March 15, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



365 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



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Questions hy our readers in line with any of the topi< s presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

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



Achimenes 



These tubers stored away from last year can now be 

 started. You can make two or three plantings which 

 will give a succession of flowering plants, when a great 

 number of other plants have done flowering. Place 

 them quite thickly in pans or flats, well-drained, and 

 filled up with sand. The tubers should be just covered 

 with sand and kept moist, but not in a wet state. They 

 like a good brisk heat so should have anywhere from 62 to 

 68 degrees night temperature and from 10 to 15 degrees 

 higher with sun heat. When young growth begins to 

 show, which should be in about three or four weeks, 

 they should be placed in 5 or 6-inch pans or pots using 

 6 to 8 tubers to each pan. Do not overlook giving plenty 

 of drainage and on this drainage use some sphagnum 

 moss. They do well in a compost of fibrous loam three 

 parts, leaf mold two parts, cow manure one part and a 

 little sand. Keep well up to the glass so they will grow 

 sturdy. 



Care of Asters 



The aster grower's busy season has begun. Several 

 successive sowings of the best strains obtainable should 

 be made from now until the middle of May and even 

 later if a crop of flowers for the latter part of October 

 is desired. In order to cover the entire aster season re- 

 liance must be placed on the various types, early, mid- 

 season and late, the time of sowing counting for little 

 or nothing in the hastening or prolonging of the cut. 

 The seed can be sown in flats, using a compost of new 

 soil three parts, leaf mold and well rotten manure one 

 part each, with enough of sand to make the soil porous. 

 These flats can be placed in a temperature of 55 to 58 

 degrees at night. Keep the flats moist and shaded until 

 the seed begins to germinate, when they should be placed 

 up near the glass where they can have full sun. These 

 early sowings can be grown inside where they will come 

 in three weeks or a month ahead of the regular flower- 

 ing season. Later in the season a good place for the 

 raising of asters is a very mild hotbed and cold frames 

 for the later sowings. The seedlings should be trans- 

 planted once and allowed to become of sturdy size be- 

 fore going into the open fleld. 



Chrysanthemums 

 All the varieties that were rooted early and intended 

 for exhibition will need lots of care and attention from 

 this out. They will require shifting right along so they 

 will not become potbound, which always checks their 

 growth and makes it impossible to produce fine flowers. 

 As every flower grower knows chrysanthemums are great 

 feeder? and soon draw all the plant food from the soil. For 

 a compost there is nothing better than sod that was cut 

 last fall and piled up. This should have at least one 



part of well rotted cow manure to three of chopped sod. Lnj^^uy 



Mixed at this rate it will do for shifts up to May. As j^g^ vork 

 they advance they will take equal parts of sod and cow^ 

 manure with a sprinkling of bone meal. Give them airy *'- 



quarters where they can have plenty of sun. Keep on ^'^iN. 



propagating right along now. See that all stock is kept 

 clean by timely fumigations. 



Geraniums 



Now that the days are becoming longer and the sun 

 stronger, geraniums will need lots of water at the roots. 

 Give also plenty of ventilation to keep them stocky and 

 sturdy. Every two or three weeks give them a spacing 

 to let the light and air around them and never allow 

 them to become crowded as they will spindle up very 

 fast. After Easter when you will have more room and 

 time all fall rooted cuttings which are in either %y<>, or 

 3-inch pots should have their final shift. When making 

 up compost always avoid green manure. A good mix- 

 ture is fibrous loam four parts, well decayed cow manure 

 one part, and about a 4-inch pot of bone meal to each 

 barrow load. Give proper drainage and pot them firm. 

 Keep the atmosphere rather dry than moist and a night 

 temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees. 



Growing Swainsona 



Now is a good time to put in a batch of Swainsona 

 galegifolia. Plants that have been growing thrifty will 

 have a lot of material fit for propagation. The best 

 cuttings are those selected out of the axil formed by the 

 leaf and main stem. These can just be pulled out side- 

 ways and will not need any trimming. Place in a mod- 

 erately warm propagating bench and by keeping them 

 shaded and watered for about twelve to fifteen days they 

 root nicely, after which they can be potted into 2i/2-inch 

 pots, using a compost of fibrous soil three parts, leaf 

 mold and well rotted cow manure one part each. Keep 

 shaded for a few days when they should have all the sun 

 and light possible. Give them a temperature of from 55 

 to 60 degrees at night with 10 to 15 degrees more with 

 sunshine. Give ventilation on all good days. These 

 will make fine plants by Decoration Day as they are 

 suitable for cemetery planting. They make good sub- 

 jects for bench culture when planted out from 4r-inch 

 pots. When handled right they will give a fine crop of 

 snow-white flowers from the middle of May on. 



The Propagating Bench 

 Keep every inch of the propagating bench filled up so 

 that you will have plenty of stock when planting out 

 time arrives. When cuttings are rooted see that tliey are 

 potted up in time before they go back. Remove the sand 

 when it shows signs of fungus. Your propagating bench 

 or house will need attention in the way of watering, 

 spraying and ventilation as an hour or two of neglect 

 will spell ruin at this season of the year. 



Mr. I'^arrell's next notes will be on the following: 



Boronias; Deadrobiuips ; Dipladenias ; Outside Sweet Peas; Pricking 

 lings; Outdoor Work. 



Out Seed- 



