October 11, 1913 



HOETICULTURE 



493 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



;ONDCCTED BT 



Questions by our readers in line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should lararlably be addressed to the office of HOBXICULTURB. 



Chrysanthemums 



Keep the stock clean of all by-growth, lest the flow of 

 sap be diverted to nourish this useless growth. All the 

 energies of the plant should be led to where they are 

 needed for the development of perfect buds and foliage. 

 Feeding should not be kept up too long. I think no 

 flower, when it shows color well, should receive any 

 more liquid nourishment and in the case of red varie- 

 ties feeding should stop even before the buds show color, 

 as these kinds are very much more addicted to damping 

 than other varieties. Let well enough alone as the last 

 watering with liquid may be the means of spoiling the 

 flower. The times for saturating the bench are gone 

 and the plants, as they finish, need less and less water. 

 Only water on bright days and then in the early morning 

 so that all superfluous water gets dried up before night. 

 A heavy, moist atmosphere at night is to be avoided 

 above all things, as the moisture will condense on the 

 petals and cause them to damp. Keep the plants clean 

 of greenfly by light fumigation or spraying with some 

 kind of nicotine preparation. 



Campanulas 



It is now time to lift these valuable forcing biennials. 

 Lifted now, your plants will have time to make new roots 

 before the hard weather sets in. In potting them use 

 whatever size that will hold the roots nicely. Use a rich 

 compost of fibrous loam three parts, well decayed cow 

 manure one part. Work the compost firmly around the 

 plants. Give them a good soaking of water and place 

 them outdoors until frost arrives of sufficient severity to 

 threaten the breaking of pots. Wlien hard weather sets 

 in you will have to give them some protection. These 

 campanulas can stay outside in a frame until they are 

 wanted for forcing which is generally in January some 

 time. You cannot get them to flower before the middle 

 of April so do not start them too early. 



Lilies for Christmas 



The earliest Bermuda lilies should now be removed 

 from the coldframe to a warm house. Some of them 

 will have formed sufficient roots by this time. No 

 actual forcing is necessary. If given an average tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees they should be in plenty of time 

 for Christmas. The grower can employ any degree from 

 55 to 75 degrees at night as he may see fit in order to get 

 his lilies in at the right moment. When coming into 

 flower they can be fed with some liquid manure which 

 will improve their quality very much. Fumigating fre- 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will he on the following: 



quently, say abo.ut once a week, will keep the plants free 

 of the pest. When the plants are from 15 to 30 inches 

 high they ought to be staked and kept neatly, but not 

 tightly tied. Water carefully so as not to sour the com- 

 post. Let them show signs of dryness first, and then 

 give enough water to soak the whole ball through. 

 Frequent and slight waterings are dangerous. Syringe 

 regularly. 



Planting Phlox 



For a planting of phlox make the beds in the fall 

 when the soil is comparatively dry and pulverizes in the 

 digging. It pays to trench the ground well for this 

 perennial, and have plenty of well decomposed manure 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil. Then dig out 

 the required depth at one end, about two feet wide, and 

 place on one side. This is to give room for trenching. 

 Loosen the soil at the bottom. Then put a layer of 

 fresh manure about a foot wide in the bottom up against 

 the end. Continue digging, shoveling the soil upon the 

 manure, say six inches thick and at that angle of about 

 45 degrees with the base toward you and the apex within 

 one foot of the original surface. The decaying manure 

 will not only provide humus but will allow the admit- 

 tance of the air. Continue with alternating layers and 

 when the end is reached the bottom soil previously laid 

 aside may be used to fill the open space. 



The Perennial Border 



From now on up to the end of October is the best time 

 to make new borders cr divide and replant old ones. 

 When grown commercially it is essential that the soil 

 be spaded deep and, still better, trenched. Then apply 

 a generous amount of well rotted manure. Any extra 

 labor and fertilizer put into the preparation of the 

 border will be repaid for some years afterward in re- 

 sults. Perennials will grow in almost any situation, 

 but in order to do their best they should have an open 

 and sunny situation away from food-robbing roots of 

 large trees. See that each plant has sufficient room to 

 allow it to develop to its full size. Learn the height and 

 spread of each different plant and then plant accord- 

 ingly. 



Preparing for Cold Weather 



It is now time to see that all plants that are still 

 outside in frames have the proper protection against 

 frost, otherwise you may get caught and have numer- 

 ous plants spoiled. So do not take any risks at this late 

 date, but give proper protection from this out. 



Ardisia creniibita; Mignonette: Violets; Cannae; Lorraine Begonias; Outdoor 

 Roses. 





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