506 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Septbmber 11, 1902. 



ground; we spray to close the stomata 

 (or mouths) of the leaves. This stops 

 exhalation and the water that the roots 

 absorb remains in the plant or cutting 

 and a perfect equilibrium is maintained, 

 there being no difference between ab- 

 sorption and evaporation. Leaves of a 

 plant do not absorb water. 



If the above plan of operating the cut- 

 ting bench is strictly adhered to, it is 

 my firm belief that out of every 100 cut- 

 tings taken over ninety-five per cent will 

 strike root. Should the sand in the cut- 

 ting bench become green, there is danger 

 of the cuttings damping off by what is 

 known as the fungus of the cutting 

 bench. To keep the sand in a pure state 

 I would advise the use of ammoniaeal 

 solution. Tlie formula: One pound sul- 

 phate of copper and three quarts strong 

 ammonia; dissolve the sulphate of cop- 

 per in hot water, then add the amrtionia ; 

 use one pint in a barrel of water. You 

 can make a smaller amount using the 

 same proportion of ingredients. Put in 

 bottles and cork tightly, as the ami.iouia 

 will evaporate. Fill your watering pot 

 with water and add enougli of the solu- 

 tion to make the water quite blue. 

 Sprinkle the sand before putting in the 

 cuttings, and once each week after and 

 you will have no trouble In your bench. 



Once more, before leaving the propa- 

 gating bench, I want to impress the 

 importance of rooting the cuttings in as 

 low a temperature as I have advised, for 

 I believe that more injury is done carna- 

 tion plants by rooting them in a high 

 temperature than from any other cause. 

 Joshua Ladley exhibited cuttings rooted 

 at a little over 36 degrees before the 

 Chester County Carnation Society. It is 

 better that, after being rooted, they be 

 carried at a low temperature, for there 

 is quite a winter's growth in all peren- 

 nial plants at any temperature above 

 that which produces death. Therefore I 

 believe that by rooting them cool and 

 growing them on cool until planting in 

 the field, we will be free of disease to a 

 marked extent. 



When the cuttings are rooted and 

 ready to be transplanted, have your soil 

 ready, using only old, well-rotted 

 manure, and whether you use pots, flats 

 or a bench to plant them in, do not plant 

 deeper than they stood in the sand ; 

 when planting in the field do not plant 

 deeper than they were in the house; and 

 when you bench them in the house in 

 August or September do not plant deeper 

 than they were in the field, for the rea- 

 son as given by another that the epider- 

 mis of the stem above and below the 

 ground is as different as the epidermis 

 of the cheek and the mucus membrane 

 of the mouth. 



As we are battling against stem-rot 

 we must not deviate from this rule of 

 planting, for should the plants be set 

 deeper in the house than in the field, the 

 soil be old, the manure spongy, a dark 

 spell of weather ensue and too much 

 water at the base of the plants, stem-rot 

 will prevail to a greater or less extent. 



When ready to plant in the field the 

 ground should be so mellow that only 

 the hands would be needed, but if too 

 hard or lumpy use a garden trowel. By 

 so doing, if the ground on top is dry, it 

 is quickly brushed off and the hole for 

 the plant made in fresh soil, with fresh 

 soil to cover the roots, and if well done 

 not a plant should die. On the other 

 hand, if a foot dibber is used the hole is 

 usually made too deep, and when the 



dibber is removed dry earth falls into 

 the hole, there is nothing in sight to 

 cover the roots of the plant but dry 

 earth and many plants die. 



As it is now out of season for pinching 

 back, field work, I will pass over this 

 period of the season's work to the lifting 

 of them for planting in. I would advise 

 that in lifting you get all the roots for 

 the reason that if you get but a part of 

 them, nature will just so surely sacrifice 

 a proportionate part of the leaves to 

 maintain a balance; hence so often so 

 many dead leaves on the plants in a 

 short time. Then comes extra work in 

 picking them off, and again, if the leaves 

 are not perfectly dead, in stripping them 

 down and off fresh wounds are made on 

 the st«ms and disease has another 

 chance to get in its work. 



Early planting, as early as July and 

 August, is being advocated by our lead- 

 ing growers. Some say that the plants 

 become the better established and others 

 give no reason, only claiming it is bet- 

 ter. I advocate early planting for the 

 reason that in plants that have made a 

 good growth by August the joints are 

 firm, the stems upright, and leaves leath- 

 ery, are in what is called a ripened con- 

 dition, filled with a compound already 

 crystallized necessary to modify their 

 leaves into flowers (flowers are but 

 modified leaves) and if not lifted early a 

 period of wet weather might set in and 

 hold long enough to release this com- 

 pound and a weak, watery growth be 

 the result instead of bloom. 



WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS. 



BT C. A. SMITH, liACHINE, QUE. 



[Bead before the Canadian Horticultural Aeso- 

 clation at the Hamilton Convention.] 



