August 9, 1913 



HOETICULTURE 



165 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



Callas 



It is time to start callas. Roots that were grown in 

 pots or benches last season, that have had a good rest and 

 are now showing the beginning of a sturdy crown growtli 

 of a broad, hard button of yellowish green, are good for 

 another season. Shake them out and replant into 5, 6, 

 or 7-inch pots. For a compost use fibrous loam three 

 parts, well decayed cow manure one part. See that 

 each pot has 'good drainage and place them after thev 

 are potted in a cold frame where they can stay until the 

 first week in September, ^^^len planting in a bench 

 use a rich, heavy loam, and plant the roots a foot or a 

 little more apart. If they are very long, lay them in a 

 slanting position, always exposing the crown above 

 ground. It is well to have the soil at planting rather 

 moist, and if surfaced with a thin laver of moss or rotted 

 manure, will stay moist until growth has made some- 

 what of a start. If this can be managed very little in 

 the way of watering will become needful at this initial 

 stage of growth. 



Cinerarias 



To be just about right with a batch of fine cinerarias 

 in full bloom for next Easter, it is necessary to sow 

 them now without delay. Mix up a compost of new 

 loam twp parts, peat or leaf mold two parts, and one 

 part of sand. See that tbe pans are well drained with 

 plenty of crocks. Upon the crocks spread some spha<^- 

 num moss and then fill tlie pans to within half an incli 

 ot the top, with the compost, but the last half-inch 

 should be finely screened. Press the surface firm, abso- 

 lutely level, water thoroughly and after they have 

 drained out scatter seed all over the surface and cover 

 each pan with a pane of glass. These pans should be 

 placed immediately in a cold frame and kept moist 

 and under heavy shading, to be made lighter after the 

 plants are up. When they have their third or fourth 

 leaf, plant into small pots or out free into a nicely pre- 

 pared friable soil under frame protection. 



Lilium Harrisii 



If lilies of the Harrisii type are wanted for early 

 flowering the bulbs should be planted as soon as you 

 can get them. This lily holds again a most prominent 

 place and is by many considered as valuable as any we 

 grow for profit; especially for early flowering. Any 

 good soil that does not contain green manure will do. It 

 is best to place the bulbs entirely below the soil in plant- 

 ing, after a good watering lias settled the soil, the tops 

 to be just even with tbe surface and barely visible. 

 Then stood closely together under a cool bench or in an 

 outdoor frame, and covered with a thickness of two or 

 three inches of sand, ashes or soil to hold evenness of 

 moisture, the pots hardly ever need any further atten- 

 tion until renewed life shows, unless we happen to have 

 a very dry spell when they should have some water. 



Mr. FarreU'g next notes will be on the following: 



Primulas for Late Winter and Spring 



Now is a good time to make a sowing of primulas that 

 will bloom good from the end of February and until 

 Easter. From the date of sowing until the time of 

 blooming, primulas usually require about seven months. 

 If the seeds are soaked in water for a day and night, 

 more even germination will be obtained. In sowing, use 

 shallow boxes or seed pans filled not quite full with a 

 mixture of light loam, leaf mold and sand. Cover the 

 seeds with sand so that they will merely be out of sight. 

 Place the seed pans in a temperature of about 60 to 70 

 degrees and keep them always shady and moist, never 

 allowing the soil to become parched. If the seeds are 

 fresh, which is of vital importance, the young seedlings 

 will be ready for pricking out in five or six weeks from 

 time of planting. For this, instead of pots, use flat 

 boxes or seed pans filled with a mixture of one part of 

 common soil jnd two parts of peat. Keep the plants in 

 these flats or pans shady and continue same temperature 

 as when germinating. When the young plants have 

 three or four leaves, pot them in small pots, being care- 

 ful to pot rather loosely and not too deep. 



Sweet Peas for Early Winter Flowering 

 Sweet peas have been so greatly improved of late that 

 it is possible to have them do fairly well during the 

 early winter now. Procure the best known varieties in 

 white, pink, lavender and scarlet which are among the 

 best sellers. Sweet peas to do their best should be in a 

 house by themselves and at least six feet headroom. Sod 

 that was piled up last fall will make a very congenial soil 

 to use. ilake the compost rich by adding to every three 

 loads of soil one load of well rotten cow manure and a 

 pail full bone dust. They will need at least four feet 

 lietwcen the rows and do not sow the seed too thick. Use 

 care in watering until the seeds begin to come through 

 when they should be kept in a nice moist state. These 

 plants like a syringing on all bright days. Keep them 

 as cool as possible by giving plenty of ventilation both 

 day and night and keep the surface between the rows 

 stirred frequently. 



Planting Roman Hyacinths 

 Roman hyacinths should be planted- as soon as re- 

 ceived. Do not use old worn-out soil, but give them a 

 good compost of fibrous soil intermixed with about one- 

 third well-decayed manure. After they are planted 

 give them a very thorough watering. Where you have 

 a bulb cellar you can place them there, but if not they 

 can be put outside on a level piece of ground and covered 

 all over about si.v inches with soil. If the weather re- 

 mains dry they will need waterings at intervals. 



Bnib Compost; Calceolarias; Carnations; Gardenias; DendrobiuaiM Moer White 

 Narcissi. 



