June 11, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



883 



SEASONABLE NOTES ON CULTURE 

 OF FLORISTS' STOCK. 

 Asparagus plumosus. 

 This is the proper time to think 

 about planting this highly appreciated 

 decorative green. They will need con- 

 siderable nipre head room than smilax, 

 also more depth of soil, and this should 

 be hea,vily enriched as they are very 

 greedy feeders. Mix in equal parts a 

 rather heavy loam and some old cow 

 manure which is well decomposed. A 

 depth of at least 9 to 12 inches of this 

 compost is none too much for plumo- 

 sus. The plants can be set from 10 to 

 12 inches apart in the rows, and about 

 15 to 18 inches between the rows. In 

 replanting any old beds the soil should 

 be renewed to the depth ot about 6 

 inches, and the lower layer deeply dug 

 before the new compost is placed on 

 top. Stock out of 4-inch pots, it sturdy 

 and thrifty, is the right sort to use. 

 Beds thus planted should yield good 

 returns for at least four to six years. 

 As soon as the new growth assumes 

 the character of a climber, silkallne 

 strings can be supplied. Keep the sur- 

 face of the soil loose and free of weeds. 

 To old and well established beds a 

 mulch of some well enriched compost 

 and occasionally a dose of liquid ma- 

 nure will be of great benefit. Syringe 

 every day in order to keep the foliage 

 fresh and bright. 



Chrysanthemums for Cut Bloom. 



The first two weeks .in June is con- 

 sidered the best time to plant out for 

 cut bloom. There is a wide difference 

 of opinion as to the best method of 

 growing for cutting. Some prefer and 

 others condemn solid beds. The ma- 

 jority seem to favor the raised bench. 

 and yet there are some that uphold the 

 pot or box system. The finest of 

 blooms have been produced by each 

 of the above methods. I think that 

 more depends upon careful handling 

 of the plants and the soil than upon 

 the question of solid beds or benches. 

 I choose the raised bench because it 

 gives the plants better drainage and 

 allows the use of more liquid manure 

 at the proper time in order to finish 

 up the bloom and. besides, there Is 

 less tendency to produce a heavy 

 growth of foliage at the expense of the 

 bloom on a bench than with solid beds. 

 Soil with lots of fibre in it in propor- 

 tion of one part good manure to three 

 parts of the soil will produce good 

 chrysanthemums. If growing to one 

 flower they can be planted from six 

 to eight inches apart, it two to four 

 blooms to a plant, then 10 to 12 inches 

 would be about right. The distance 

 apart will have to be governed by the 

 quality of the blooms wanted. Stir the 

 surface of the soil regularly, and fumi- 

 gate once a week if weather permits, 

 and on all bright days syringe freely 

 twice a day. 



Begonias. 



Flowering begonias can be rooted 

 now with ease and will grow into most 

 desirable size for various kinds of 

 make-up holiday work. Those that 

 were propagated in the spring and 

 which are now in 4-inch pots should 

 be plunged in a frame where a light 

 shade can be used in the brightest 

 part of the day. The greatest care 



should be exercised in watering, as 

 they are very susceptible to over- 

 watering. It will pay to look them 

 over three or tour times daily during 

 bright, hot weather. To grow the best 

 plants a hose should never be allowed 

 in watering them. Rex begonias, to 

 be at their best, should be grown in 

 pans, any good rich loam with a 

 third of leaf mold and an addition of 

 some sand suiting them. The latter 

 like a more humid atmosphere than 

 most begonias. Guard against any 

 sudden changes in temperature and 

 draught so as not to Induce rust. 



Dracaenas. 



These extremely useful decorative 

 plants such as Dracaena fragrans, ter- 

 minalis, Massangeana, and Lindeni, are 

 in reasonably good demand. Young 

 plants that were rooted and potted up 

 early in the spring should be shifted 

 as required, using coarser soil as the 

 pots become larger. Dracaenas like a 

 good loam with some leaf mold — about 

 a fourth — and a little old cow manure. 

