70 



HORTICULTURE 



January 21, 1911 



should not be rigidly kept up if the weather is very 

 severe ; a drop of a few degrees is better than over-doing 

 fire heat. A few degrees either way must be given at 

 the grower's discretion. 



Airing a vinery is a vei'y important factor, numerous 

 ills arising out of carelessly admitting too much air, or 

 not enough. At this time of the year little air will be 

 needed, but as the sun increases in power more will be 

 necessary. Avoid all draughts which will cause mildew 

 or spider later. The result of insufficient air will be 

 burning of the tender growths and later on rust, spot 

 and scalding of the berries. 



PEACH TREES 



started in December will now be 

 in flower. Keep a night tem- 

 perature of 45 to 50 degrees. 

 Give' all air possible through the 

 dayVuSing a' crack on the bottom 

 towards noon. Kun house up to 

 65 to 70 degrees with sun heat 

 and keep a dryer atmosphere. 

 Trees should receive a sharp shake 

 at midday to distribute the pollen 

 or the flowers touched gently with 

 a fine brush, or a soft piece of 

 fur. A rabbit's tail mounted on 

 a stick often serves the purpose 

 well. 



GLOBE ARTICHOKES 



There is always a doubt of this 

 serviceable vegetable surviving the 

 winter, although every care may 

 have been taken to protect them. 

 A sowing should be made now to 

 replenish any that may have died 

 and also to furnish new beds. 

 Sow in pans or flats in well 

 drained soil and pot on when 

 ready. Give all possible light by 

 placing on shelf or bench near 

 the glass. These can be grown 

 with onions and hardened ofi 

 with them. 



LETTUCE 



A few flats of lettuce can be 

 sown to furnish a first cut where 

 a supply has not been kept up 

 the winter through. Varieties are 

 so numerous mention of them is 

 almost needless, some varieties 

 claiming preference to others in 

 certain districts. All Year Round, 

 Balmoral and May King should 

 be given a trial. 



ENDIVE 



FIREFLY CLARKIA. 



requires similar growing con- 

 ditions to lettuce until time 

 for blanching. The cool end of the house should be 

 given to it. If sown now it will be necessary to blanch 

 it by inverting a pot over each or making a section 

 of tire bench dark. 



The Journal of Horticulture for 

 June 9th, 1910, says of the elegant 

 novelty herewith pictured, that "It 

 may be taken for granted that there 

 will be many more pot-grown Clarkias 

 next year, since Messrs. Sutton so 

 successfully exhibited those beautiful, 

 graceful pyramids of theirs at the 

 Temple Show. The variety Firefly, a 

 lovely rosy-scarlet, standing 4 ft. high, 

 would make an ideal conservatory 

 ornament, and some of us will try our 

 skill to reproduce something like it. 

 Carnation-flaked and Double Salmon 

 are also fine varieties. 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists' Stock 



CARNATION CUTTINGS 



Cuttings should be taken early in the morning while 

 they are fresh and crisp. Do not take those that are too 

 young and soft. Dip them in cool water and trim up 

 in a cool place. Insert as soon as possible in the prop- 

 agating bench. Spray lightly early every brigiit morning 

 so as to keep the foliage moist during the day, but try to 

 have the foliage dry by night. The cuttings that were 

 put in during December will like- 

 ly be ready to pot by this time. 

 After a cutting is well rooted you 

 should lose no time in potting up 

 for they don't improve by remain- 

 ing in the sand any longer. Be- 

 fore potting harden them up a 

 little by gradually giving more 

 sunlight each day, until the roots 

 have pushed far enough to enable 

 them to stand full sun. Cuttings 

 thus treated will take hold much 

 Cjuicker as there will be less wilt- 

 ing after potting. Use new soil 

 that has been exposed to the 

 action of weather. Screen 

 through a half-inch mesh and it 

 is important to have it moist 

 enough. Pot firmly and water 

 tlioroughly as soon after as prac- 

 tical. Shade for a few days and 

 then give full sunlight. 



DRACAENA INDIVISA 



This is one of the most useful 

 jjlants for the retail florist. For 

 all outdoor embellishments such 

 as the filling of vases, window 

 l)0xes and tubs, it is almost indis- 

 pensable. It takes a full two 

 years or over to make a good spec- 

 imen. Seed should be sown now 

 in sandy soil and kept moist, in 

 a temperature from GO to 65 de- 

 grees at night. When the young 

 seedlings are large enough pot 

 them into 2y2-inch pots and shift 

 during the summer as their 

 growth may require until the 

 spring following, when they 

 should be planted outside in the 

 open ground until fall. Those 

 that are in 5 to 7-inch pots 



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--<^?vv., 



Mr. Penson'g next notes will be on the following topics: 

 Frnit Trees In Pots; Reference Roards; Beans for Pot Work. 



should now be given from 50 to 

 55 degrees at night. Give them 

 a dose of liquid manure about once 

 a week and they will make fine 

 plants for spring sales. 



GRAFTING ROSES 



Having formed an idea of what stock is needed it 

 behooves the grower to either graft or propagate now 

 right along. Before you start grafting see that your 

 grafting frames are made as nearly air tight as possi- 

 ble and so arranged that a temperature of about 80 

 degrees can easily be maintained. Apply a good coat 

 of whitewash to the woodwork, see that free drainage is 

 arranged, and then finish off with about 2 or 3 inches of 

 screened ashes or sand. Before the pots are put in 

 ^ive the bed so prepared a good soaking, to furnish 



