May 17, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



737 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



^M«j>^. A*^^^ 



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 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



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 BOTANIC^ 



are large enough to handle prick ofE into flats. In about 

 five or six weeks they should be potted singly in 8-incli 

 pots, using a soil a trifle richer and heavier at every 

 subsequent potting. When they become established a 

 cold frame is an excellent place to summer them in> 

 See that the glass is shaded and, as the weather gets 

 warmer, raise the sashes back in front, for it is coolness 

 that they want, with plenty of fresh air. By sowing at 

 intervals from now until Augiist you can have nice 

 flowering plants from December until spring. Give a 

 slight fumigation once a week for gTeen fly. 

 Increasing Begonias 



Where there is a demand for flowering or the Rex 

 begonias now is a good time to increase stock for 

 another year. Cuttings taken from the new side 

 growth and those coming directly from the base of 

 your flowering begonias will make the most satisfactory 

 plants and those of the Rex class come flne from leai 

 cuttings. An ideal place to propagate these begonias 

 is on a bench in some well-shaded house not too near the 

 ventilators, and where a I'easonable amount of humidity 

 can be kept up. Ventilate so the air of the house will 

 not be violently disturbed by sweeping air currents, 

 When treated this way they will soon root and can be 

 potted into small pots using a compost of new loam, 

 leaf mold and sand in equal parts. When they fill these 

 pots they should be given a good portion of well de- 

 cayed cow manure, leaf mold and loam in equal parts. 

 Cycas Stems 



At about this season and until mid-summer the dried 

 stems of cycas will be arriving. All florists who have 

 use for these palms should secure some and start them 

 up. Use as small pots as will comfortably hold them. 

 Give thorough drainage as these plants require an abun- 

 dance of water when they begin to make roots. For a 

 compost use equal parts of turfy loam, leaf mold and 

 well decomposed cow manure, thoroughly mixed. After 

 potting they should be placed in a temperature of about 

 70 degrees at night. When accommodated with some 

 bottom heat they will make much freer and more vig- 

 orous growth. Water at the roots sparingly at first un- 

 til growth starts when the supply can be increased. 

 Keep the stems well moistened by syringing them two 

 or three times daily. When the whorl of leaves appear 

 they will require some shade and until they become 

 hardened up, when they should stand full sun. 

 Tuberoses 



Tuberoses that were started in 4 or 5-inch pots should 

 be kept growing under glass until after the middle of 

 June. Where space in the house is available it pays to 

 shift these into 6-inch pots and grow under glass as they 

 will produce better flowers. When planted outside they 

 are very easily damaged by cold rains and the inclement 

 weather we are liable to have. Give them a bench where 

 they can have full sun with lots of ventilation. As they 

 fill their pots with roots they will require a great deal 

 of water to bring them on to perfection. 



Farrell's nest POtes win be on the foUowIng: Lilies; Planting Dahlias; Planting Out Violets; Slngle-Stemed Chrysanthemums; 



Tender Nymphaeas; Stock Plants for Next Winter, 



Antirrhinums 



You will have noticed the popularity and call for the 

 snajDdragon (Antirrhinum) this spring. It is time now 

 to put in cuttings to secure nice young stock for bench- 

 ing in August or September to flower during early win- 

 ter. The strong growths from which you have been cut- 

 ting blooms last month, will send outside shoots, which 

 will root readily, and must then be carried over summer 

 in pots pluHged in a frame in the full sun. This is a 

 better preparation to make early-flowering plants than 

 carrying in the shaded greenliouse. By cuttings you 

 can also perpetuate the most desirable forms and colors 

 which from seed you are not sure of doing. Don't let 

 them become pot-bound before they are planted out, but 

 ehift even into 4 or 5-inch pots. Wlien put on the 

 benches in September or October they will soon give a 

 crop of flowers, and once they begin to bloom you may 

 expect to cut right along until late spring. Fumigate 

 moderately and often so that green fly will not get a 

 foothold. Keep them watered and syringed to promote 

 good growth and it is better not to pinch until the stem 

 has reached a medium height, as you then will get better 

 breaks. 



Chrysanthemums 

 Commercial growers wlio desire to cut flowers by the 

 end of September should now have their stock in con- 

 dition to be planted. A good fibrous loam, with one- 

 fourth well decomposed stable manure and a light 

 sprinkling of fine bone, make the ideal compost. To pro- 

 duce good flowers the plants must be set no closer than 

 9 by 6 inches and with many varieties 9 by 8 would be 

 even better. This is for single stem plants. Those who 

 grow chrysanthemums in the house from first to last 

 can give them better and closer attention at all times. 

 Do not neglect giving them a good syringing early 

 every morning; this will allow the foliage time to dry 

 out nicely before night fall, but during dark or cloudy 

 weather keep your plants as dry as possible. During 

 the hot weather damping down will be necessary two or 

 three times a day on the walks or paths to supply the 

 proper moisture in the atmosphere. Go over the beds 

 every day so there will be neither dry spots nor places 

 showing a saturated condition, for either of these con- 

 ditions is very detrimental to the chrysanthemum. Ven- 

 tilate freely both day and night for these plants delight 

 in a circulation of fresh air at all times. 



Cinerarias 



If you wish to have nice flowering plants for Decem- 

 ber, sow now. Sow on light, porous soil — say equal 

 parts of loam and leaf mold with enough of sand to 

 make it gritty. Give the pans or flats a good watering 

 previous to sowing the seed. Press and cover lightly 

 with some finely sifted soil of the above compost, just 

 enough so the seeds are out of sight. Keep in a close, 

 moist house of about 60 degrees and place a pane of 

 glass over them until the seeds germinate, when they 

 should be kept in the coolest house you have. When they 



Mr. 



