August 30, 1913 



HORTICULTUEE 



297 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



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QoestloDs by onr readers In Une with aoy of the tuples presented on this page wlU te cordially received and promptly answered y 

 by Mr. FarrelL Such commnnlcations should Invariably be addressed to the office of HOETlCULi'LKE. H 



Bouvardias 



All bouvardias should be lifted before the nights be- 

 come too cold. These plants do well in five inches of 

 soil. A good compost is three parts fibrous loam to one 

 part of well decayed cow manure. Lift the plants with 

 good balls of soil and carefully transplant to a sunny 

 bench. If this work is attended to properly the plants 

 will show no bad effects. A foot apart is little enough 

 for any of them. It is easy with almost any tempera- 

 ture to get the first crop of bouvardias, but not so easy 

 to get them to make a growth and a profitable crop of 

 flowers. Unless they are kept in a night temperature of 

 at least 60 degrees and syringed daily they will just 

 stand still after their first crop is over. As soon as they 

 are planted give thorough watering, followed on sunny 

 days by light spraying, until the plants have taken hold 

 in the new soil. Don't overlook the staking. If they 

 have made any growth at all outdoors they need support 

 of some kind, whether by stakes or wires across the 

 benches. 



Care of Carnations 



Recently planted carnations will now need the closest 

 attention. As the plants gain in size and vigor of 

 growth, so also must the allowance of moisture about 

 their roots be increased. Describe a wide circle from day 

 to day until, before long, all the soil may receive water 

 in equal and regular quantities. Arrange to have at 

 least two good weedings and cleanings of the soil. Some 

 soils become baked and crusted over much more quickly 

 than others and need more cultivation. The adjustment 

 of supports for those farthest advanced is now in order. 

 Any one of the numerous devices will serve the purpose. 

 Supports that leave unrestricted room for the natural 

 spread and upright growth of every individual plant, 

 within the confiies of a stout wire circle, are to be 

 preferred to anything holding the shoots in position 

 by direct and usually too firm fastening, or those requir- 

 ing frequent readjustment. 



Housing Tender Plants 



While it may be some time yet before we have anv 

 frost it never pays to keep tender plants outside after 

 the first week in September, for their growth and well- 

 doing is hampered by the cold nights which we are 

 bound to have at this time. \\\ plants such as palms, 

 ferns, etc.. should be housed early in September, as when 

 exposed to the chilly air of our cool nights they soon 

 become inactive at the root? and their foliage lose its 

 dark green color. Ajl stock planted out in the field or 

 border such as abutilons, acalyphas, crotons, dracaenas. 

 ficus and many other foliage plants, should be lifted and 

 potted. Give them a rather close and warm bouse and 

 keep shaded for about a week when they will have be- 

 come well established and can then he given full sun. 

 Keep the air and plants moi.it bv frequent svrinfnnors 

 unng the day. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be 



• n the following : 

 tirrblnubis 



Odontoglossums 



Odontoglossums that have been grown in a north 

 house and kept as cool as possible should now be show- 

 ing up well. To handle these orchids is no easy task 

 at this season of the year as they require continued 

 watchfulness in ventilation, watering and cleanliness. 

 We are now at a season when they will stand any amount 

 of ventilation during the day and also as much at night 

 as will be safe to leave on. If they are not given plenty 

 of ventilation now they wiU suffer severely. Watering 

 is a point in their culture which requires very careful 

 attention. Care should also be taken never to let the 

 compost remain dry for any length of time, yet on the 

 other hand they should never be kept in a soaked con- 

 dition. Either extreme will destroy aU hopes of pulling 

 tliese orchids through the fall in good shape. To keep 

 them absolutely clear of scale it will be necessary to 

 sponge them with a nicotine solution, aphine or fir 

 tree oil about even.- two weeks. 



Ptopagating Geraniums 

 It is well to start in a little early with propagating 

 ireraniums so that another good crop of cuttings may be 

 had before frost puts a stop to outdoor growth. One of 

 the advantages in using the propagating bench is that 

 the cuttings will take up less room, the accommodation 

 being usually required at a time of the year when most 

 of us are short of room. Another way to root cuttings is 

 to use flats, either filled with sand or a mixture of loam 

 and sand. The flats can either be placed on benches or 

 shelves or in frames out of doors. Sturdy, short-jointed 

 top cuttings from three to four inches in length make 

 without question the best stock for next spring's mar- 

 keting. It matters little which way they are struck, 

 now or a month later, they will be good geraniums if 

 potted, repotted and stopped in time and given room, 

 light and air in a house averaging 55 degrees of heat. 

 After the first watering, which ought to be a good one, 

 keep the sand on the dry side. The only shading re- 

 quired might be when the weather is extremely hot. 

 During the first week the cuttings are in the sand, they 

 should only be given shade during the noon hours, but 

 after the first week no shade is required : in fact they are 

 better off without it. 



Stevias 

 Do not leave your stevias too long before you lift 

 them as they are very easily injured by even a slight 

 frost. Pot them into good soil and place them where 

 they have some shade for a few days when they will 

 stand full sun. You can keep them outside for some 

 time yet as they cannot tolerate anything like a warm 

 greenhouse. Wlien brought in under glass they should 

 be kept just as cool as possible. These are very indis- 

 pensable plants so see that they have good care. 



Lilium candldum ; Planting An- 



.\maryllis for Christmas; Dracaena Indivisa 

 R:imbler Roses: Potting Evergreens. 



