August 1, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



137 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS* STOCK 



CONDHCTEn BY 



hf 



Spi.^A^AO/ 



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

 by Mr. Farrell. Sucb communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Camellias 



Camellias should be kept as cool as possible. A thin 

 shade should be given to protect them from the sun. 

 Keep the air moist by several dampings down. See that 

 the}* have plenty of ventilation at all times and are given 

 enough of room so they will not be crowded. They must 

 not be allowed to stand dry for any length of time; this 

 is a very important point. Tliese plants suffer from in- 

 sects such as mealy bug, red spider and white scale. 

 Where scale shows itself, sponge with some good insecti- 

 cide such as Aphine, Nicoticide or many others. 



Care of Asters 



When the summer is hot and deficient in moisture it 

 is very hard to have good crops of asters. In some 

 cases artificial watering in some form can be applied. 

 But do not water unless you can do it thoroughly ; it is 

 far better to keep the surface tickled. It is really sur- 

 prising how much drought the plants will stand if the 

 surface soil is kept constantly stirred with the culti- 

 vator. But where water is near at hand it pays to have 

 them watered copiously at least once a week and as late 

 as you can get between them. When so large and 

 branched that the ground is covered, a good soaking 

 without the hoeing will not hurt, but their success is 

 assured by that time. Look out for black aster beetle. 

 Paris green, used at the rate of one pound to 200 gal- 

 lons of water and applied through the fine misty sprayer 

 will soon make them disappear. 



Amaryllis 



Some keep amaryllis in the greenhouse, but I prefer 

 to have them in frames, as I think you can make con- 

 ditions more to their liking when grown here. The pots 

 should be plunged which will make less work in water- 

 ing. The sashes should be raised both top and bottom a 

 few inches and left this way all the time giving just 

 enough shade to keep the foliage from burning. Ama- 

 rylllises should be freely syringed, which also helps to 

 keep down mealy bug and red spider. Give them liquid 

 manure at least once a week. Care and attention that 

 you give them now will not be lost, but will result in 

 good strong bulbs by fall. 



Mr. Farrell's neit notes will be on the following: 



Mulching Compost 



All bench crops intended for fall and winter cuttings 

 will soon need some feeding in the way of mulches. By 

 preparing a mulch mixture now it will have a little time 

 to stand before being applied. It should be made rich, 

 say half and half of new loam and well decayed cow 

 manure. This compost should be worked over and over 

 to make it fine and mixed well together. Wliere you 

 do not get it fine enough use a | inch screen. Place 

 under cover or the heavy rains will leach out the plant 

 food. There is no need of mixing bone meal or other 

 fertilizing material as all these can be applied to the 

 bed before the mulch is placed on. 



Primulas for Spring Flowering 



Primulas sown now will grow into fine stock for spring 

 flowering. Where primulas are grown on without a 

 check they will come into flower from six to seven 

 months after sowing the seed. Use pans or shallow 

 boxes and a compost of equal parts of loam, leaf mold 

 and sand. Give the flats a good soaking of water before 

 sowing the seed and let it have time to soak in. Do not 

 sow too thickly. Just press the seed in and keep shaded 

 and moist until they begin to germinate when they 

 should be given a little more light, but not full sun. 

 The young seedlings will have made enough of headway 

 in six or seven weeks to be pricked out into other pans 

 or flats. During this period a frame is the best place 

 for them. Raise the sashes both top and bottom about 

 G or 8 inches and shade them. Give a light spraying 

 every good day and when they show three or four good 

 leaves they can be potted into small pots and still kept 

 in frames until the fall. 



Labeling Plants 



When we planted out our stock we were probably in a 

 threat hurry and overlooked placing good stout labels to 

 each kind. ^V^lere this was neglected now is a good time 

 to look them over and see that a good durable label is 

 Driven to each variety. 



Aspidistra; Care of Chrysanthemums; Dahlias; 

 Myosotis and Daisies. 



Hollyhocks: Orchids; Sowing 



The Special Convention Number of Horticulture 



WILL BE ISSUED ON AUGUST 15 



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 as an advertising medium for all floral and horticultural material cannot be over estimated. S. A. h. 

 trade is always worth a special effort at Convention time. Send your order in early and it will nave 

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