December 20, 1913 



HOETICULTUKE 



861 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



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Qneatlon* by onr readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such commnnlcatlons should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Calceolarias 



These plants have now arrived at their season of most 

 rapid growth and those which seemed to stand still dur- 

 ing the hot weather are now growing apace. Calceo- 

 larias are cool subjects and succeed best in a house with 

 a temperature of 45 degrees, kept well up to the light 

 and supplied with plenty of fresh air. A low tempera- 

 ture, as long as frost is held away, in their case is no 

 hindrance to progress. Never attempt to grow them in 

 a warm house or they will speedily become weak and 

 sickly and the prey of their arch-enemy, green aphis. 

 When potting use a light compost; one containing half 

 loam and flaky leaf-mold, with a little old cow manure 

 and sand added will suit young plants. The leaf-mold 

 can be reduced and more cow manure used at the final 

 potting. 



Care of Carnations 



From now on the subject of watering is one upon 

 which volumes might be written and yet not be fully 

 covered, as among a l^rge number of growers many 

 different conditions are daily arising that cannot pos- 

 sibly be met by any arbitrary written directions. The 

 best time to water is in the early forenoon of a bright 

 ■day, at which any necessary spraying to counteract wilt- 

 ing or syringing to destroy spider, should be done. 

 Sometimes every indication points to a fair day, when 

 by eleven o'clock, the sun is obscured and plants have 

 been wet by spraying. This is a bad position in which 

 to be caught, but the best must be made of it. Use 

 every available means that can be employed to dry out 

 the surplus moisture as soon as possible. Under no cir- 

 cumstances close the ventilators and raise the tempera- 

 ture. There must be a circulation of air and this is 

 best accomplished by having on a crack at the ridge. The 

 night care and supervision will now give the grower 

 more or less worry until he gets his winter staff into 

 full training again. 



Marguerites 



In order to flower these plants well they should be 

 allowed to become pot-bound. Marguerites are now 

 making rapid growth, and as the pots are well filled 

 with roots they will like plenty of water and feeding 

 twice a week. When doing any repotting, use a toler- 

 ably rich compost, comprising two-thirds loam, one-third 

 screened dry cow manure, some soot and fine bone. 

 Earn the soil firmly in the pots. The present is a suit- 

 able time to put in a good batch of cuttings. A propa- 

 gating bench which will root carnations or chrysanthe- 

 mums is equally good for marguerites. These cuttings, 

 if kept potted along, will make nice, bushy stock in 6- 

 inch pots by late spring. Plants in pots for Easter 

 flowering" will still need some pinching. This may be 

 discontinued after January 15. Give them any neces- 

 sary repotting using a rich compost, and be sure to 

 always give them an abundance of water at the roots. 



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



Pandanus Veitchii lih 



A decorative subject of rare beauty and considerable Mr\\ 

 importance commercially is Pandanus Veitchii. If too ft<'T,4 

 much encouraged in its growth, it rapidly gains size tiAt. 

 and vigor but at the same time loses in great measure 

 its fine variegation, to which much of its value is due. 

 Pandanus Veitchii, even without excessively high cul- 

 ture, gradually throws off its silvery coloring as it grows 

 older and attains size. It is hard to keep these older 

 plants in good shape and after they have reached a size 

 beyond the seven or eight-inch pot and the greater part 

 of their foliage has reverted in color to a green of unde- 

 sirable tint, it is time to put them out of commission. 

 By cutting off the top or crown of these old plants as 

 far down as the wood is soft and flabby, we induce the . 

 remaining stumps to put forth quite a number of highly 

 colored side shoots and suckers from the roots. When 

 these have gained some substance and strength, they are 

 tfikeu off, if possible with some roots already formed, 

 and potted into small pots using very sandy porous loam. 

 For winter temperature keep from 65 to 70 degrees at 

 night. 



Sowing Fern Spores 



Now is a good time to make a sowing of spores for 

 the filling of fern pans, small vases, etc. The seed pans 

 should be thoroughly cleaned to insure that no germs of 

 moss or fungus are left. A great deal of what is known 

 as damping off has its origin from this source, being the 

 work of a minute fungus. Fill the pans about one- 

 third full with crocks, larger ones in the bottom and 

 those on the top finely broken, and over this place a layer 

 of moss, then fill to within an inch and a half of the top 

 with ordinary potting soil. Over this place half an 

 inch of soil which has been subjected to a baking 

 process long enough to kill all vegetation in it. Use a 

 compost of loam, leaf mold and sand in about equal 

 portion. The surface soil in the pan should be pressed 

 down and made as smooth as possible. A good soaking 

 of water should be given and allowed to drain off before 

 sowing the spores. Sow these thinly — I may say very 

 thinly. Don't cover the spores but place over the pan 

 a close-fitting pane of glass. The glass must be turned 

 frequently to prevent the moisture from dripping which 

 would throw the spores all in little bunches. Start in 

 a close atmosphere from 60 to 65 degrees. 



Protecting Outside Bulbs 



All bulbs that are planted outside in our northern 

 latitude will need winter protection of long coarse ma- 

 nure, litter, leaves or evergreen boughs. This should 

 not be spread over the beds before the ground is frozen 

 quite solid and where the winter is mild it can be left 

 off entirely or until such time as the severe weather sets 

 in. Bulbs that are in flats and are stored outside will 

 need also some protection as we get hard weather. 



Sweet Peas; Easter Lilies; Mignonette; Orchids; 

 Bulbous Stock. 



Propagation; Starting 