Being asked to contribute a short ar- 

 ticle on "Winter-Flowering Plants for 

 the Private Greenhouse," it gives me 

 much pleasure to send the following, 

 hoping that it may prove of some benefit 

 to the members. 



Geraniums of the single variety make 

 splendid plants for winter flowering. 

 Cuttings should be taken about the first 

 week in March, inserted iu tlie propa- 

 gating bed, and when well rooted potted 

 into 2J-iiich pots. Repot into 4-ineh 

 when these are well filled with roots. 

 After the 4-inch is well filled with roots 

 repot into 6 of 7-inch, according to size 

 of plants wanted. After all danger from 

 frost is over they should be placed out- 

 side in the full sun and kept well 

 pinched back. Also keep all the blooms 

 pinched off until about three weeks be- 

 fore they are wanted to flower. Then 

 thej- should be given manure water once 

 a week right through the winter. 



Poinsettias, both double and single 

 varieties, are fine winter plants. Cut- 

 tings rooted in May and carried to one 

 stem, flowered in 6-inch pots, make 

 splendid trusses. I have had some ten 

 inches across the bloom. They are best 

 kept on the dry side at all times, for if 

 they once get sodden they will surely 

 lose their bottom leaves. They should 

 be kept in the greenhouse at all times. 

 A few old plants planted out in the gar- 

 den in June will give cuttings which can 

 be rooted in sand in August, putting 4 

 or 5 plants in a 6-ineh pot. They will 

 flower when from 10 to 15 inches high. 

 Given a little manure water they will 

 last all through the winter. The soil 

 used should be good coarse loam and 



well rotted cow manure, with a liberal 

 supply of sand. 



Euphorbia Jacquiniflora makes one of 

 the best plants for winter, as they last 

 in any ordinary greenhouse for 3 or 4 

 months. Cuttings should be struck in 

 May, and when well rooted potted into 

 2i-ineh pots, using loam and leafmould 

 and a little peat and sand well mixed. 

 Put 3 or 4 into the pots and shade for a 

 few days; when well rooted repot into 

 5-inch pots, using the same soil as for 

 first potting. Keep in greenhouse all 

 summer, and when the pots are well 

 filled with roots feed liberally with weak 

 manure water. The result of this treat- 

 ment will be sprays of bloom from 15 

 inches to 2 feet long. 



Primulas and cinerarias make good 

 winter plants. Seed should be sown in 

 April or May, pricked out into 2J-inch 

 pots and placed outside in frame. Keep 

 slightly shaded and repot into next size 

 when necessary, using good, coarse, and 

 rather rich soil. When plants are well 

 rooted in their flowering pots they may 

 be left out in frames till there is danger 

 of frost and fed once a week with ma- 

 nure water. A second sowing may be 

 made in July, which will make good 

 plants flowered in 5-ineh pots. They 

 will (come into bloom during February 

 and March. 



Begonias of the different fibrous rooted 

 varieties are very useful. They can be 

 rooted in sand, and when well rooted, 

 pot on into 3-inch pots, using loam, leaf- 

 mould and cow manure. Repot when 

 necessary till the flowering size is 

 reached, when they should be fed liber- 

 ally right through the winter. The 

 Gloire de Lorraine makes splendid 

 plants, either for pots or baskets; they 

 should be kept in the house all summer 

 and well shaded. 



Cyclamen are fine plants for winter. 

 Seed should be sown in January and 

 placed in the warmest part of the green- 

 house till the plants have made two 

 leaves, then they should be pricked out 

 in shallow boxes, using 3 parts of leaf- 

 mould and 1 part loam and sand. Leave 

 till April, then pot them, using 2 parts 

 loam and 1 part cow manure, I part 

 leafmould and plenty of sand. Keep the 

 plants out in the frames as long as pos- 

 sible, shelter from hea\-y rains and mid- 

 day sun and water liberally with manure 

 water when the buds appear. 



Salvia Scarlet Dragon makes fine lit- 

 tle plants for winter if cuttings are 

 rooted in August, potted in good rich 

 soil and flowered in 5-inch or 6-incb 

 pots. 



Alyssum also flowers well if taken up 

 from the beds and potted about the first 

 week in September, cutting the plants 

 back very hard. 



Browallias and gesneras are very use- 

 ful. The blue of the browallia is a color 

 we are very short of in the winter, wiiile 

 the gesneras make perfect plants till 

 about Christmas, when they should be 

 gradually dried off. 



Of course there are lots of other 

 plants too numerous to mention, such as 

 azaleas, eannas, Streptosolcn Jamesonii, 

 fuchsia, ealla lilies and the different 

 kinds of bulbs which make good plants 

 for winter and are very easy of cu.'ture. 



National Home, Wis. — Proposals for 

 building a greenhouse at the Home will 

 be received until Oct. 2. The plans and 

 specifications are on file in the oflSce ot 

 the treasurer, J. E. Armitage, at the 

 Home. 



