August 16, 1913 



HOETICULTURE 



205 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



COrrDCCTED BY 



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Qoeatlons by onr readers In line with any of tbe topics presented on this page will te cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Snch commanlcatlona should Invariably be addressed to tbe office of HORTICULTUKE. 



Bulb G)inpost 



If bulb compost is not already mixed you should lose 

 no time in doing so. It is well known that all bulbs 

 give better results from new soil mixed with well-de- 

 cayed cow manure. The general run of bulbous plants 

 grow best in a light fibrous loam. Stiff or heavy soil 

 should have a liberal mixture of leaf mold and sand. 

 Bulb soil should be made sufficiently porous that no stag- 

 nant water will remain around the bulbs, after which you 

 can add manure. Never use any new manure as it is 

 very liable to prove destructive. A good preparation 

 for bulbs is two-thirds light fibrous loam, one-third old 

 and well-dried cow manure. Mix over and over so it 

 will be in a good mechanical state. 



Calceolarias 



Why not grow a few of these beautiful show plants for 

 next spring's flowering? Now as the end of summer 

 approaches it is time to sow calceolaria. Well-drained 

 earthenware seed pans are filled with a very sandy mix- 

 ture of turfy loam and partly decayed leaf mold. After 

 a good watering down of the soil the seeds are thinly 

 scattered on the surface. This requires some care, since 

 the grains are very small. With a smooth piece of board 

 the seeds are pressed gently into the surface and the pans 

 covered with panes of glass. The best place now for 

 these seed pans is a cold frame with loosely fitting 

 sashes. Keep the pan shaded until the little plants 

 appear. In a few weeks they can be transplanted into 

 flats, about an inch apart, using the same soil as men- 

 tioned above. After they have ma3e four or six leaves a 

 potting ofE into small pots takes place. As they attain 

 size they will need a shift into larger pots every now 

 and then, tlie richness of the compost for every shift 

 being slightly increased, until at the end of the season 

 a potting mixture coarse and unsifted, yet porous and 

 mellow and containing fully one-fourth of well decayed 

 manure is used. 



Carnations 



The varying circumstances that the carnation growers 

 are placed in have much to do with deciding the ques- 

 tion of why this or that, of the various methods prac- 

 tised in rearing young stock and its subsequent treat- 

 ment, should be considered of greatest advantage. The 

 behavior and condition of stock under one's immediate 

 care should, therefore, be closely studied and the grower, 

 thus fortified with knowledge gained by observation, will 

 all the more clearly see his way through the maze of 

 rules governing the culture of carnations. To encour- 

 age a healthful growth with proper moisture at all the 

 roots without keeping all the soil in a continuously 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will 1'p on the following: Adiantum; Care of Chrysanthemums; Cyclamen for 1914; Show Pclargonlumg; 



Sowing I'nnsles; Seed Sowing. 



soaked condition, requires great care in watering. Air 

 must be admitted freely through ridge ventilators, day 

 and night, in spells of calm, warm weather. Give fre- 

 quent stirring of the upper surface soil to keep it open, 

 sweet and free of weeds. 



Care of Gardenias 



The days from this out will now be showing a shorter 

 length which is liable to produce frequent and quite low 

 drops in temperature, to guard against which it is 

 always better to start the fires early. Give ventilation 

 on all favorable occasions, guarding against any strong 

 or direct drafts. The night temperature should never be 

 allowed to go below 70 degrees, with a rise of from 15 

 to 20 degrees with sunshine. Do not allow the beds to 

 become either too drv or saturated as extremes either 

 way are bad. Now that the roots are working to every 

 nook and corner looking for nourishment, give them 

 some feeding in the line of mulch of equal parts of cow 

 manure and loam, applying it about half an inch deep 

 all over the beds. Syringe on all good days as it helps 

 to keep them in a clean condition. 



Dcndrobiums 



Dendrobiums that have had proper attention should 

 now have made some fine growth. As such species as 

 Dendrohium nobile, Wardianum, Jamesianum, Find- 

 layanum, etc., finish up their new growth, in order 

 to prevent a second growth at this late period they 

 should be removed to a cooler house. It was necessary 

 during the hottest part of the summer to have them 

 well shaded, but now it should not be made too heavy, 

 only enough to exclude tlie direct rays of the midday 

 sun. By gradual means they can be given more airy, 

 cool, dry and sunny quarters, but do not try to bring 

 this about with too much haste. From day to day re- 

 duce the water supply at the roots, doing this gradu- 

 allv helps to perfect the ripening up of their growth. 

 During all bright days give them a good syringing. Give 

 them plenty of ventilation on all favorable occasions 

 which will make the conditions right for their resting 

 period. 



Paper White Narcissi 



The earliest shipments of paper whites will now be 

 due so get a good batch boxed up as soon as possible. 

 There is a good demand for these paper whites from 

 the end of November on until the first of January. Wlien 

 they are boxed up they can be placed in a cold frame and 

 wlien they show good root action with some top growth 

 tliey can be brought into a good light house and grown 

 on. Give a temperature of about 55 degrees at night. 



