St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-22
TO MAKE A COMPLETE SUCCESS
FINANCIALLY AND ARTIS-
TiCALLT OF
THE RAISING OF FLOWERS,
INTERESTING POINTS IN RE
GARD TO THE FLORISTsS
BUSINESS.
VERY UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL
Designs in Funeral and Other
EInblens-Popuiar Taste in
Flowers.

Modern greenhouse construction is
an art in itself, and there are many
large firms engaged exclusively in
this business. First-class houses are
built entirely of structural iron,
glazed with French or American
double-thick plate glass, says the
Chicago Record. Perfect glass of a
high quality is a necessity, since
any blister or defect acts as a tiny
lens under the sunlight, scorching
and discoloring leaves and flowers
The tables or benches on which the
plants are set out are of iron and
slate. But where economy in con-
structing is sought live cypress or
red cedar timber is used in place of
| the structural iron.
The heating is either steam or
hot water, steam heating in large
establishments. All the houses have
a row of VentilatorS near the ridge,
| which, in the most modern struc-
lures. are operated by an automatic
contTivance; should the tempera-
ture in the house fail below the point
desired the ventilator closeS-the re-
verse if the house becomes too warm.
In many cases where the automatic
ventilator is not used q thermoStat
warns the florist OF any sudden
change in temperature. This is a
very important matter, for sudden
chill tends to weaken any green
house plants, and in the case of
roses such a check, especially if ac-
companied by damp, produces the
fungus disease known as mildew. So
the firing and ventilating is very
important, and a florist must I'M
derstand these subjects as well as
cultural details.
OF all flowers grown for cutting the
rose leads, but the canation is now a
close second. The great ma joriy OF cut
flower establishments are
DEVOTED TO ROSES ALONE,
or to roses and carnations. The rose
growers usually replant their houses
with fresh stock every year, removing
the old soil and replacing it with new,
after thoroughly cleaning the benches
to remove fungi and insects. The soil
Is good meadow sod, which has been
stacked over winter in a heap, with
alternate layers of sod and COW ma
nure. The fibrous texture of the sod
is especially congenial to the plants
When the soil is brought into the
houses it is well broken up and a pro-
portion of bonemeal or well-rotted
manure added, according to the users
| judgment. The soil on the benches is
about four inches thick. The planting
is done in May or June where tths
roses are wanted the following winter:
| the plants, which are set twelve or
! fourteen inches apart, are grown from
| cuttings in January or February. Dur
ing the summer they are not allowed
to bloom, the buds being pinched of
as soon as they show. Summer roses
| are produced either from old plants left
| over for this purpose or from young
ones planted early expressly for such
use. 1t is an odd fact that it is much
| harder to get frSt-ciass roses in the
summer than in the winter.
When the plants are finally per-
mitted to flower they are still dis
budded; that is, only one flower is al
| lowed to perfect itself on a stem-any
| others are pinched out as soon as they
| show. This gives greater vigor to the
| one flower, and also secures the long,
stiff stem demanded by flower buyers.
CUTTING THE FLOWERS.
is a matter of experience and judg-
| ment, since some varieties may be
| more nearly open than others, but
| they are all cut while in the bud state.
After cutting they are stood in a cool,
| dark place for some hours before
| shipping; then they are laid in tiers
in boxes, wrapped in oiled paper. Very
| choice flowers, such as fine American
| Beauties, have each bud wrapped
| separately. Ii they are going any dis
| lance in hot weather ice is put over
| the stems to retard the opening of the
| flowers; in winter the box is wrapped
| in sheet wadding.
Most of the roses now grown for
| cutting belong to the class of hybrid
| teas; the small teas, once so popular
! are no longer salable. The most pop
ular sorts in the Chicago market are:
| La France, silvery pink; Bridesmaid,
| crimson pink shaded with flesh; Bride,
| pure white; Meteor, glowing crimson,
Perle des Jardins, bright yellow, and
| KaiSerin Augusta Victoria, pale sui
| phur. The snowy American Beauty,
| magenta pink, stands pre-eminent in
| public favor, though always the most
| expensive of all roses. Among notable
| newer roses are: Souvenir de Woot-
ton, light crimson; Nine. c. Testout,
shell pink; Mrs. Pierpont Morgan,
| shaded crimson, and Belle Siebrecht,
exquisite carmine pink.
| Carnations are grown in houses SIM
! liar to those used for roses, but a
! lower temperature Unlike the roses,
the carnations. spend the summer
| planted out in the field, where the
| buds are picked off, and the struggling
shoots pinched out to make the plants
| stocky. They are planted in the
benches in September, and, like the
roses, are disbudded to produce long
stemmed flowers. In spite of their ro-
| bust growth carnations are subject to
many diseases, especially of a fungus
nature, and chemical fungicides are
| freely used to prevent loss from this
cause. The flowers are allowed to be-
| come fully open on the plants, and
| after picking are stored in a cool, dark
| place, like the roses. Keeping in this
way for twenty-four hours before
shipping greatly prolongs
THEIR LASTING QUALITY.
Among the favorite carnations are:
| Portia, scarlet, Tidal Wave, cerise;
Lizzie MCGOWAN and Silver Spray,
| white; Daybreak and Nine. Albertina,
flesh pink; William Scot, peach pink;
buttercup, yellow and lightly striped
with carmine and Helen Keller, car
mine and white stripes. Ordinarily
striped carnations do not sell well,
but for two years the Keller has sold
for a higher price than any other
variety.
Violets- are always popular, but they
| cannot be produced in summer after
their natural time of Towering. They
are grown in frames or cool houses, as
they will not suffer a temperature
higher than 40 degrees to so degrees.
The most popular sort is the double
European variety called Marie Louise.
! There is little sale for single violets.
Among Dubious flowers nothing is