File:The American florist - a weekly journal for the trade (1904) (17951639599).jpg

Title: The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade
Identifier: americanfloristw28amer (find matches)
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: American Florists Company
Subjects: Floriculture; Florists
Publisher: Chicago : American Florist Company
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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igo4. The American Florist. 513
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S. A. ANDERSONS STORE, BUFFALO, N. DURING EASTER AFTER. handling, and these will have to be patched up for the season without repot- ting. Where it may be done without serious disturbance to the roots the sur- face soil should be removed and a good top-dressing of rich soil applied. It is also a good time to insert one or more small plants of the same species around the base of the large plant in case the latter is rather too bare around the bot- tom for the best effect, it often being a matter of surprise to those not familiar with such matters to find how much improvement may be made in a strag- gling or shabby plant of this character by simply filling it up around the base. Large phoenixes are likely to form great masses of coarse roots in the bottom of the pot or tub to such a degree as to lift the plant above a proper level for water- ing, besides loosening the ball from the pot so much that it is impossible to water the plant properly, and in such cases one may have to resort to root- pruning in order to get the plant down again into a pot of reasonable size. Should this be necessary, a sharp knife is the only proper tool to use in cutting back the roots, so that the mutilated roots may soon callus and proceed to niake new feeders. Root pruning of palms is not generally advisable, but there are some cases in which it may be done without special injury, and it.cer- tainly is a convenience when handling a lot of large^ decorative stock. But any plant that has been so treated must not be allowed to get very dry afterward, and should also be well protected from the sun until the roots are healed and re-established. The phoenix and a few other palms have a singular habit of sending up some rootlets above the surface of the ground at times, this habit being especially noticeable with plants that are much pot-bound, when these root tips may be seen protruding vertically from the soil in considerable numbers. This habit seems'allied to that of the cypress of the southern swamps in forming those very singular growths known as "cypress knees," and it is just possible that the protruding roots of our phoenix have a similar office to perform in the economy of that palm to that said to be performed by the cypress knees, namely, that of being air conductors to the roots. We might term them vegetable air shafts. Referring once more to the repairing or rejuvenation of palms that have been in use for decorating, there is a practice among some growers of not only giving some liquid fertilizer to the roots during the summer, but also of applying clear manure water overhead once or twice a week, this being applied with a syringe, and the manure in question being in the form of cow dung. It will be understood, however, that this method is not recom- mended here as a specific, though-it is quite possible that some benefit may be derived from its reasonable use. . . W. H. Taplin. A Remarkable Transformation. The accompanying illustrations speak for themselves. They represent scenes in the store of S. A. Anderson, Buffalo, N. V., before and after Easter. The first photo- graph was taken on Friday night pre- ceding Easter before the inroads of the frantic Easter buyers left their impression. It will be noted that the floor is clean and everything inviting for the prospec- tive customer. The second picture was taken Sunday morning. The floor is not immaculate and the neatly wrapped packages stand ready for delivery, mute coiumentarie^on the conditions oi Easter business at Anderson's. Russian War Hurts French Growers. Paris, France. —The war between Russia and Japan is being greatly deplored by the florists of Nice, who under ordinary circumstances, send enor- mous quantities of cut flowers to Russia during the winter. The war has com- pletely spoiled this part of their trade this year. Society in St. Petersburg has no thought of flowers now, but is donat- ing all its surplus money to the czarina's committee, which takes care of the wounded and sick Russian soldiers, and the gardeners around Nice Who last year shipped nearly two million pounds of f.owers to St. Petersburg, Moscow and Warsaw, have lost many million francs in consequence.

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