August 27, 1910 



HORTICULTURE, 



301 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists^ Stock 



HOUSING TENDER PLANTS 



Cool nights may be expected at any time after this 

 date, so it is well to prepare for the protection of all 

 tender plants. Those that have been planted out in the 

 field, such as crotons, draesnas, ficus and other palms 

 and foliage plants in pots or tubs, should be taken in 

 before they change their color by too much cold. 

 Tender stock that is planted out should be lifted care- 

 fully, potted and removed to winter quarters. Put the 

 plants in the smallest pots possible, as they will estab- 

 lish more quickly and give you a chance to shift them 

 into larger pots in the spring. Give frequent syringings 

 but not too much water at the root, keeping- the house 

 close and moist until the plants are well established. 

 What can be done now to advantage in housing plants, 

 don't put off until tomorrow. 



OTAHEITE ORANGE 



This plant is a popular subject when well grown. 

 Plants that were rested up last year in order to harden 

 their wood for this season's bloom and fruit, should 

 now be covered with their green fruit. By the first 

 week in September they should be housed so as to help 

 to color the fruit. The best results are secured when 

 they become pot-bound. A weekly watering with liquid 

 manure will be found very helpful. These plants like 

 any amount of syringing, which they should get on all 

 bright days. If this is followed up there will be little 

 excuse for having them full of scale, but where syring- 

 ing does not keep them clean you will have to sponge 

 the plants with fir tree oil. They should be grown in 

 an intermediate house at about 50 to 55 degs. at night. 



FEEDING AND DISBUDDING CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



Tliese plants should be making a strong, healthy 

 growth, if proper care has been accorded them. If 

 such is the case a little extra nourishment should be 

 applied as chrysanthemums are gross feeders. Start 

 with a light mulch of well-rotted manure. Don't put 

 the manure on too thick; Just enough to cover the soil 

 to the depth of about an inch is sufficient, remember- 

 ing that it is better to apply it at two or three different 

 times than to give one heavy coat. Give all pot plants 

 that are well established liquid manure once s week. 

 When the buds begin to swell on benched stock they 

 should also have liquid feeding. Taking the bud and 

 disbudding will now occupy a good deal of your time. 

 Disbudding is best done in the early morning, being 

 more brittle at that time. Fumigate often and per- 

 sistently so as to keep the buds clean. 



LAELIAS 



In growing these fine orchids, as with all other 

 species, we have to imitate the climate in which they are 

 found. La?lias are found in the humid mountain forests 

 of Mexico and tropical America, growing and blooming 

 in ravines and along the margins of rivers where 

 copious, heavy dews and morning fogs give the required 

 amount of moisture during dry season, when the orchids 

 are resting, followed by saturating rains while growing. 

 To grow these orchids with anv kind of success the 

 temperature should range in winter from 60 to 65 de- 

 grees at night, rising to 70 to 75 degrees with sunshine, 

 allowing a rise of 10 degrees towards midsummer and 

 gradually decreasing towards late fall to the minimum. 

 They like at all times a light and airy position, with 

 abundance of overhead watering when growing, and 

 after flowering a good period of rest. Siich varieties 

 as La'lin autumnalis and aneep-;. when about to send 



up their flower scapes, if needed for early flowering, can 

 be given 10 degrees extra heat without injury, but if 

 late blooms are wanted they can be retarded by putting 

 them in a lightly shaded and cool position. With the 

 following varieties you can keep up a succession of 

 bloom from fall until late in the spring: Lajlia albida, 

 Perrinii, harpophylla, purpurata, Bootheana, and in- 

 cluding the two mentioned above. 



HOUSING BOUVARDIAS 



Now is a good time to house bouvardias so that early 

 frosts will not catch them. It is only right to give 

 them the full benefit of the favorable weather we have 

 during September to become firmly established under 

 glass. In lifting these plants get all the roots possible 

 and remove from the field to the bench or pots without 

 delay. The house should be kept rather close and 

 moist and the glass shaded until new roots form, when 

 the plants will be in a condition to stand full sunshine 

 and lots of ventilation. After planting they will need 

 frequent spraying to keep them from wilting. Twelve to 

 fifteen inches apart on the bench is about right. Only 

 rich, porous and friable soil will grow bouvardias. They 

 do fairly well in pots, but the best success is secured 

 from bench culture. With a temperature of 60 to 65 

 degs. an enormous crop of fine flowers will result. 



LIFTING HYDRANGEAS 



Hydrangeas in the open field should now be lifted and 

 potted. To wait for a few light frosts to accelerate the 

 ripening of the wood, as some are accustomed to do, is 

 more or less a risk, and potting of the plants should not 

 be delayed too long for that reason. Tliey should be 

 potted in a size or two larger than the plants would 

 seem to require. The soil should be a heavy loam, well 

 enriched with manure, and with good drainage. They 

 can be left outdoors for some time, providing some 

 sashes are kept within handy reach. When the time 

 comes to house them a place under the bench in a cool 

 house will suit them. Give only enough water to keep 

 them from drying out entirely. They should have at 

 ieast ten weeks' rest before forcing. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the followiug. Vinca cut- 

 ;lngs; Dracaena Indlvlsa: Lorraine Begonia; Ullum candidum; 



Pandanus Veitrliii; Stevias; Cyclamen; Amaryllis. 



Cattleya Harrisoniae 



The flower which is the subject of our title page 

 illustration this week "comes in very handy in late sum- 

 mer" as our orchid correspondent, M. J. Pope, stated 

 in his notes on cattleya culture in issue of Aug. 13. We 

 saw this pretty orchid used with telling effect in a large 

 wreath at Thos. F. Galvin's in Boston a few days ago, 

 the other material in the wreatli being Liberty roses 

 and lily of the valley. The cattleyas were used in 

 sprays hanging gi-acefully from the base of the wreath. 

 While the flowers of Cattleya Harrisoniae are much 

 smaller than those of the species usually grown for flor- 

 ists' use and consequently must be sold at a lower price 

 per flower yet their free-flowering habit makes up for 

 this and they are equally as profitable to grow as the 

 more showy species. They also bloom along from 

 August to October, filling in a time when the supply of 

 such material is low. The flowers are of a beautiful 

 rose color, with the lip lightly tinged with yellow. The 

 plants require more light, and less water at the roots 

 than most of the other cattleyas. 



