266 



HORTICULTURE 



August 20, 1910 



6 or 7-irich pot is reached, which makes a good blooming 

 size. When they are established they should have full 

 sun and be kept as near the glass as possible. To have 

 nice bushy plants they should be pinched two or three 

 times during the remainder of tlie season. Give them 

 a syringing every fine day. When the flower buds 

 appear give plenty of well diluted liquid manure. These 

 plants will give a profusion of blooms all through the 

 winter and early spring. Browallia elata, white and 

 blue, are the two best varieties for the florist to grow. 



cocos 



Of all the cocoses Weddeliana is the most important 

 one for the florist. Not only is it good for fern dishes 

 but it make."; a favorite palm for house decoration, espe- 

 cially for table use either individually or as a center 

 piece for a number of other plants. Plants that are in 

 4 to 6-inch pots will make serviceable sizes for such 

 work. Now is a good time to do any repotting that may 

 be required as later root action will be less active. They 

 like a soil sandy in texture — a good compost of leaf 

 mold and peat, one-third of each, mixed with a good 

 fibrous loam and sand. In one or two points the culti- 

 vation of this palm differs from that of other palms in 

 requiring a higher temperature. They should never be 

 grown under 65 degrees in winter, and heavy syringing 

 is very injurious. The persistent ramming usually done 

 in potting other palms should not be exercised with 

 Cocos Weddeliana as looser potting suits them better. 

 They thrive better when given a house for themselves. 

 If such accommodation is not practical, give them at 

 least a bench for their exclusive occupancy. The floors 

 should be syringed often to keep the atmosphere moist. 



GERANIUM CUTTINGS 



Start now without delay in propagating your stock of 

 geraniums. Of the three methods of rooting these 

 plants — namely, in the cutting bench, in flats, or small 

 pots, I prefer putting the cuttings in the propagating 

 bench as a greater number of plants can be raised in a 

 given time than by either of the other methods. 

 Sturdy, short-jointed top cuttings of three to four 

 inches long, will make the best plants for next spring's 

 trade. For the next three weeks good geraniums can 

 be struck, give them room, light, air and in a house 

 that averages 55 degrees at night during the winter. 

 Give the cuttings a thorough watering when first put in, 

 which will do them for several days. After that only 

 water when they are quite dry. See that they have 

 plenty of air when the weather is favorable. Go over 

 the cuttings frequently and remove any dead and 

 dying leaves or any plants that may have damped off. 



MTOSOTIS 



There is nothing better for dotting among such bulbs 

 as hyacinths and tulips in the spring than Myosotis. 

 They can also be used to good advantage for planting 

 in the rock garden and cemetery. Sow seed now in a 

 coldframe in some good compost and give a good soak- 

 ing of water. Keep them shaded until they germinate. 

 Then let them have full light and air. When large 

 enough they can be planted out in other frames or flats. 

 If wanted for pot culture Myosotis dissitiflora and 

 Eoyal BliTe are excellent. They sell well put up in 

 small baskets in the spring. These plants are well 

 worthy of more attention as they can be planted out 

 early and will give a good display of bloom in beds that 

 are later filled up with the usual summer plants. 



SWEET PEAS 



For the crop that is wanted from December to April 

 sow the seed now either in the benches where thev are to 



grow, or if you wi\nt to hold them for the house or 

 bench occupied with early chrysanthemums you can 

 sow 8 or 10 seeds in a 4-inch pot, which can be planted 

 as soon as the chrysanthemums are gone. Always give 

 them a good rich compost — say about three parts of 

 turf loam with one part of well-rotted manure. While 

 sweet pea culture is by no means wholly dependent on 

 the soil, it is evident to any one that without a congenial 

 soil from which to draw the necessary food supply, re- 

 turns from the plants will be unsatisfactory. In bright 

 sunny weather syringe every day so as to keep up as 

 cool an atmospheric condition as possible. Plenty of 

 ventilation is of primary importance. The ventilators 

 should only be closed when the outside temperature is 

 too low or the inclemency of the weather makes airing 

 impossible. Give a winter temperature of from 45 to 50 

 degrees at night with a rise of 10 or 15 degrees higher 

 with sunshine. Weekly smoldng with tobacco will 

 easily keep down the green fly. 



REPAIRING THE HEATING APPARATUS 



Now is a good time to see that the heating apparatus 

 is put in perfect working order so as to meet the onset 

 of the coming winter. Any weak points that were dis- 

 covered last winter in the piping or the boiler should 

 now be again thoroughly examined before hard firing 

 becomes necessary. There is no better time than the 

 present to stop all leaks by overhauling all defectire 

 joints here or there, replacing all split or cracked 

 lengths of pipe with sound ones. Sometimes it happens 

 that a close inspection late in the season reveals defects 

 in an apparatus — usually the boiler — which escapes de- 

 tection earlier in the season but now makes hasty re- 

 pairs necessary, what seemed only a small defect at 

 first often ending with the purchase of a new boiler. 

 Temporary makeshifts in the winter are all right, but 

 any repairing done now should be lasting and thorough 

 going. 



Profitable Orchids for the Cut 

 Flower Market 



(Continued from Pa^e 20 j, Issue 0/ August /j.) 

 DENDROBIUMS 



Dendrobium formosum giganteum when well done is 

 one of the most profitable orchids to grow; their beauti- 

 ful white flowers always finding a ready sale at a good 

 figure. These, like nearly all Dendrobiums, must have 

 very small pots in comparison to the size of the plants 

 and but a very little compost about their roots. They 

 require very little shade at any time of the year, and 

 an abundance of heat and moisture during their grow- 

 ing season. In winter they must be thoroughly rested 

 by withholding water and keeping them cool in full 

 iun. With D. Phalncnopsis one must almost go to ex- 

 tremes in the size of pots used when potting up new 

 imported plants; a 2i/^ to 3-inch pot being large enough 

 to accommodate plants with from four to six bulbs, no 

 matter how tall these are. Other good Dendrobiums 



