February 25, 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



243 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists^ Stock 



ASPIDISTRAS 



Tlie demand for these plants is always good. By their 

 great constitution they are able to stand more abuse than 

 most plants, especially where there is dry air, dust, and 

 lack of light. Now is a good time, before they start 

 active growth, to propagate whatever stock you may need. 

 Break up large plivnts so as to go into 3 or 4-inch pots 

 saving a good piece of the rhizome to each division. Use 

 any good soil and keep close until new roots have started. 

 Another way is to wash the rhizomes clean of soil and 

 cut up into sjuall pieces, leaving some roots attached and 

 place in a conl propagating bed where they will make 

 fresh roots which can be potted up and grown on. These 

 plants like a temperature of .50 to 55 degrees at night 

 with a day temperature of 65 to 75 degrees, according 

 to the intensity of sunshine. 



FERNS 



A good many fern trays will now need attention. A 

 good compost for the little ferns is fresh loam, two parts, 

 leaf mold and sandy peat, one part. For 4-inch pots a 

 heavier soil should be used. Ferns do not like to be 

 potted too firm. After potting a reasonable amount of 

 atmospheric humidity should be kept up, but never to tlie 

 extent to cause dripping moisture on the plants. ^YhiIe 

 ventilation is necessary to counteract stagnant atmos- 

 phere, all drafts should be guarded against now and dur- 

 ing the s]iring months; in fact, at any season it is not 

 good for ferns. Now is a good time to multiply your 

 stock l)y division of the many species of commercial 

 value. Select plants that are in active growth or begin- 

 ning to show new life, divide them up into pieces large 

 enougli for 3 or 4-inch pots and keep rather moist and 

 shaded during the brightest hours of sunshine. Water 

 witli the greatest care until new growth starts Most 

 ferns should have some shade from now until ne.xt Octo- 

 ber. For a mixed house of ferns a temperature as near 

 as possible to 60 degi'ees with a sliglit rise through the 

 mid-day hours will do, but, of course, to have them good 

 the treatment as regards temperature, moisture and soil 

 must differ as to varieties. Sow spores now of any kind 

 needed, in a soil that is somewhat porous coupled with 

 good drainage. Cover with a glass and keep shaded un- 

 til the growth appears. Keep the soil moist by sinking 

 the pans up to the rim in a tub of water when they 

 need water. 



JERUSALEM CHERRIES 



When these seedlings are sufficiently large to handle 

 they should be pricked off into flats, and when well estab- 

 lished in these flats they should be potted into small pots 

 and later into larger, so as to keep them growing. In 

 their early stages they should be frequently pinched to 

 make bushy plants. When danger from frost is over 

 they can be planted out into the open ground where they 

 will thrive in any soil even under apparently adverse cir- 

 cumstances. 



PALMS 



Diminished light, and artificially maintained temper- 

 ature during winter has offered every opportunity for 

 mealy bug, scale, and red spider. Now is a good time 

 to undertake their eradication before the hustle of spring 

 starts. Give all a good sponging with some good insecti- 

 cide, or use one ounce of whale oil soap to one gallon of 

 water and combine with forceful syringing and repeat 

 several times if necessary. Before they are set up and 



reari-anged the benches should receive a good cleaning 

 and, if possible, replace the old material with fresh. If 

 old material is left on, drench with boiling water. The 

 palms should now be looked over and potted, where 

 needed, using a rather heavy soil liberally enriched with 

 about one-fourth of well decayed cow manure, addingtwo 

 pounds of bone meal to each barrow of soil. All palms 

 that have reached a certain height and spread should be 

 encouraged by giving more root room, but don't over- 

 pot them. See that the soil is made firm all around the 

 old ball. Those that do not need potting will be better 

 to have as much of the old surface soil removed without 

 an undue sacrifice of roots. Make this surface material 

 I'icher than the potting soil. Palms after repotting 

 should be kept rather close with a temperature of from 

 60 to 65 degrees. Young stock that is grown on should 

 lie kept in a higher temperature, say, from 65 to 70 

 degrees. 



PHALAENOPSIS 



As these orchids pass out of flower they are always 

 lietter for a short rest. They should be kept compara- 

 tively dry but not allowed to remain dry for any length 

 iif time as they have no pseudo-bulbs in wliich to store 

 up nourishment. When the compost assumes a slight 

 crispness to the touch it is time to give them some 

 water. Before they send forth their new roots they 

 should be repotted or fresh material given. Where the 

 compost is good it is not necessary to remove it all every 

 year. Just pick out some of the old compost and renew 

 with chopped live sphagnum and fern fibre in equal 

 parts. They grow very well in a night temperature of 

 6"2 to 68 degrees and from 70 to 75 by day, but with 

 solar heat give a few more degrees. Light syringing 

 occasionally is essential at all seasons except when they 

 are in flower when it should be discontinued. Give fresh 

 air Viut avoid all sudden drops in the temperature and 

 cold draughts, as they require considerable care to main- 

 tain an even temperature while ventilating. In their 

 growing seasons, the walks, walls and under the benches 

 should be kept well saturated with water as these or- 

 chids come from a very hot and humid climate. They 

 should be shaded from now until November, but not 

 heavy enough to shut out the indirect rays. Phalsenop- 

 sis amabilis, Schilleriana and Eimestadtiana are good 

 kinds. 



YOUNG LORRAINE BEGONIAS 



Cuttings that were placed in the sand after the mid- 

 dle of January should all be nearly ready to be potted 

 off. Use no manure for the first potting, but make the 

 soil porous by adding sand and leaf mold. For later 

 shifts use some old well-rotted manure intermixed 

 tlirough soil. Give them an average temperature of 

 about 65 degrees for newly-potted stock. When they get 

 well established 5 degi^ees lower will do. Shade against 

 bright sun and water with care, especially during periods 

 of prolonged rainy, misty or gloomy weather. To insure 

 plants of symmetrical shape judicious pinching should 

 be resorted to. Keep the plants close to the glass espe- 

 cially during their early stage of growth. This begonia 

 is exacting in its requirements as regards light, ventila- 

 tion, moisture and watering. If these are made right it 

 will respond and make rapid growth. 



Mr. FarreU's next notes win be on the foUowing: Bedding 

 Plants; Boronlas; Enijllsb Ivy; Fancy Leaved Caladiums; Pansiea; 

 Plants for Vases, Boies and Baskets. 



