January 13, 1917 



HOETICULTUEE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



COMDCOTKD BT 



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Questions by our readers In line witli any of tiie topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should InTariably be addressed to the olHce of HOKTICULTUKE. 



"II vkIb mat toll, we onclit to klam* the ealtnre, net the aolL" — Pope. 



Asters for Inside Flowering 



The best all-roimd aster for indoor culture is Queen 

 of the Slarket, also called Queen of tlie Earlies. This 

 is a vigorous grower and branches freely. Early Won- 

 der blooms a trifle earlier but the flowers are smaller and 

 not produced in anything like such profusion. Be sure 

 to prepare the soil well. Any soil that will grow good 

 carnations will produce good asters. When large enough 

 they can be planted about a foot each way. While some 

 varieties can stand a little over 50 degrees at night 

 during the winter the nearer that degree is maintained 

 the better in every way. Get away from the idea of 

 ever forcing jjlants so as to obtain a heavier crop of 

 flowers. Healthy stock, kept at 50 degrees at night, 

 whenever possible, is bound to pay for itself wdiether or 

 not you get a fullcrop of flowers. Keep well syringed 

 on all good davs so as to kc^eii ilowu red siaider. 

 Miscellaneous Crops 



>.'ow is a good time to sow stocks; Giant Ten Weeks 

 is a good strain. Candytuft makes another good Me- 

 morial Day cro]i. Annual lupines and larkspurs are 

 not much seen in the market, l)ut they make splendid 

 and profitable spring crops. The fact tliat tliey are not 

 commonly seen makes them sell all the better. Dimoi-- 

 photheca aurantiaca and hybrids can be flowered earlier 

 from seed than any other annuals. Calendulas are 

 now a fairly profitable winter crop. For a spring crop, 

 sow now in benches in rows twenty-four inches apart. 

 Thin out the seedlings, making them ten inches apart 

 in the rows. Cornflowers are another desirable spring 

 crop. The double blue variety throws a good percentage 

 of double flowers and should be used. Sweet peas can 

 still be sown where they can have ample head-room. Use 

 nothing but the Spencer varieties. All these crops will 

 grow and do well in a house where the tem])erature runs 

 at about 50 degrees at night. 



Potting and Care of Cattleyas 



All cattleyas sucli as C. laldata, C. maxima, C. Bow- 

 ringeana, C. Percivalianna, etc., tliat are now in a dor- 

 mant state can have fresh material. When potting 

 give them a thorough cleaning of scale or other insects. 

 Quite a few will need a shift into new compost or to 

 have the worn-out material removed from around the 

 roots. They do well in pans, baskets or pots, lyut I 

 think hanging pans the best for they are not so liable to 

 fungus as they are when grown in wooden baskets. 

 Whatever they are grown in should be at least half full 

 of clean and broken crocks. Use either good fibrous 

 peat and sphagnum or fern root and sphagnum inter- 

 Next Week : — Canterbury Bells ; Care of Violets ; Pe 



mixed with small pieces of charcoal. Place all newly 

 potted cattleyas in shade and where they can be kept 

 rather close until they take hold of the new material. 

 Left Over Stock 

 All such flowering plants as Begonia Lorraine, cycla- 

 men and primroses should be given the minimum tem- 

 perature with plenty of ventilation until sold, but if 

 the stock is' unsalable don't let it occupy valuable bench 

 room. Azaleas should be placed in a very cool, light 

 house. Anything above the freezing point \vill do. 

 See that at no time they are allowed to get extremely 

 dry. Save as many stevia plants as will be needed, cut 

 down and place in a light cool house for future cuttings. 

 Ericas will take the same treatment. Lift the poinset- 

 tias with as much of the soil adhering as possible and 

 set closely packed in boxes, covering the intervening 

 spaces with soil. These should be rested under a some- 

 what dry warm bench until JLirch or later, when they 

 can be potted up again. 



The Dahlias 



A few good stock plants will go a long way in making 

 successful these plants, if large quantities of cuttings 

 are wanted, Init whatever you do propagate let it be the 

 best — don't waste time on useless stock. If your cus- 

 tomers are in want of small stock for planting out next 

 ilay the best kinds you use yourself for cut flower pur- 

 poses are none too good. Bring the dormant stock up to 

 light now; plant them into a few inches of sandy soil, 

 and in a carnation house temperature they soon will 

 furnish choice cuttings, which, with a little bottom heat 

 will root in a few weeks. These, if potted and cared 

 for, will again in a short time furnish more cuttings. 

 By keeping these cuttings shaded and moist in a mod- 

 erately warm propagating bed they will root all right. 

 When potting give them good new soil. Tliey do well in 

 a night temperature of about 55 degrees. 



Reminders 



Keep palms well on the dry side, especially where the 

 temperature rules a little low. 



Rest the beds of smilax a little that were cut down 

 for the Christmas trade. It will start more freely and 

 grow better. 



Push the stock plants of bouvardias a little to induce 

 them to break away freely. Plenty of stem cuttings are 

 useful if stock is scarce. 



Decide at once what varieties of different stock and 

 what quantities needed for the coming season. Make 

 plans and leave nothing to chance. 



nnisetums; Propagating Ficus; Vincas; Reminders. 



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