 They require but a moderate amount 

 of pot room, in comparison to the size 

 of the plant. Plenty of heat and mois- 

 ture are reqiiisites so as to encourage 

 a vigorous growth. Dracaena indivisa 

 can be raised after they are a year 

 old into good-sized stock by open field 

 culture, planting in rows just far 

 enough apart to permit good cultiva- 

 tion. In the fall they can be lifted 

 and potted into 4-inch or 5-inch pots, 

 and by next spring they will be good 

 stock for vases or veranda boxes. 



Hydrangeas. 



The young stock that was propagated 

 last winter or spring should now be 

 planted out, and with a judicious 

 pinching they will develop into a com- 

 pactly formed and shapely lot of plants. 

 By the middle of July all stopping 

 should be discontinued for the season. 

 When resorting to pot culture alto- 

 gether, repot as they may require it, 

 using some good soil and cow manure, 

 and assign them to a sunny place in 

 the open, giving water in plentiful 

 measure. Plunge the pots to the rims 

 so as to keep the roots cool and by 

 fall you will have nice plants with an 

 abundance of good wood that will give 

 fine bloom next season. They should 

 be kept out as long as the weather 

 will allow so as to ripen their wood, 

 after which they can be put in a cold 

 frame. 



Solanum Capsicastrum. 



This plant is one of the. best deco- 

 rative berried plant that we have. The 

 old plants that were cut back in May 

 and repotted into new soil will set an 

 abundance ot fruit in an ordinary soil. 

 Don't use very rich compost, as then 

 the foliage will be luxuriant but the 

 berries few. The pots can be sunk into 

 some frame outside, which will be a 

 good place for any potted solanums. 

 Young plants can be treated in the 

 same way. They will want great 

 quantities ot water during the sum- 

 mer. When the pots get filled with 

 roots an occasional feeding with liquid 

 manure will be of good value to them. 

 This plant is certainly easy to grow, 

 and where a little special pains are 

 taken you will be rewarded by having 

 a fine lot of holiday stock which will 

 find rapid sales. 



,TOHN J. M. FARRELL. 



:\Ii-. Fan-eU's next notes will be on the 

 followins: Callas. Fuchsias, Lycastes, 

 Palms, Perennial Candytuft, Sowing Pern 

 Spores. 



LILIUM KRAMERI. 



The lily shown in the accompanying 

 Illustration is one of the prettiest and 

 most desirable ot the Japanese species. 

 It Is perfectly hardy and blooms in 

 July and August. The flower is pale 

 to deep pink, the color varying accord- 



ing to stock and exposure to sun. It 

 is very fragrant and the perianth is 

 6 to 7 inches long. This is a lily that 

 deserves a place in every garden, but 

 it is not over-plentiful. We are in- 

 debted to R. M. Ward & Co. for the 

 photograph. 



E. O. ORPET GOES WEST. 



E. O. Orpet, the well-known orchid 

 expert and writer on horticultural top- 

 ics, will close his term as gardener in 

 charge of the Thayer estate and con- 

 servatories at South Lancaster, Mass., 

 on .July 1, 1910, thus completing to a 

 day twenty years of work, he having 

 come to South Lancaster on July 1, 

 1890. 



Mr. Orpet will at once assume the 

 superintendency of the estate of Cyrus 

 H. McCormick at Lake Forest, 111., and 

 that growing community of expert ex- 

 ponents of the gardeners' art will be 

 enriched by the addition to their num- 

 ber of one who is the peer ot any 

 gardener in this country in his chosen 

 sphere. The McCormick estate is to 

 be developed along natural lines under 

 the direction of Warren H. Manning, 

 the landscape artist. Mr. Orpet's suc- 

 cessor on the Thayer estate is John 

 Booth, recently ot Newport, R. I. 



Many friends and acquaintances of 

 Mr. Orpet in the New England terri- 

 tory will regret the loss locally sus- 

 tained in the departure of so skillful 

 a representative of their craft, but 

 will wish him the fullest measure of 

 success and honor in his new home. 



Fitchburg, Mass. — The property oc- 

 cupied by W. H. Ritter on Vine street 

 has been sold and Mr. Ritter will make 

 a change in December. He plans to 

 erect two or three large growing 

 houses in West Fitchburg on land off 

 Westminster Hill Road which he pur- 

 chased some time ago. A small green- 

 house on Woods Hill will also be 

 erected. The store he now maintains 

 at 70 Main street will be continued. 



