May 13, 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



703 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists' Stock 



AQUATICS 



All florists who have the advantage of a pond, stream, 

 or even a small pool should grow some hardy or tender 

 nymphffias. Those who have not these natural water 

 advantages can grow many nymphseas and other aquatics 

 in artificial pools or tubs. The best way to start them 

 is to plant the dormant rhizomes of the hardy and ten- 

 der nympheeas now in boxes about 10 inches deep and 

 from 3 to 4 feet square, using a compost of three parts 

 fibrous loam and one part of cow manure. Fill to 

 within two inches of the top then plant two or three 

 rhizomes in the box, so that they are just covered. After 

 planting place a layer of coarse sand over the surface. 

 These boxes should be placed where they are to remain 

 and .sunk so that they will be covered with about three 

 inches of water until the first leaf floats on the water, 

 when they should be gradually lowered until they are 

 covered with water from 12 to 14 inches deep. Bach 

 box should be allowed a space of about 60 square feet 

 so as to show up well. All of the nelumbiums and many 

 of the nymphseas, besides other aquatics, can be success- 

 iuWy grown in tubs made from half-barrels filled with 

 the above mentioned compost about half full and sunk 

 in the ground. As these grow they will be benefited by 

 an application of dried blood at the rate of a half 

 pound for every tub or about one pound for every twelve 

 square feet of water surface. Just throw it broadcast 

 on the water. Tender nymphaeas should not be planted 

 before the 35th of May. Plant all nymphseas and other 

 flowering aquatics so they will be exposed to full sun- 

 shine. 



BOUVAEDIAS 



Bouvardias should not be planted out too early. Give 

 them an outdoor frame until the first week in June, 

 where they can be kept fairly warm during cold spells 

 and when the weather is warm they can be given lots of 

 air, which will insure a degree of sturdiness before 

 being planted out. Give them a light soil that has 

 been well enriched with stable manure so that they 

 will make a vigorous growth. See that they get a good 

 watering after being planted out. When the hot and 

 dry weather comes don't allow them to suffer for want 

 of water. It is necessary to keep on pinching them back 

 during the summer so as to have sufficiently bushy plants 

 by lifting time. If you want to have them in flower for 

 the holidays don't pinch any after the middle of August 

 and lift before the first week in September is over. 



CHKYSANTHBMUMS 



For the growing of exhibition blooms great care 

 should be taken from the time the cuttings are struck 

 until they have their last shift. The plants should 

 never be allowed to get pot bound. As soon as the pots 

 are well filled with roots repot into 3-inch and up to 

 8 or 9-inch pots. Compost that was prepared last fall 

 and cow manure added at the rate of one to three will 

 grow good plants. Soil for 5 and 6-inch pots should 

 have a .5-inch pot of bone meal and the same of some 

 high-grade fertilizer with a sprinkling of soot to every 

 barrow load of soil. Mix it thoroughly and let it stand 

 for a few days until needed. Be careful after potting 

 and don't overwater, and as they get well rooted never 

 allow your plants to suffer from want of water. Syringe 

 every sunny morning and again in the afternoon on 

 very warm days, but do it early so they will have suf- 

 ficient time to dry their foliage before night. Look 

 out carefully for aphis and fumigate regularly. There 

 is time yet to put in cuttings for cut flowers. All late 

 varieties such as Nonin, Chadwick, Swinburne, etc., will 



make plants in good time for planting about the end 

 of June. Early varieties such as October Frost, Golden 

 Glow and Monrovia should be benched now if you want 

 good growth and buds that can be taken in July, which 

 produce flowers superior to buds taken in August. 



EEICAS 



Ericas that were cut back into shape after flowering 

 should have attention in the way of potting. Plants 

 that are perfectly healthy should be given more root 

 room; those that are in 6 or 7-inch pots, or specimens 

 in larger sizes will bear two or three sizes larger in a 

 pot. It must be borne in mind that the erica family 

 cannot exist in a material that is too retentive and the 

 compost should be such that the water can pass freely 

 through. A good compost is a turf-like fibery loam two 

 parts, peat two parts, and a quantity of silver sand. 

 By the beginning of June they can be placed out of 

 doors. Plunge in some litter, to keep the roots cool. 

 They will be better if placed on the north side of fence, 

 wall or trees. They can remain here until the first week 

 in September. Give careful watering at all times not 

 allowing them to become dry and at the same time not 

 keeping the soil in an over-saturated condition. Epacris 

 will grow under this treatment also. 



STOCK FOR VASES AND BOXES 



The filling of vases and boxes will be an important 

 item with many florists from this time out. Those who 

 have a call for many vases and boxes to fill find it some- 

 times a very laborious work. Quite a few can be done 

 at the greenhouses now, by going around to your steady 

 customers and collecting their veranda boxes, baskets 

 and any vases that can be lifted off and brought to your 

 houses where they can be much more satisfactorily filled 

 and given .a start before being placed outside by end of 

 May. All climbing and drooping plants should have 

 attention. Give the climbers stakes with proper tjdng 

 so as not to allow them to become all tangled up. For 

 the drooping plants give them a place where they can 

 hang down along the edge of some bench. Give all your 

 plants particular attention in regard to watering from 

 this time forward. Geraniums should form the ma- 

 jority for filling vases and boxes, along with coleus, 

 achyranthes, petunias, ageratums, acalyphas, centaureas 

 and Vinca rosea. For centers there is nothing to equal 

 Dracffina indivisa. Phoenix canariensis is especially 

 valuable as it stands sun and wind well. For trailers 

 use vincas, Abutilon vexillarium, German ivy, mau- 

 randia, nasturtium. For shady places use begonias, 

 fuchsias, small Fieus elastica, ferns, aspidistras and 

 others for the erect growing plants. For droopers use 

 tradescantia, lygodium, Kenilworth ivy, selaginellas, and 

 moneywort. 



VUSTCAS 



Reserve a sufficient lot of these plants for propagating 

 purposes. Now, or later as your propagating bench is 

 less used, you can put in a good batch of cuttings leav- 

 ing a heel, and they will most all root if kept shaded 

 and moist. When they are rooted pot them into 3% 

 or 3-inch pots and plunge in a cold-frame during the 

 summer. They will make fine little plants by winter. 

 Cuttings that were rooted during the winter and planted 

 out will make plants of sufficient size by cold weather. 

 You never can have too much of these most generally 

 used trailers. 



Mr. FarreU's next notes wlU be on the foUowlng: Antirrhi- 

 nums tor next winter; Cinerarias for Christmas; Callas; Cycas; 

 MUtonlas; Hoses. 



