April 1, 1911 • 



HORTICULTURE 



481 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of Florists' Stock 



AJIAHYLI.IS 



'J'lie display of bloom on these plants depends in a 

 great measure on the care and ])reparation of the bulbs 

 the year previous to flowering. As they go out of flower 

 they should be placed on an airy, sunny bench. See 

 that they are carefully watered as they should be kept 

 growing all summer; don't dry them of: until the fall. 

 They can be placed in an open frame when danger of 

 frost is past. Plunge in some light material and give 

 frequent waterings during the hot weather and with 

 slight cleaning now and then they will need no more 

 attention. These bulbs can be increased by offsets and 

 by seed. 



HAliDY ROSES 



It is gi-eat advantage for dormant hybrid perpetuals 

 to be planted early in order to allow tliem to make some 

 new roots before the growth of foliage starts. Trench 

 the ground thoroughly, working in a liberal application 

 of barnyard manure. I thinlv it is wise to give them 

 jjlenty of room between the rows — say three feet or 

 more and from 15 to 18 inches in the rows. This en- 

 ables you to work through them during the summer, and 

 gives room for winter protection. Hybrid Perpetuals 

 should he replanted or replaced with young two-year- 

 old stock every eight or ten years. It is better to ])lant 

 a new bed every five or six years, as hybrids give very 

 poor results the first season after being planted, then 

 you can have the old beds to cut from. On old beds 

 give additional stimulant such as fertilizer, pure bone 

 meal, or liquid manure. This should be applied about 

 the 20th of May. Now is the best time to prune roses. 

 Frequent hoeing among the jilants to keep the surface 

 loose is especially beneficial in and during dry spells. 



HAKDT STOCK FOIt LATE SPRING SALES 



Florists who carry a line of hardy stock generally 

 liave calls late in the season when it is too late to dig 

 the plants because of their being in leaf. Prepare now 

 for this demand by having an assortment of hardy 

 roses, climbers, perennials, shrubs, trees and other nur- 

 sery stock potted up. Landscape work being done late 

 in the season always calls for these pot plants. There 

 is no better time to sow hardy perennials than now. 

 Seed can be sown in a cold frame or in the open ground 

 on a well prepared and mellow surface. Make rows 

 three or four inches apart and cover the seed about 

 three times their size with soil. The surface should be 

 pressed firmly and kept moderately moist. After they 

 come u[i thin out to 3 or 4 inches apart. The plants 

 that you thin out can be transplanted into other quar- 

 ters, and if shaded and watered for a few days will be- 

 come well established. When large enough for final 

 planting out, plant in roW'S far enough apart to run a 

 hand cultivator between them, as they should have con- 

 stant cultivation. 



SALVIAS 



l*'iii' sLiiunicr bedding t(j form the rear rows of borders, 

 for covering the rough foundation of brick or stone, and 

 also as screens for unsightly corners or isolated groups 

 there is notliing better than the old Salvia splendens. 

 Seed that were sown early will now be covering the seed 

 |)ans or flats with nice thriftv plantlets. They should 

 bo pricked out as soon as tliey can be handled. Those 

 that are of good size can be potted up into "2 or 3-inch 

 pots, ^^^len yet soft and growing rapidly iie careful of 

 any sudden changes in temperature, or cold drafts. It 

 is not too late yet for the striking of another batch of 

 cuttings from last year's plants. 



SHADING 



We a IP now coming into the warm and sunny days 

 when certain classes of plants will have to be shaded. 

 We are always tempted to iise a too heavy shade at the. 

 start, which is often highly injurious. It is better to 

 use just enough sliade to break the direct sun's rays. 

 In houses where palms, ferns and other foliage plants 

 are kept, where there is no alternative but to shade with 

 naphtha and white lead or some other mixture, be care- 

 ful to put it on as thinly as possible and as the season 

 advances it can be given another coat. Give the violets 

 a light shade as it helps to keep the temperature down 

 and the flowers will come with deeper color. Where you 

 have only a bench to shade it is better to use cheese- 

 cloth than to darken the whole house up. As Easter 

 comes quite late this year it may become necessary to 

 <hade the plants in order to retard part of vour Easter 

 stock. 



VEKBEXAS 



The early-sown vertenas should be ready to go into 

 "2^2 or 3-inch pots. They like a fairly rich loam. To 

 be first-class plants they should have sufficient room for 

 their development with ample moisture at the roots. 

 (ii'ow them in a light, airy house at a temperature of 

 Hbout 50 degrees. After April 20th they can be plunged 

 in a mild hot-bed, on which about four inches of soil 

 has been placed. About once in two weeks turn the pots 

 around so they will not root through. Give ventilation 

 when the weather will permit, and during rainy weather 

 be very careful how you use water. It is not too late 

 \ct to sow seed of verbenas. They will come in well for 

 delayed planting or for the tail end of the regular bed- 

 ding sca,<on. Greenfly is sometimes very troublesome, 

 so liefore remo\'ing your stock into frames they should 

 be made perfectly clean by repeated fumigation.' 



Mr. Kanells uext notes wiU be on tUe following: Carnations; 

 (>iclii<i.s; C.Yclamen; Gladiolus; Peonies; Tuberous IJooted Begonias. 



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With your Easter Advertising ; one week left yet to tell them what ycu have to cffer. Spring 

 trade, bedding plant trade, nursey stock, hardy perennials and all sorts of seasonable topics "'■" 

 be profitably exploited in next week's issue of HORTICULTURE. 



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