May 31, 1913 



HORTICULTUBE 



817 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



COMDCCTKD BT 



^h^.^p . Ta/i/^^ 





QaestloDS by our readers In line with any of the topic* presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications shonld invarUbly be addressed to the office of HOKTICUI.1UKJS. 



Asparagus plumosus 



The green question is, with many of us, an important 

 one during the winter months. Now is the time for 

 renewing beds or to give those that are to be carried 

 over a good top-dressing of cow manure and soil with a 

 sprinkling of bone meal. When making new beds give 

 plenty of headroom — at least 12 feet. The beds or 

 benches should be prepared as soon as possible. Above 

 all things see that they have a generous soil to grow in. 

 A good compost is fibrous loam two parts, and manure 

 one part. Before planting see that the balls are moist 

 for it never pays to plant a dry asparagus. Set them 

 about fifteen inches apart each way and firm well. It 

 is well to leave a small depression around each plant to 

 hold the water. Keep them moist around the plant 

 until the roots begin to spread out when the whole soil 

 can be watered. Syringe frequently during favorable 

 weather. 



Bouvardias 



Bouvardias should now be planted out. Give the 

 plants a nice mellow soil ; a sandy loam is ideal. Wlien 

 planted in such the plants will lift in September with a 

 lot of fine roots which is what you want to be sure of 

 for they are very sensitive in this respect. Do not 

 crowd the plants. They should have at least 15 inches 

 between the rows and a foot in the rows in order to do 

 well. Cultivating should be done every week during the 

 growing season, to keep the soil mellow and especially 

 during dry weather to keep the moisture in the soil. To 

 make the plants husky they should be pinched back two 

 or three times during their stay out in the field. If 

 wanted in flower for the holidays don't pinch any after 

 the middle of August and lift by the first week in Sep- 

 tember. See that they get a good watering after being 

 planted out. When the hot and dry weather comes 

 don't allow them to suffer from want of water. There is 

 certainly an increasing demand for these old favorites. 

 There was a time when they were to be found in every 

 greenhouse. 



Care of Amaryllises 



Now that the flowering season is over these bulbs will 

 need attention. If a fine crop of spikes is desired next 

 winter and spring they must have the best of attention 

 all through the summer. They should be placed in a 

 cold frame and if plunged to the brims in old manure or 

 leaves the plants will not require frequent waterings, 

 even in the hottest weather, and then plunged plants 

 always produce much bigger bulbs than the unplunged 

 ones. Give sash protection over them all summer, shad- 

 ing a little from direct sunlight. Leave the sashes 

 tilted up, both top and bottom; all the time. A syr- 

 inging two or three times a day will be appreciated. See 

 that they are carefully watered as they should be kept 

 growing all summer; don't dry them ofE until the fall. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following 



The young seedlings that were planted early in the 

 year should be kept potted as they may require it. These 

 will form quite nice bulbs by fall which should flower 

 good the third year. They can be increased by offsets 

 which can be removed from the old bulbs just after the 

 flowering or when you start the bulbs into active growth. 



Ericas 



Ericas that were headed back into shape will now 

 need to be repotted. Those which become pot-bound 

 should be given larger pots and some new soil to work 

 through. Care should be taken to provide a suitable 

 compost. They will not endure a soil that is too re- 

 tentive of moisture. See that they have clean pots and 

 plenty of clean crocks to insure good drainage. 

 A compost to their liking is new turf-like fibery 

 soil two parts, fibery peat two parts and enough 

 silver sand so the water will pass through freely. 

 These newly potted plants can be plunged out in some 

 place convenient to water and by giving care and atten- 

 tion they will make good headway by the first week in 

 September. Water at the roots so they will be kept in 

 uniform state of moisture, never either dry or over-sat- 

 urated. 



Feeding Orchids 



There has been much difference of opinion among 

 cultivators with regard to the advantages of employing 

 liquid stimulants to increase the strength and vigor of 

 orchids. It has now become well known that judicious 

 feeding applied with care from now on will give these 

 plants renewed vigor. All such terrestrial orchids as 

 cyrabidiums, cypripediums, calanthes, pleiones, phaius, 

 etc., will benefit in foliage and flower from a weak appli- 

 cation of liquid manure water; that is, where they have 

 plenty of working roots. For epiphytal orchids the 

 Cookson fonnula would be better. This can be made 

 with potassium nitrate three ounces and ammonia 

 phosphate two ounces. Mix well together and place in 

 a three-gallon jar of water. When applying use one 

 ounce of this solution to a gallon of water about every 

 ten days. 



Planting Asters 



Those who grow quite a few asters will be planting 

 them out right along now. Do not fail to give the 

 ground a little extra preparation, to insure better bloom 

 and finer stems. Wlien they are planted sow wood 

 ashes at the rate of about 30 bushels to the acre and 

 when about half-grown scatter some guano or any good 

 fertilizer, using about 100 to 200 pounds to the acre. 

 Keep up cultivation at least once a week. , To keep the 

 beetle in check spray the plants once they have beconie 

 established every two weeks with a teaspoonful of paris 

 green to a pail of water. 



Smilax ; Resting 



Adiantums; Compost for Bench Crops; Gardenias; Plantin 

 C.illas; Sweet Peas. 



