August 2, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



133 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDCCTED BY 



^4^/?*?. A*«^^ 



QumUods by onr reader. In Une with any of the topics presented on this P/Bej'» be eordially received and p^ answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Snch commnntcatlons should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICDL,ruKis. 



Cattleyas 



Cattleyas Triauffi, Percivaliana, Schrcederse, maxima, 

 Mossia^, Walkeriana and others should now be showing 

 A-ery active growth. Do not keep them too heavily 

 shaded. It is always better to provide some movable 

 shading that can be put on from about 9 o'clock in the 

 morning until about 3 in the afternoon on bright days. 

 On dull days it can be left o£E entirely. Watering should 

 be carefully attended to every day. Give light overhead 

 syringings and damp down the floors and benches two or 

 three times a day during any hot spells. Give plenty 

 of ventilation during tlie day and leave a couple of 

 inches of air on the top ventilators which will prevent 

 too much humidity. Look the plants over for insects 

 about every ten days. 



Care of Smilax 



Smilax benched early in June should now be ad- 

 vancing very rapidly. Smilax when doing well makes 

 very vigorous roots and will want water abundantly sup- 

 plied. Always avoid careless watering which usually 

 leaves the surface wet, while the under soil remains dry. 

 Syringe on all bright days. This will keep red spider 

 in check. Provide strings just as soon as the plants are 

 willing to climb. Keep the beds well cultivated be- 

 tween the plants and during torrid weather ventilate 

 freely. 



Mulching and Feeding Chrysanthemums 



Earliest benched chrysanthemums will now need to 

 be mulched. A layer of about an inch evenly spread 

 over the surface will serve the purpose of preventing 

 rapid escajje of moisture, and the richer it is in readily 

 available plant nutriment — barring for the present all 

 mineral fertilizers — the better it will be. Start with a 

 light mulch of well-rotted manure. Don't put the 

 manure on too thick; Just enough to cover the soil to 

 the depth of about an inch is sufficient, remembering 

 that it is better to apply it at two or three different 

 times than to give one heavy coat. Give all pot-plants 

 that are well established, liquid manure once a week. 

 When the bench stock show their buds they should have 

 liquid feed, too. \Vliere you want short jointed and 

 sturdy growth give abundant ventilation. Keep the 



beds clean by frequent stirring of the surface and give 

 e.xtra attention to watering. 



Poinsettias in Pans 



Keep right 'on propagating poinsettias. You will 

 have use for plenty of dishes and pans filled with them 

 for Christmas trade. Any ordinary gi-eenhouse or 

 frame can be used for propagating purposes. Never let 

 them wilt. If you do they will shrivel up and perish 

 in the sand. It is also necessary to keep them shaded 

 from the sunshine. Guard against sunshine and 

 draughts and see that the bed is kept saturated and you 

 will have no trouble in rooting a high per cent. Just as 

 soon as they are nicely rooted pot them into 2 or 2i/^-inch 

 pots using a compost of fibrous loam three parts, well 

 decayed cow manure and leaf mold one part each. Keep 

 shaded and moist until they take hold of the compost 

 after which they should have full sun. 



Propagating Crotons 



Now is a good time to propagate these plants and the 

 sooner a beginning is made the better. Old plants that 

 have become lanky and unsightly will give good ma- 

 terial for propagation. There is no better method than 

 by mossing. Make a cut with a sharp knife upward 

 aix)ut half an inch through the wood on any tops that 

 have been denuded of some of the leaves. To keep the 

 incision open place a little sphagnum moss in the cut, 

 and then cover it with some moss about the size of an 

 egg and tie it on. Plants so treated should be placed 

 by themselves where they can be kept moist all the time. 

 By keeping the moss wet and the atmosphere well 

 charged witli moisture they will soon show roots through 

 the moss. Keep the roots of the plants themselves on 

 the dry side. 



Repairing Heating Apparatus 



Now is the time to look after heating apparatus and 

 get everything in perfect working order for winter. It 

 frequently happens that a close inspection will reveal 

 defects in the boiler or piping that have escaped detec- 

 tion up to now. These defects which at first seem but a 

 small affair often rapidly augment themselves in pro- 

 ])ortion and .-seriousness, so now see that they are 

 remedied. 



Mr. Farrell-s next notes will be on the following: Callas; Cinerarias; Lilium Harrisii: Primulas for Late Winter and Spring; 



Sweet Peas for Early Winter Flowering; Roman Hyacinths. 



Minneapolis Convention Number 



Will be issued August i6. Goes to press, August 13 and 14. Will introduce you to 

 a fresh field for business enterprise and a new line of prospective customers. 



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