October 10, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



513 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



^3.pr. POA^UU 



Qaestlons by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be corrtimiv r»/,.i.^ h ., 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addrMsId to the offl« orilOUTfcXTuSEf "•"*'** 



Ardisia crenolata agatiug bed with a brisk bottom heat. Keep them 



There are quite a few berried plants useful for the shaded and moist and when they have made roots about 



Christmas trade and one of the best is Ardisia crenulata. ^^'^ ^° ij^ch long they will be ready to pot. Use fibrous 



The plants should be elevated so that they can get all ^°^"i t'^'^e parts, leaf mold two parts and sand one part. 



possible light and plenty of ventilation. The absolute P°^ "i*^o 3-inch pots with good drainage. Keep in a 



maximum of temperature should be 58 at night and 55 

 degrees later on. Give plenty of fresh air. A careless 

 hand at watering will quickly do lots of damage among 

 them. Examine each pot carefully and only apply water 

 where it is really needed. Any excess will cause loss of 

 foliage even more quickly than an insufficient supply. 

 In applying stimulants also use great care, for too much 

 speedily causes a yellowing of the leaves. Soot water 

 will color up plants with pale foliage. Any plants which 

 do not now have berries well colored should be given a 

 sunny place in a warm house, and an occasional syring- 

 ing will keep them clean. Do not crowd them. See 

 that they have plenty of room. 



Poinsettias for Pans 

 Pans made up now will have plenty of time to grow 

 into fine stock. Drain the pans well and use a friable 

 loam with well-rotted cow manure added. Be careful 

 not to break the small balls as this will mean a loss of 

 foliage. Some small Cyperus alteruifolius, ferns. As- 

 paragus Sprengeri or A. plumosus used among the poin- 

 settias will improve the appearance and increases the 

 value of the pans and will help to conceal stems which 

 have lost their foliage. Water with increasing care. 

 Too much or too little means a loss of foliage. A really 

 warm house is not yet necessary ; 55 degrees at night is 

 ample and in such a temperature the plants will be 

 stocky. When the bracts show, 5 degrees higher at night 

 can be given. Give ventilation with care, as they will 

 not stand cold drafts. 



Pandanus Veitchii 

 There are always some unsightly plants with a number 

 of side shoots which will make fine material to increase 

 stock. Do not take these suckers off too soon ; let them 

 gain size and substance first. It is always better to take 

 them off with a "heel." Place them in a warm prop- 



night temperature of 65 degrees. 



Preparing Fields for Next Year 

 It is a good plan to have all fields manured and 

 plowed during the fall, which will leave less work to do 

 in the spring. Do not forget to restore some organic 

 and mineral matter that has been taken up with the 

 previous crop. For this there is nothing better than a 

 liberal dressing of barnyard manure. By plowing in 

 the fall you leave the soil exposed to the freezing and 

 thawing through the whole winter, whicli helps to free 

 the soil from all sogginess and acidity and leaves it in a 

 finely pulverized state. Where you have plenty of land 

 you can let the worn out fields go into grass which will 

 help to reclaim their fertility, but if the area is limited 

 there is nothing better for the land than sub-soiling with 

 a sub-soil plow. Wiere this cannot be done a thorough 

 trenching will help. 



Manure for Winter 



Make it an aim to have a good lot of manure hauled 

 and placed under cover where it can be kept in a dry 

 condition. Good growers agree that well-rotted barn- 

 yard manure should have first place above all fertilizers 

 in growing our many crops inside. Should there be 

 some difficulty in procuring it in a sufficiently decom- 

 posed condition for immediate use, lay in some fresh 

 manure and this can be forked over and over until the 

 decomposition has put it in proper condition for use 

 later on. 



Potting Evergreens for Winter 



There will be quite a demand for potted evergreens for 

 tlie holiday trade. They can be potted up now and will 

 be in good condition at that time. Give them a shady 

 place for about a week, after wliich tliey will bear full 

 sun. Well-balanced little trees can be obtained from 

 anv of the nursery farms advertising in Horticdlture. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will l.n on the following: Asparagus Sprengeri; Azaleas; Begonia Lorraine and Cincinnati; Care of 



Carnations; Orchids; Sowing Stocks. 



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