the West Street niarket 

 alone, not to speak of the supply at the innunierable stands 

 dotted all over the city." 



Mr. Charles T. Starr, of Avondale, Pennsylvania, said : 

 " Among Carnations I consider the Century and Portia 

 the best red varieties ; Grace Wilder leads in pink ; Buttercup 

 is still by far the best yellow, though several others have their 

 strong clamis, and may do best in some sections. Chester 

 Bride is the finest of variegated colors, of decided character 

 for that class, and among the white kinds we use Kinzies, as 

 the finest of late ones. Peter Henderson does well when old 

 or early propagated plants are used, and Snowden when 

 grown from cuttings made from the ends of the blooming 

 stalks, just before they show bud. The new white called 

 Williani Swayne seems to combine the good qualities of the 

 two last nani'ed, and promises to be the finest white, for this 

 section at least. Soil seems to exert such an infiuence on the 

 growing of Carnations, as also does the construction of forc- 

 ing-houses to bloom them in, that it will be very difficult to 

 make a list that woidd suit all circumstances, [udicious ex- 

 perience is the only safe guide," 



Mr, Benjamin Gray, of Maiden, Massachusetts, said it was a 

 happy coincidence that the kinds of Orchids profitable for 

 florists' use are all of easy cultivation. The best sorts, easil_\- 

 obtainable, are Lalia autuDinalis and .?. albida, Cattleya Triance, 

 Cwlogne a-istafa, Calantlte Veitchi, C. ■vesfita rulira and C. 

 ves/ita lutea, Deiidrobiuiit nobile and D. W'ardianum. If to 

 these we add Cypripediuin insigne, C. Harrisiantiin, C. villo- 

 sum and C. Spicerianiim, Cattleya Bowringiana and Odonto- 

 glossum Alexandra- we have a list which will give us succes- 

 sion of l)loom from Novernber until Marcli, the season during 

 which Orcliid flowers are in greatest demand. The kinds 

 named may all be grown in the same house, with the excep- 

 tion of the Calanthes and Dendrobiums, which require a high 

 teniperature, with plenty of water while growing, and should 

 be kept cool, with enough water to prevent them from 

 shriveling while at rest and until the buds are formed, when 

 they may be brought into the house with the others, a few at a 

 time, for succession of bloom. 



In reply to the question whether proi)agation from bliiid 

 shoots had a tendency to render plants less floriferous, Mr. 

 Jarnes Pentland, of Baltimore, replied, " Emphatically, no, and 



