December 24, 1910 



HORTICULTURE 



899 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists^ Stock 



ANTHERICDMS 



This plant has a very hardy constitution standing 

 well sudden changes, drjuess of air or at the roots, which 

 makes it a valuable plant for the conservatory, window 

 decoration or for vases, baskets, and boxes. As the 

 plants flower they produce a crop of small clusters of 

 leaves along the flowering stems. Cut these off in- 

 dividually with a piece of the stem and insert in the 

 cutting bed where they will root in a very short time. 

 Any large clumps that have been resting under the 

 benches can be broken up so as to fit in 3 or 4-inch pots 

 using any good soil and they will make good plants by 

 next spring. Anthericum variegatum and A. media 

 picta are both good. 



BODVAEDIA CUTTINGS 



Pot plants that have been rested and hardened off, can 

 now be cut back and placed in a temperature of from 60 

 to 65 degrees at night. Give them frequent syringing 

 to cause them to break into new growth for cuttings. 

 When the growths are from 2 to 3 inches they are about 

 in the right condition to propagate. Place these cut- 

 tings in a brisk heat in a propagating frame and keep 

 the atmosphere moist' and close until they have formed 

 roots, when they should be potted ofl' into 21/2 or 3-inch 

 pots, using a good fibrous soil with about one-fourth 

 each of peat and leaf mold and a sprinkling of sand. 

 After potting keep the plants moist and close for a few 

 days and also shaded from the sun. Grow in a minimum 

 temperature of 60 degrees at night with a rise of 70 to 

 75 during the day. The leading shoots should be 

 topped to ensure a nice bushy habit, and as they grow 

 they should be shifted on until a 6 or 7-inch pot is 

 reached — that is for pot culture. 



CARE OF PALMS AND FOLIAGE PLANTS 



The majority of palms, ferns, and foliage plants are 

 greatly benefited by a season of partial or absolute rest 

 especially those that are in fair-sized pots. The winter 

 is their natural season of rest in our northern hemis- 

 phere. So now is the time when days are short and 

 sunshine at its lowest ebb, to give these plants a short 

 season of rest. This beneficial rest can be brought on 

 by reducing to a minimum temperature suitable to the 

 culture of the various species, and by a judicious dimin- 

 ishing of the usual water supply. The atmosphere 

 should be kept dry so as to retard their growth, 

 which will mean a better growth and more perfect 

 specimens later on. Proper ventilation is very import- 

 ant for palms at all seasons of the year. They should 

 have as much air as possible without causing a draught 

 or sudden falling of the temperature. During the winter 

 months one must be guided entirely by outside weather 

 conditions as no hard and fast rules can be laid down 

 Cleanliness is a great point in the cultivation of palms 

 and foliage plants. On the first appearance of insect 

 life, immediate steps should he taken for their destruc- 

 tion, and a constant surveillance maintained to stop 

 their spread. Scale is the worst pest that palm grower? 

 have to contend with. Sponge the leaves occasionally 



with a solution of whale oil soap, one ounce to one gal- 

 lon of warm water, Aphine, or about a % ounce of fir 

 tree oil to one gallon of water and they will soon dis- 

 appear. For resting palms the temperature should be 

 kept as near 55 degrees as possible with a rise of 8 to 

 10 degrees during the day. 



CALLAS 



These plants will assure fair returns if grown under 

 anything like fair treatment during the winter and 

 spring. When in full growth they love lots of moisture, 

 so should be given a bench, or still better a house, ez- 

 clusively for themselves. Now when the days are bound 

 to be very cold, necessitating a great amount of fire heat, 

 a sufficient amount of water should be used on the paths 

 and around the house for the prevention of a harsh and 

 dry atmosphere. On all good days give them a syringing 

 after the flowers have been cut. Ventilation should be 

 given on all favorable days to avoid a stagnant or too 

 muggy humidity. When a batch of callas are in con- 

 tinuous flower they eagerly take up large quantities of 

 plant food from the soil and should have liquid manure 

 regularly once a week and, when spring is nearing, twice 

 a week. In order to bloom well they require a night 

 temperature of from 55 to 60 degrees. Don't fail to 

 fumigate regularly or greenfly and thrips will get ahead 

 of you. About once a week should keep the plants free 

 from their attacks. 



DOUBLE PETUNIAS 



stock plants that were kept in cool house for the pur- 

 pose of propagating should now be brought into a tem- 

 perature of about 55 degrees at night. Place on a light 

 bench near the glass and syringe daily so as to produce 

 sturdy and short pointed growth. Put in successive lots 

 of cuttings from now on as this is the most favorable 

 season for the increase of stock. Don't let a foot of your 

 propagating bench run idle. When rooted they can be 

 potted into 2i/2-iiieh, using any good soil. None of the 

 annuals are easier grown into fine, compact market 

 plants than the petunia. Well-grown plants in 4 or 5- 

 inch pots will make fine flowering stock for early spring 

 sales. They make a very profitable plant as they require 

 a very short time to become salable. 



LILIUM SPECIOSUM 



For most growers it is a good plan to grow quite a 

 few of these lilies, as they generally bloom at a season 

 when other flowers are scarce, making them very valu- 

 able. They can be grown in pots, using four bulbs to a 

 7-incii pot, five btilbs to an 8-inch pot, and six bulbs to 

 a 9-inch pot. The soil should be a good fibry loam en- 

 riched with very well rotted manure, using about a 

 fourth to the bulk of soil. To insure good drainage crock 

 the pots well and pot moderately firm. Before potting 

 see that the soil is in an equably moist state as these 

 lilies want very little water until they have filled the pots 

 with roots. Place under some bench where there is nO' 

 drip, and where the temperature can be evenly main- 

 tained at about 40 degrees, with all the ventilation that 

 you can possible give. When they have started a couple 

 of inches of growth they should be brought up to the 

 light so as to have them grow along sturdy. The worst 

 enemies of the lily when grown indoors are the aphis. 

 Fumigate frequently — at least once a week. 



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

 Farleyense; Care of Young Cyclamens; Dracaenas; Gloxinias; 

 Oncldiumt ; Roses. 



