March 5. 1910 



HORTICULfURE 



333 



SEASONABLE NOTES ON CUL- 

 TURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK. 

 Acacias. 



These form a group of handsome 

 free-flowering shrubs that are desir- 

 able for decorative work in spring and 

 early summer. Of the several species 

 of acacias grown, one most in evidence 

 at Easter is Acacia armata. Those in- 

 tended for Easter should be in a house 

 where the temperature does not exceed 

 50 degi-ees and allowed to come along 

 in their own natural way. They do 

 not take kindly to forcing. After the 

 flowers appear be sure not to syringe. 



Cuttings may be struck at any time 

 from now until .June in sand. When 

 rooted they should be potted into 

 smallest size pots and, after they get 

 established, gradually exposed to the 

 full sun and air of a cool house. The 

 young plants should be shifted on 

 as they fill their pots and pinched back 

 from time to time in order to have 

 shapely specimens. As the plants go 

 out of flower they should be cut back 

 to within six inches of where they 

 were cut back last year. 



Cannas. 



These may be started from now on; 

 clumps of cannas can be divided and 

 cut up into as many pieces as there are 

 eyes. After dividing they Can be placed 

 on a bench where about one inch of 

 sphagnum has been spread and where 

 there is some bottom heat to accelerate 

 root action. The tubers can be cov- 

 ered lightly with some sphagnum. 

 They will soon start and when they 

 have made a few inches of leaf growth 

 they should be lifted and potted into 

 4-inch or 5-inch pots, or any size you 

 intend to grow or sell them in. If 

 short for bench room, they can be put 

 in boxes or flats in about three inches 

 of sand and placed on the pipes under 

 the bench where they will soon start. 

 Don't water too much or too often; 

 care is necessary in this respect until 

 new growth is well under way. They 

 can also be started in a hot-bed. 

 Chrysanthemums. 



Chrysanthemums for general stock 

 can be propagated at any time during 

 March and up to June, but for the pro- 

 duction of high grade flowers and 

 plants they should be propagated early, 

 especially in the case of dwarf, slow- 

 growing varieties. Only the best cut- 

 lings should be selected. Long and 

 lanky growth should be discarded and 

 only stout, straight cuttings, coming 

 direct from the root of the clump 

 should be taken, A temperature of 

 from 45 to 50 degrees is about right 

 to root in. When the cuttings have 

 made roots halt an inch long, pot them 

 off. They are permanently weakened 

 by being left too long in the sand. Be 

 sure to use good soil so that the young 

 plants will move right along. When 

 well established they should be placed 

 in a cool house and afforded plenty 

 of light and air. 



Easter Preparations. 

 Narcissi and tulips which are in 

 flats can be placed in pans now. Se- 

 lect the short and stocky ones and do 

 it just before the flowers open. Treat 

 hyacinths the same way. If you have 

 any pansies and double daisies that 

 are coming into flower you can make 

 up some pans or baskets of them and 

 they will be sure to catch the eye of 

 many a customer. Some callas, cycla- 



mens, begonias, Brompton stocks, ger- 

 aniums, mignonette, primulas and 

 many others can now be worked up 

 for Easter trade. The most shapely 

 plants and those that are sure to be 

 in bloom at that time should be set 

 apart from the general stock and given 

 a little extra care. Many buyers pre- 

 fer these simple things to more showy 

 plants. Such flowering shrubs as lilac, 

 genistas, Vilnirnum plicatum, Deutzia 

 gracilis and Lemoinei, acacias, azaleas, 

 and double-flowering cherries, plums, 

 and peaches should now be showing 

 flower and would be better to be 

 opened in a cooler house for the grad- 

 ual hardening off of such stock. All 

 flowering Easter stock will now be 

 pot-bound and will need copious water- 

 ing to keep them in good form, espe- 

 cially hydrangeas, spiraeas and Ram- 

 bler roses. 



Geraniums. 



Now is a good time to select some 

 3-inch geraniums that have been 

 stopped some weeks ago and have 

 shown three or four breaks, and shift 

 them into 5-inch pots. These are not 

 intended for bedding plants, but for 

 the demand that comes on Memorial 

 Day, when such geraniums bring al- 

 most double the price of the regular 

 bedding grade. A fairly rich soil 

 should be used in potting and this 

 should be made as firm as possible. 

 The production of first-class plants 

 calls for the allowance of sufficient 

 room between the plants, and the 

 lightest bench with ample moisture 

 for the roots. The bedding plants can 

 be shifted into the regular selling size 

 — the 4-inch pot — after Easter. There 

 will be more spare moments and much 

 more available bench space after that 

 date. 



Solanums. 



