December 26, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



905 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDICTEI) I;Y 



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Questions by our readers in line witli nuy of the topics presented on tliis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Sucli communications sliould invariably be addressed to tbe ollice of HOKTICl'LTUUI':. 



"If vain uur toil, we ouglit to blame tbe culture, not tbe (*oil." ■' ' 



Mignonette 



If there is one thing that is very important in thu 

 culture of mignonette it is a fresh and bracing atmos- 

 phere. Take advantage of ('\erv good day and give 

 ventilation to this CTop, Imt always avoiding chilling 

 drafts. Do not keep the house too damp during dull 

 weather as it tends to make a very soft gi-owth. A 

 mulch of half manure and soil about eveiy four weeks 

 will be advisable luit do not juit it on any deeper than 

 half an inch. Mignonette likes to be moist at the roots 

 so look to the watering. See tliat they have ]ir<)i)er sup- 

 ports to keep the shoots straigiit. They do not like lieat. 

 A temperature from 43 to 45 degTees at night and from 

 10 to 15 degrees liigher with sun will be all right. Dis- 

 budding once a week improves the flower and stem. 

 Keep them clean by light fumigation. 



Easter Hydrangeas 



It is none too early to liring in hydrangeas intfiided 

 for Easter trade. They can be brought into a hmisc 

 that stands at about 45 degrees at night. Tliis will juf^t 

 start the roots into slow action which is bettei' at the 

 start. Give them a place near the glass. When they 

 .show signs of top growth you cjin give them a tempera- 

 ture of about 50 degrees at night and on sunny days let 

 it ran up to 65 to 70 degrees. This increase in heat 

 should always be done very gradually. Give them plen- 

 ty of water at the roots and on all clear days give them 

 a good syringing overhead. .\s they make growth gi\e 

 them more room. 



Fern Spores 



To keep lip a steady supply of small ferns for the 

 filling ot fern pans one should sow spores about every 

 five or six weeks. To bring these uj) to good sized seed- 

 lings rerpiires watchfulness. One point to l)e remem- 

 bered is to have everything very clean. .\11 seed ])ans 

 should be well cleaned, so as not to leave any germs of 

 moss or fungus which are sui'e to ruin the young ferns 

 when they begin to sliow. Vse ])lenty of crocks on the 

 bottom of the pans to insure good drainage. Some 

 moss can be spread over the crocks to hold the compost 

 from choking up the drainage. A good comjiost I'oi- 

 this work will be equal i)ai'ts of loam, leaf mold and 

 some sand. These jians can be filled to within an iiub 



Next Week :— Care of Antirrliinums; I'erns 



LIBRAK> 

 = ^ NEW YO«K 



this put about half an inch of finely BOTa.n:ca' 



tSAKOlslv.. 



Rambler Roses; Propasalinu 

 leen Mallard. 



of the top. Ove 



sifted compost, press firmly and sow the spores; pres; 

 the spores in and jjlace pans in a temperature of 65 

 degrees and cover with glass. 



Start Propagating 



To get tlie propagating house or bed in good condition, 

 see that evei7thing is made thoroughly clean, by wash- 

 ing down witli strong force of water, all benches, walls, 

 etc. Give the entire surface of sides and bottoms a 

 good whitewashing of hot lime. Be sure that you have 

 enough of bottom heat. Tliis bottom heat can be in- 

 creased by boarding in the sides all around wliicb will 

 throw the heat right up to the bottom of the benches. 

 It is always better to place about an inch of coarse ma- 

 terial on the bottom, which will secure good drainage. 

 You can place some moss on this, and then about three 

 or four inches of clean sharp sanil. Spread all over even 

 and ]n-ess down firm. Give a thorough watering and 

 tlicn you will be ready to start. 



Sweet Peas 



Where plants are showing up well with buds, and the 

 small fibrous roots are working to the surface a light 

 mulch will help greatly. 'Mix half cow manure and 

 soil together or when using sheep manure use double the 

 quantity of soil. This mulching should be kept up until 

 we run into the longer days, as the plants are unalile to 

 assimilate liquid feed when we have so much dull and 

 dark weather. Sweet jjcas should always be kept moist 

 at the roots. Do not tiy to force them too much as it 

 will surely work niin later. They flower and gix)w best 

 when the temperature does not excwd 50 degrees at 

 night, hh on cloudy days and 65 to 70 during bright 

 davs. See that they are kept in a straight growth at all 

 tiriies. Give light "fumigation about ever}- ten days so 

 tli(>\- will be free from fly. On bright days give a syr- 

 inging in the moniing. 



Wallflowers 

 Plants that were raised from seed stiwn during May 

 or June and grown on will be fine plants by this time. 

 Give them a good light liench in a cool house and you 

 can cut a good many flowers. Tliey dislike tm) much 

 heat; a temperature" of al)out 48 degi-ees will be high 

 enouirh. Theie is always a marketr for tliese fragi-ant 

 flowers. 



Tulierous Rooted Begonias; Propagating Lobelia Kath- 



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