| FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL | 
| GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. 1 
Entered as second-class matter March 31, 1914, at post office at 
Calcium, N.Y., under act of March 3, 1879. 1 
I PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE j 
} MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N. Y. f 
Subscription price : Three years, $2.00 ; One year, $1.00. 
GREEN FOR USE WITH CUT FLOWERS. 
[// ritten expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
I N REGARD to a suitable green for 
use with cut summer flowers as per 
an inquiry in the June Flower 
Grower, I would say that I have 
tested quite a variety of material and 
have had some success. 
Perhaps the most durable yet pleas- 
ing green of easy access to most every 
one is the foliage of the edible aspara- 
gus. 
After the tender shoots are cut this 
plant sends up a wealth of feathery 
plumes, which, if sufficiently matured, 
will endure and look well for a long 
period with cut flowers. 
A very pretty green is the foliage of 
the cosmos, early or late varieties, the 
late flowering variety usually making 
a stronger growth, producing more 
leafage. However, in the earlier va- 
rieties, the flowers are an additional 
attraction as they will open from buds 
that are cut quite immature. Cosmos 
foliage is of a lace-like character, col- 
ored a beautiful grass-green and small 
sprigs may be cut from the stalks with- 
out taking the entire branch. 
A dish of pansies or other short- 
stemmed flowers, or tips of Gladiolus 
spikes bloomed out to the end, ar- 
ranged with short sprigs of cosmos is 
most attractive. 
There are many grasses of easy cul- 
tivation, including several native sorts, 
which will go far to enhance the beauty 
of flowers in a vase or basket. 
The quaking grass (Briza Maxima) 
throws up many wiry stems, with tiny 
seed heads like miniature flattened 
pine cones, which are delicately poised 
on slender filaments and quiver at the 
slightest motion. When dry these turn 
to a silvery straw color. 
Cloud grass (Agrostis Nebulosa) has 
a very fine dainty appearance; abed 
giving a soft misty effect that is ex- 
tremely airy and graceful. These are 
both annuals producing freely the first 
year. 
Many of the perennial grasses are 
magnificent, though requiring the 
second year to mature, they well re- 
ward the extra patience needed to grow 
them. 
BY H. E. MEADER. 
L 
GLADIOLUS - BLUE IRIS. 
(For description see page 74.) 
Among these, Pampas grass (Penni- 
setum Longistylum) and its showy 
relative (P. Rueppelianum) the purple 
fountain grass will form clumps from 
two to three feet in height and produce 
long graceful plumes of greenish-white 
and purplish color. 
There are many other sorts which 
are mostly very easy of culture. I 
have planted some dozen varieties and 
find all interesting. 
Thalictrum Adiantifolium, herba- 
ceous perennial, has finely cut leaves, 
very similar to maidenhair fern and is 
of a pleasing deep green color. 
The panicles of small whitish flow- 
ers appear in June and July and are 
quite attractive. 
A most useful plant is the annual 
Gypsophila or Baby’s Breath. The 
flowers are produced in great profu- 
sion and are so quickly grown to ma- 
turity that several sowings should be 
made during the season, to assure a 
continued supply. There is a pink 
form of the above that is highly rec- 
ommended. 
Artemisia Lactiflora, perennial, is of 
unquestioned value, the creamy-white 
spirea-like flowers are loosely arranged 
on long stems three to four feet high, 
and are light, graceful and delightfully 
scented. 
They are admirable with Gladioli or 
Dahlias and are in season with these 
flowers. 
The summer Lilac (Buddleia Magni- 
fica) sometimes called Butterfly Bush 
is a persistent bloomer, continuing 
from July until frost. Its long spikes 
of rosy mauve flowers go particularly 
well with light shades of Gladioli. 
Golden-rod and the native wild aster 
or frost-flower are used in great quan- 
tities by city florists, and they are 
beautiful with other larger flowers. 
Some very effective arrangements 
can be made with the deep green of 
hemlock, which is especially good as a 
background for bright colored Gladioli. 
If there is woodland nearby, many 
varieties of ferns can be secured but a 
little experimenting is necessary as 
( Concluded on page 75.) 
