July 25, 1914 



H R T 1 C tJ L T tJ R E 



101 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



/^/ 



Sp^. ^a^Ai// 



Questions by our readers in line witli any of the topics presented oa thlB page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Sucli communications sliould invariably be addressed to the office of HOKTICULTUKli. 



Care of Carnations 



All early planted houses will take up a good deal of 

 attention from this out. Be very careful about water- 

 ing. I think the best plan is to just water around each 

 plant until they begin to make roots through the soil, 

 when the whole bed should be watered. The carnation 

 certainly does love plenty of fresh air so see that the 

 ventilators are wide open on all possible occasions. 

 During bright weather give them a good syringing. 

 Keep the soil between the plants well worked; this will 

 let the sun and air into the soil. Go over the plants 

 regularly and pinch off shoots that are going to make 

 a flower. This pinching can go on for some little time 

 yet. 



Lilies 



Much of the plant growers' attention now centers in . 

 the stock to be had in readiness for next Easter. With- 

 out question, lilies hold the foremost place. The bulbs 

 generally used for early forcing will do well in 5-inch 

 pots singly, or larger ones to a 6-inch pot. For winter 

 flowering the bulbs cannot be potted and started any 

 too soon; in fact, you should get them just as soon as 

 they can be procured. There is a good demand for lilies 

 all through the winter and a few dozens a week are ac- 

 ceptable to every country florist who has design orders 

 to fill. Easter comes April 4th, a week earlier than last 

 Easter. In potting, the top of the bulb ought to be 

 just level with the surface of the soil. The potting soil 

 should be rich, but without green manure. Cover from 

 four to six inches with coal ashes. They are left out- 

 side until they have made roots. About the middle of 

 December they may be brought in and placed on benches 

 in a temperature of not over 50 degrees. 



Freesia Bulbs 



Bulbs dried off last year and kept in good shape will 

 make very good stock to plant. Do not fail to give them 

 a good rich compost — say, three parts fibrous loam and 

 one of well decayed cow manure. After they are planted 

 place the pans or flats in a frame, where they can have 

 the protection of sashes during heavy rains. They can 

 stay here until the end of August, when they can be 

 brought in and grown on. To bring these bulbs in early 

 they will require a temperature of about 60 degrees dur- 

 ing the night. When they have filled their flats with 

 roots they will want great quantities of water at the 

 roots, with light syringing overhead once a day. 



Pansies 



Pansies are being more appi'eeialed each year as win- 

 ter flowers. They will never equal the violet in popu- 



Mr. FarreU's next notes "n'ill Im- on tlie following; Camellias; 



Spring Flowering 



larity but are worthy of more attention than they have 

 yet received and are quite a profitable crop. Their re- 

 quirements are a cool house with winter temperature libraHV 

 minimum of 40 to 42 degrees and a rich soil. If wanted (SEW YORK 

 for winter blooming they should be sown at once. BOTANICAL 

 Unless many thousands of plants are to be raised, a <»A«Pe»' 

 cold frame is the best place in which to sow the seed. 

 Make the soil light and moderately rich, -and pulverize 

 it well. Sow the seed broadcast,' cojver lightly and keep 

 well watered and germination will take place in eight 

 or ten days. Once the seed is up, avoid coddling and 

 remove the sashes. When large enough' prick out into 

 other cold frames about four inches apart each way. 

 There are many choice strains of large-flowering pansies 

 on the market. Many are selections from or improve- 

 ments on Trimardeau which remains one of the best all- 

 round varieties in commerce today. Do not purchase 

 cheap seed, but buy the best as it is the cheaper in the 

 end. 



Poinsettias 



You will have use for plenty of dishes and pans filled 

 with these for Christmas trade. Don't break them off 

 the wooded stem but use the knife, and let one or two 

 eyes of the soft wood remain on the plants to give more 

 cuttings again; these small cuttings make fine stock for 

 small pans. Use fairly coarse sand, with good drain- 

 age for the cuttings. As they bleed much when cut. dip 

 the bottoms in powdered charcoal as soon as made. 

 Throw the cuttings into a wooden pail or tub of fresh 

 water for a couple of hours before placing them in the 

 sand, then soak the sand well. The cutting bench 

 should be in a warm house, or in a small frame with a 

 sash, inside the house. This will insure a closer and 

 warmer atmosphere. Do not, however, keep entirely 

 closed, or many will rot. Keep sun and wind away from 

 the cuttings at all times. Pot as soon as the roots are 

 an inch long. Use a light, sandy compost at first ; later 

 it can be heavier and it should be made moderately rich 

 for the final potting. Keep shaded and moist until they 

 take hold of the compost after which they should have 

 full sun. 



Sowing Coreopsis 



To have good strong plants for next summer's flow- 

 ering sowing should now be made without delay. The 

 seed can be sown in some vacant frame, where they can 

 have a little attention in the way of watering. When 

 they have formed two or three leaves they can be trans- 

 planted into other frames and grown on. They can stay 

 in these frames until next April, when they can he 

 planted out in the open. 



AlulcbiDg Compost; Prlmolas for 



Care of Asters; Amaryllis: 

 lyabeling plants. 