This is a good time to sow seeds of 

 Christmas peppers and Jerusalem cher- 

 ries. The former can easily be grown 

 into well-fruited bushes in 5 or G-inch 

 pots by next Christmas. More effec- 

 tive, however, are finely grown plants 

 of the Jerusalem cherry, which to 

 grow Into a nicely berried specimen 

 requires the culture of two summers. 

 Seeds of both should be sown now in 

 flats and by pricking off into other 

 boxes, potting, and later planting out 

 in good soil, you will have good-sized 

 plants that can be potted up the first 

 week in September. 



Tuberous-Rooted Begonias. 



Plants from seed sown early in Jan- 

 uary will soon be ready to go into 

 small pots. Use a compost of good 

 soil and leaf mould in equal quantities 

 and one-third sand. If seedlings can 

 be given a warm place for the first 

 three months little trouble will be ex- 

 perienced. Corms started by the mid- 

 dle of March will grow into salable, 

 blooming plants by June. Use 3-inch 

 flats. Put on the bottom of these 

 boxes some moss, and make a light 

 sandy porous mixture to fill the flats 

 within one inch of the top. Plant the 

 bulbs half their depth in it and then 

 spread some moss over the bulbs. 

 They can be set a few inches apart. 

 When they have three or four leaves, 

 they can be potted into 4-inch pots. 

 As the weather gets hotter they will 

 need a light shading. 



Fancy-Leaved Caladiums. 



Some of these caladiums should now 

 be potted. Either peat or loam will an- 



swer for them, and enriched with some 

 old decomposed manure, leaf-mold, and 

 sharp sand forms a good compost. Let 

 it be as rough as possible. Add some 

 charcoal if at hand, as the more open 

 the soil the better. Thorough drainage 

 must be insured, for these plants will 

 require an abundance of water later 

 on. Do not put the tubers too deeply 

 in the soil, as they seldom do well 

 when so treated. As soon as potted 

 they should have a night temperature 

 of from 65 to 70 degrees. When the 

 young leaves appear, stand the plants 

 well up to the glass. Shade is often 

 necessary when the sun is the bright- 

 est, say for a few hours in the middle 

 of the day. When the pots are well 

 filled with roots, apply liquid manure 

 once or twice a week. 



Liquid Manure. 



Liquid cow manure and sheep ma- 

 nure may be successfully used on car- 

 nations, roses, and in fact, on all 

 growing crops. At this season of the 

 year it can be used once a week, but 

 care should be exercised not to make 

 it too strong. T\vo ordinary pails full 

 to a barrel of water should give the 

 right proportions for cow manure, and 

 about a peck of sheep manure. It 

 should be allowed to stand for a day 

 or two. When the sun gets higher 

 later on and root action is more vigor- 

 ous, it can be used oftener. 



JOHN J. M. FARRELL. 



CARNATION WISDOM. 



Peter Fisher in approving of the use 

 of a brick bottom in carnation propa- 

 gating bench, states that he can hold 

 cuttings longer after they are ready 

 to be taken out, on brick than on 

 wood bottom. When he used wood he 

 puts in a couple of inches of cinders. 



52 at night, 58 on cloudy days and 

 65 on sunny days is S. J. Goddard's 

 rule as to temperature' for growing 

 fine carnations. 



A SONG FOR MARCH. 



Who sings of Marcli must sing the mad. 

 Lone man-at-arms, the straggler clad 



In motley white and brown — 

 Who in the wake of Winter's flight 

 Turns now to caper, now to fight — 



Half hector and half clown. 

 One moment from a cloud-capped hill 

 He blares his slogan, wild and shrill; 



The next, with gusty laughter. 

 Outsteps the sunbeams as they dance. 

 And leers, and flouts with backward glance, 



The maid who follows after. 

 O! sing the maid. 

 The light-heart maid. 

 Who follows, follows after. 



He flees her down the lengthening days; 

 She follows him through woodland ways. 



O'er hills and vales between, 

 And sets for mark of victory 

 On every bush and hedge and tree 



Her flag of tender green; 

 And when her breath hath spiced the night 

 With promise of the warm delight 



Of young June's love and laughter, 

 No other song may true hearts sing 

 Rut "Speed thy passing. March, and bring 

 The maid who follows after; 

 The light-heart maid. 

 The lily maid. 

 Who follows, follows after." 



-T. A. Daly. 



John Watson, who has recently been 

 made secretary of the Jackson & Per- 

 kins Co., Newark, N. Y., has been as- 

 sociated with the company for several 

 years, the last four as oiHce manager. 

 Mr. Watson has a very wide acquaint- 

 ance among the nursery trade. 



