December 19, 1914 



HOETICULTUKE 



873 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Questions by our renders in line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Furrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



*'lf vain our toil, we ought to blame the culture, not the Hoil." — Pope. 



Pelargoniums 

 Plants that have been rested up will very soon be 

 showing signs of new growth. The best time to repot 

 pelargoniums is when they have made about an inch of 

 new growth. It is always better to shake out all the old 

 soil as this will give the roots a chance to have all new 

 food to work into. Give them a compost of turfy soil 

 three parts, well decayed manure one part and some 

 sand. Give each pot plenty of good drainage and pot 

 firm. Keep rather close for a week or ten days and 

 keep the tops syringed twice a day. When they show 

 signs of taking hold of the compost they should be given 

 plenty of light and ventilation. They should liave a 

 night temperature of about 48 to 50 degrees. 



Lilies for Easter 



Lilies for Easter should have immediate attention. 

 Bring in those potted up first. Those that are showing 

 just through the ground will be all right at about 50 

 degrees during the night. Xever place them in too 

 much heat at the start, as tliis is better later in the sea- 

 son when they have made some growth. In about two 

 weeks give about 5 degrees of a rise and so on until they 

 are in a night temperature of about 65 degrees. Care- 

 ful watering will count from this oiit. They should 

 always be allowed to come to the point of dryness before 

 watering. Keep the lilies clean by fumigation at least 

 every ten days. 



Propagating Lorraine and Cincinnati 



Those who wish to propagate their own stock sliould 

 begin at once. Of more importance than anything else 

 is an even temperature of about 78 to 80 degrees of bot- 

 tom heat and clean rather sharp sand. Use clean, 

 healthy leaves, the stems of wliich are inserted into the 

 sand. With such bottom heat, watering must be proper- 

 ly attended to, so as to keep the sand in a moist state 

 at all times. Select only the firmest and best ripened 

 leaves. The younger and softer ones will be likely to 

 rot. Do not allow the leaves to touch the sand. Do 

 not try daily waterings, as in the case of many other 

 cuttings, or you will lose a large part of the leaves by 

 rot. A little sun will not liarm and will help to dry up 

 the bench, but avoid bright sunshine until after the 

 leaves are well rooted. 



Next Week :— Care of MiBnonette ; Easter Hydrangeas ; Sowing 



Propagating Carnations 



Carnation propagating usually commences with most 

 growers about December 1st and continues up to well 

 into April. Cuttings taken any time between Decem- 

 ber 1st and April 1st will make splendid stock, though 

 the last batches may lack somewhat in size. Have the 

 cutting bench in good shape. Clean sand in a clean 

 bench and tlie bench in a clean house — that and clean 

 cuttings mean the foundation of getting results. Clean 

 out every crack and corner and apply a dose of boiling 

 hot water all over it. This is a splendid purifier, splen- 

 did alike for the latest design of a tile bench and the 

 old wooden affair of the man with moderate means. 

 A carnation cutting wants to root quickly. If it re- 

 mains in the sand for any length of time without root 

 formation you can look forward to a sickly plant. When 

 taking off cuttings try to select a uniform size and be 

 sure they are well matured. If you are short on certain 

 varieties pinch out the flower stems of the blooming 

 plants. Don't allow them to bloom and they will pro- 

 duce cuttings instead. 



Sowing Primulas 



To have strong fine primulas for the holiday trade 

 next year they should Ijc sown within the next two weeks. 

 Do not get cheap strains, but get the best as they are 

 cheaper in the end. When preparing flats or pans see 

 that they have lots of drainage of crooks, on which place 

 .some rough material and then a compost of loam and 

 leaf mold in equal ])avts and enough of sand to make it 

 porous till to within half an inch of the top, and when 

 they have drained sow the seed but not too thickly. 

 Cover lightly with sifted compost and press firmly all 

 over. Keepshaded and cover with glass until they come 

 up when they should be exposed to full sun. It is al- 

 ways better to start seed in about 60 degrees at night, 

 but when they are up well 50 to 55 will be hig:h enough. 

 Keep growing them on by shifts as they need it. 



Panax Victoriae 



This makes a fine decorative plant. They will root 

 very well in a warm propagating bed where they can be 

 kept moist and shaded until they have rooted. Wlien 

 potting them use a light compost, say fibry loam three 

 parts, leaf mold and sand one part each. They like 

 plenty of heat so give them at least 65 degrees at night. 



Fern Spores; Starting Propagation; Sweet Peas; Wallflowers. 





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