October 1. 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



465 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists^ Stock 



ACACIAS 



Piauis that were trimmed back last spring and have 

 been plunged out of doors all summer should have now 

 finished up a fine growth which will not fail to give a 

 profusion of wonderful bloom by next Easter. These 

 plants do not like heat, and consequently are not 

 adapted for forcing. They should be wintered in a cool 

 house, and as near as possible allowed to come along 

 naturally. They thrive in a winter temperature of 40 

 to 45 degrees, and if Easter is late they should be kept 

 just a little above the freezing point, as with the in- 

 creasing heat and light of the spring it is sometimes 

 hard to keep them back. There are a great many spe- 

 cies of acacias, but only a few that merit a place in the 

 florists' plant collection. For the trade the dwarf va- 

 rieties are found to be the most satisfactory in every 

 way. Some of the best are Acacia armata, A. cordata, 

 A. lineata, A. grandis, A. paradoxa, A. heterophylla, 

 and a few others. 



CANTERBURY BELLS 



These planis possess so many advantages that all 

 florists should grow some. Their culture is simple, re- 

 quiring only very little handling and care. Those who 

 planted out a batch last spring in the open border should 

 now lift a good numlier and pot them up, using any 

 good rose or carnation soil. Azalea or half pots are 

 the best to use. Plants that have been grown in the 

 field will give the biggest plants, though they are not 

 necessarily the most floriferous. I prefer constant pot 

 culture for these plants, because you will get better 

 and stocky specimens, that are always well established 

 before winter sets in, and such stock is always sure to 

 give the best results when grown under glass. When 

 lifting and pottin? field-grown stock, they should be 

 given a semi-shady spot outside for a week or so, and 

 after that expose them to the full sunshine. 'WHien 

 severe frost threatens thev can be placed in a deep 

 frame, where they can remain until wanted for indoor 

 blooming. 



CARNATIONS 



It is time now to have your carnation supports in 

 place. When this has been done the heaviest part of 

 the reason's work is over. Your time in the future will 

 be taken up with tlie more pleasant but equally im- 

 portant work of keeping tlie plants in a trim and 

 liealthy condition. Heat, air and water are three im- 

 portant factors for the grower to have under control. 

 We must regulate the water supply and the ventilation 

 almost entirely by the amount of sunshine we get, over 

 which we have not the least control. When there is 

 plentv of sunny weather the plants will want plenty 

 of wntei' and fresh air. but when conditions are the re- 

 verse the plants grow slower, with evaporation more 

 tardv, which means that they want less water. Tliere 

 will be many nights in the next few weeks when you 

 will have to run heat around your houses, but keep the 

 ventilators up a little, as the moisture will not gather 

 in the house so much, and the various spot diseases will 

 not start so readily. The plants should be gone over 

 at least once a week and disbudded. Fumigating once 

 a week is a sure preventive for green flv and thrips. 

 If the plants have made a good growth the soil in the 

 bench will be partiallv exhausted and feeding from 



now on may be done with safety. A light dusting of 

 sheep manure once a week will be very beneficial. 



HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS 



Now is a good time to set about making or arranging 

 a herbaceous border. The first point to be considered is 

 the location; if possible, give your border a back- 

 ground, also a place where it may be seen to good ad- 

 vantage, as it will be a good advertisement in display- 

 ing a number of each variety. A good many retail 

 florists have Mdiat they call a show border, and it helps 

 wonderfully in selling their field grown stock of peren- 

 nials. Tu the preparation of the soil for a show border, 

 you can scarcely give too much attention. If it is too 

 wet it should be drained. If inclined to stifl'ness, or 

 of a clayey nature, it should be thoroughly worked to 

 a dcjjth of 15 to 18 inches and a quantity of manure 

 incorporated into it. If light and of a sandy nature, 

 the addition of some swamp muck and good manure will 

 improve it. The following is a good list to jflant in 

 sucli a liorder, using judgment in planting the dwarf 

 varieties on the edge or front and those of medium 

 height for the center and the tall growing varieties for 

 the background. Achilleas, alyssums, pinks, Phlox 

 subulata and davaricata canadensis. Primula veris, and 

 Iberis sempervirens, — these are good for the front of the 

 border. Anemone japonica. Queen Charlotte, and 

 Whirlwind, aquilegias, ]\Iiehaelmas daisies, Chrysanthe- 

 mum maximum. Coreopsis lanceolata. Delphinium for- 

 mosum, Dicentra spectabilis, Gaillardia grandiflora, 

 Gypsophila paniculata. Lobelia cardinalis, Lupinus 

 polyphyllus, Monarda didyma and splendens, peonies, 

 Pa)iaver orientate, pentstemons, digitalis, phloxes, Py- 

 rethrum roseum, — these are of medium height and 

 good for the center. Hollyhocks, boltonias, Bocconia 

 cordata. Digitalis gloxiniieflora, helianthus, Eujiatorium 

 purpureum. Hibiscus moscheutos, Aconitum Fischeri, 

 and Cimicifuga racemosa, — these are tall growing va- 

 rieties and are good for the background. 



NEPHROLEPIS 



It is now time to work up bench-grown stock into 

 salable form. An early potting off is essential to con- 

 vert them into good stock for winter and spring sales. 

 Only when well established in their pans, pots and 

 baskets, and somewhat hardened off, do these ferns up- 

 liold their reputation as a decorative subject. A good 

 soil to use is one that is rather stiff, but well enriched 

 with good old manure, prepared some time before using, 

 to which a good proportion of coarse sand is added. 

 The potted pans, pots, or baskets, should bo placed 

 under a shading for a week or two and then gradually 

 inured to the full light and abundant ventilation. 



POLYPODIUMS 



Polypodium aureum is a most useful and decorative 

 pl.int, and should be more grown as it will stand a dry 

 atmosphere very well. The spores should be sown on 

 a mixture of very finely chopped fern root and moss 

 wnth a little fine soil added. The seed pans should be 

 placed in a temperature of 65 to 75 degrees, and in 

 shaded position, covering with a pane of glass until 

 Ihey sferminate. .^s soon as they begin to make fronds 

 trnnsplfint to other pans. This fern can also be in- 

 creased by rhizomes. 



Mr. F.irrell's next notes will be on the foUowing: Chrysan- 

 themums: Dutch Bulbs: English lyy; Ficus pandurat.i; Lilies: 

 Miltonias. 



NHW 



