April 21, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



513 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



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WiestloDS by our readers In line witb aoy of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 { by Mr. Farrell. Bnch communications should InTarlably be addressed to the office of HOBTIClft/rUBH. 



"If Tain our toU, we ought to blame the culture, not the soil." — Pope. 



Asters 



Tliere is no duubt that the finest-asters are raised on 

 light, sandy soils, deeply jjlowed or dug and quite 

 heavily fertilized with rough barnyard manure the 

 year, previous. I like to have the land well plowed, ma- 

 nured and thoroughly prepared in October or Novem- 

 l)er. Where this was not done prepare the ground now 

 by giving a large amount of liarnyard manure and a 

 good sprinkling of bone dust and wood ashes which 

 should be thoroughly iucorjiorated with the soil. It 

 will always be more profitable to fertilize one piece 

 of ground well tlian a la.rger piece imperfectly. Indoor 

 grown plants should first l)e well weaned to open air 

 conditions by placing in a cold frame where during 

 good days the sashes can be removed. Prick out the 

 stock as soon as they are ready. 



Camellias 



Those who grow camellias that are wanted in bloom 

 by Christmas should by this time have them started 

 into new growth. They should have abundance of 

 water in their gTowing season, but soil must not be 

 kept in a soaked condition. The plants require a 

 • shaded house during the summer. They are much more 

 easily managed under glass than when put in the open. 

 When they have just fully completed their season's 

 growth, which can be easily known by the developed 

 terminal leaf of each new shoot, withhold water 

 until tlie new growth shows signs of flagging which will 

 cause the forming of a fine crop of flowers instead of 

 the buds dropping before opening. All through the 

 summer keep them growing by giving plenty of water 

 at the roots, with a good syringing during bright 

 weather. 



Place Stock in Frames 



Get the cold and hot frames into shape at ouce, ready 

 for business. A lot of stock can be bi'ought out and 

 do as well, if not a lot better than in the greenhouse. 

 Almost anything will thrive in a congenial frame. As 

 chrysanthemums come along these, too, can go out and 

 are as well ofE in a frame; in fact all cold house stock 

 can soon be moved and valuable space can be obtained 

 in this way indoors. It wouldn't do to take freshly 

 potted, rooted cuttings and ]ilace them into a frame at 

 this time, but stock which has l)een potted up a month 

 or more and has been kept in a well ventilated house 

 can go out and will not suffer much if tlie temperature 

 should go down near the freezing point. 



Next V\'eek : — Bonfraiiivillens ; Compost: Tuberous Root eel 



Summer Climbers 



If you haven't sown maurandia do so at once. This 

 beautiful little trailing plant comes in handy fo.r the 

 filling of small hanging baskets and window boxes. 

 Thunbergia is another. Wliere a mixture of plants 

 can be used in a window box or vases it should be in- 

 cluded. Sow now and let the plants come along in a 

 house with plenty of moisture. It is time to sow Cobsea 

 scandens. We can't do without this useful summer 

 climber.. The plants toward tlie end of April and early 

 May will grow six inches over night and it keeps one 

 busy tying them up. Wlien the seedlings are large 

 enough to handle pot into 2^ in. ; pinch back and 

 shift into I in. or 5 in. pots and give each a good stake. 

 The variegated glechomas which have been over-win- 

 tered in a frame or cold house, should now be lirought 

 to a carnation liouse temperature, divided and planted 

 into 3-|--in pots. 



Swainsonas 



Where you ha\e some pot plants give them a tem- 

 perature of from 55 to 60 degrees at night. Plants 

 that have been growing thrifty will have a lot of ma- 

 terial fit for propagation. The best cuttings are those 

 selected out of the axil formed by the leaf and main 

 stem. These can just be pulled out sideways and wiU 

 not need any trimming. Place in a moderately warm 

 propagating bench and by keeping them shaded and 

 watered for about twelve to fifteen days they will root 

 nicely, after which they can be potted into 2^-inch pots 

 using a compost of fibrous soil three parts, leaf mold 

 and well rotted cow manure one part each. Keep 

 shaded and moist for a week or ten days and they will 

 be all right. Shift as they may require it so as to 

 Iceep them moving. 



Reminders 



Keep spreading out the bedding geraniums, as you 

 can afl'ord them more bench space. 



Sow cornflowers, annual chrysanthemums, mignon- 

 ette and otlier hardy annuals in clumps and lines. 



Smilax that has been cut down for Easter and has 

 lieen k'ept on the dry side since, should now be in goofl 

 sliape for mulcliing, restringing and starting again. 



Water pansies in fi-ames freely. Remove the sashes 

 during the daytime and on wann nights. To kee]i 

 tliem stocky talce away the last of the mulching frcnn 

 outdoor plants. 



r>eg:ouiiis ; reI;irLr''niunis ; Phalaenopsis ; Remiudors. 



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