January 11, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



37 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^^A^%.pi.^ayi^i^ 



Questions bj our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promtply answered 

 by Ur. Farrell. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Asparagus 



In order to have fine stock of Asparagus plumosus, A. 

 Sprengeri, etc., the seed should be sown now in pans that 

 liave been filled with a mixture of sifted loam and leaf 

 mold in equal parts, with enough of sand added to keep 

 the compost open. Fill the pans within an inch of the 

 top and then press the material moderately firm and on 

 this sow the seed, covering them about three times the 

 diameter of the seeds and again press the whole of the 

 surface over. Place them in a temperature of about 70 

 degrees at night and keep them shaded until they come 

 up when they can have all the light agoing. Give a 

 moderate amount of water so as to keep the surface in a 

 nice moist state and keep the house in which they are 

 grown in a moist condition, also. \Anien they have at- 

 tained a size large enough to handle they should l)e 

 moved singly into small pots, using a compost of fibrous 

 loam, leaf mold, and well rotted cow manure in equal 

 parts, and placed well up to the light. It will pay any 

 florist to sow quite a batch of asparagus as they make 

 very valuable plants for a good many uses. 



Bedding Geraniums 



Do not neglect this stock now in any way if you in- 

 tend to have good plants when the spring trade starts. 

 Give crowded plants more room so that the air and light 

 can circulate around them. All early fall rooted cut- 

 tings that are now in 3-inch pots can be topped and 

 these tops put in a propagating bed with a bottom heat 

 of from 60 to 65 degrees. With one good soaking of 

 water they should soon make enough of roots so they 

 can be potted off; in fact they are better to be potted 

 off before they are too strongly rooted. A suitable com- 

 post is fibrous loam four parts and well rotted manure 

 one part, and always pot these plants firm. All gerani- 

 ums do better if given a little bottom heat and it is 

 especially helpful to those that are newly potted. When 

 the plants are well rooted run them a little on the dry 

 side before giving them water. Stock that was potted 

 early can be given a cool temperature; 45 to 48 will do, 

 but those that are newly potted should have 50 to 55 

 degrees at night. 



Bougainvilleas 



It is time now to give these plants a good brisk heat 

 so as to flower them by Easter ; place them on the light- 

 est bench you have and give them a temperature of from 

 60 to 65 degrees at night. To make bougainvilleas 

 break away freely they should be syringed two or three 



times a day. When these plants have made advanced 

 growth they can be given a temperature 70 degrees at 

 night and up to 80 or 85 degrees with sun heat. Give 

 a little air often on all bright days so as to keep the at- 

 mosphere sweet, but be careful not to give them too 

 much as it miglit seriously affect the young tender 

 growth. Close down sufficiently early in the afternoon so 

 as not to allow the temperature to fall too low. As these 

 plants advance in growth and root action they will re- 

 quire a copious supply of water and the free use of 

 the syringe overhead and under the leaves so as to keep 

 down thrips and red spider. To assist them to finish 

 up well give manure water twice a week when good root 

 action is noticed. 



Smllax 



When a bed of smilax has been cut away quite clean 

 \ery careful attention will be necessary in the way of 

 watering. The soil should be allowed to dry out some 

 by withholding moisture at the roots, but of course 

 they never should be allowed to become so dry as to 

 injure them. Just keep rather on the dry side for two 

 or three weeks or until new growth starts up. Keep the 

 beds well worked over, which will allow the surface to 

 dry out and become sweet. Wiien signs of active growth 

 appear they should be given a good rich mulch for hun- 

 gry roots to feed upon. A good mulch can be prepared 

 of equal parts of cow manure and soil with a good 

 sprinkling of bone meal. This can be spread on about 

 half an inch deep and in about three weeks another 

 mulch of half an inch can be given. Before they make 

 too much growth furnish them with strings. Ventilate 

 and avoid extremes in temperature, which should be 60 

 degrees at night. 



Marguerites 



Marguerites will need a bench in a very light house so 

 that they will make the proper growth and headway to 

 be in time for Easter. Give a night temperature of 

 from 50 to 55 degrees and on all sunny days they can 

 have as high as 65 to 70^ degrees. To keep them in a 

 fhie sturdy growth that will produce a fine crop of 

 flowers they should have ventilation on all good days. 

 As they become well matted with roots they will want 

 careful attention in the way of watering. Plants that 

 are making good growth with plenty of root action can 

 he fed liberally with liquid manure. Now is a good 

 time to put in a l)atch of cuttings and as soon as they 

 are rooted, potted up and grown on these will make fine 

 stock for ne.xt Christmas. They like a good rich com- 

 |)ost to grow in ; say three of soil to one of manure. 



Salvias 



Give salvia stock plants a light bench where they can 

 have all the sun possible. Keep them well syringed and 

 they will soon produce a lot of fine cuttings. Seed can 

 be sown now also. Place in a good strong heat and they 

 will soon come up when they can be transferred to flats 

 or pots and grown on. 



Mr Fiirrell's next notes wll) be on the fdllowlng : 



Carnations; Tulienuig Rooted Reffonlas : Beddinia 

 Shrubs: Orchids; Vincas. 



riiints; Knster Flowering 



