Way 5, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



577 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



COMDDCTKD BT 



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QnestiODB by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially receWed and promptly answered 



by Mr. I'arrell. Such commanlcatlons should Invariably be addressed to the odiie of HOBTICULTURB. 



"If vain our toll, we oufflit to blame the culture, not the soil " — Pope. 



Asters 



In order to cover the entire aster season, reliance 

 must be placed on the various types, early, niidseason 

 and late, the time of sowing counting t'oi' little or noth- 

 ing in the hastening or prolonging of the cut. Se\ei-al 

 successive sowings of the best sti'ains obtainable should 

 be made from now until the middle of May and esen 

 later if a crop of flowers for the latter part of October 

 is desired. The aster grower's busy season has begun. 

 The seed of niidseason and late can be sown in tiats 

 using a conij)Ost of new soil three pails, leal' moid and 

 well rotted manure one |)art each, with some sand. 

 Provide a temperature of '^'^ to (55 degrees at night. 

 Jveep moist and shaded until ti:e seed begins to germi- 

 nate, when they slioidd be | iaeed up near the glass in 

 lull sun. The seedlings should be transplanted once and 

 allowed to become of sturdy size before going into the 

 ii|i(ui field. 



Chrysanthemums 



Give them airy quarters and plenty of sun. Sec that 

 t!ie\ are kept clean by timely fumigations. Don't let 

 them become potbound. As every flower grower knows, 

 cbi'ysanthemums are great feeders and soon draw all 

 the plant food from the soil. There is nothing better 

 for them than sod that was cut last fall and piled up. 

 Use at least one part of well-rotted cow manure to three 

 of chopped sod. As they advance they will take equal 

 ]iarts of sod and cow manure with a sprinkling of lione 

 meal. Kee]) all chyrsaiithemums as cool as pos- 

 silde, giving ventilation, more or less, according to the 

 outside condition. Do not neglect a couple of good 

 syringings on all bright days. 

 Ficus 



Whenever you have a little time you can ])lacc a 

 batch of cuttings in 11. (U' o-incli ]iots. Tic up the 

 leaves so that they can stand close together and plunge 

 the pots in a propagating frame m itb a bottom heat of 

 S(i degrees and keep moderately moist until they are 

 rooted. A good compost is equal parts of loam, leaf 

 mold and sand. Keep them in a frame •where they will 

 have a close heat until well established, after which 

 about 65 degrees at night will suffice. They can also 

 be increased by the mossing system. If ke])t constantlv 

 moist, in four or five Aveeks they will be fit to be cut off 

 and potted. For a shift use three pa.rts fibrous loam 

 and one )>art of well-decaved cow manure with a liaht 



sprinkling of bone meal. When shifting pick away the 

 drainage and as much of the old soil as possible and pot 

 firmly. They will require quite a bit of shade from 

 now on and they will stand lots of syringing and water 

 at the roots. See that they do not become crowded. 

 Hydrangeas 

 There is no better time than tlie fu-esent to top some 

 of the shoots from l)elow and get tlieni into the sand; 

 they will root in three to four weeks. All of the plants 

 which w^'fe either too late for Easter or a.re intended 

 for Memoiial Day should be given free room for devel- 

 opment. If we crowd hydrangeas a spindly growth and 

 loss of leaves is bound to follow. The new French hyd- 

 rangeas made a fine showing last Easter. The newer 

 sorts, some of which should prove e.xcellent for summer 

 use outdoors in pots and tubs for veranda or lawn dec- 

 orations should lie given a trial. 



Palm Seed 



It is during the spring and summer that the greater 

 number of palm seed shipments arrive. Palm seed 

 germinates very irregailarly, the period varying any- 

 where from four week's to six months. The seeds can 

 be sown ill a bench, flats, or pans, with a bottom heat 

 of 75 to SO degrees. Leaf mold, sand and loam in ecpial 

 liarts make a good comiiost fo.r any variety. Give them 

 (>5 to 70 degrees at niglit. When they show one or two 

 leaves jiot off singly into -3 -inch or "J^-inch pots. Dur- 

 ing tb.eir germinating period keep the compost in an 

 even moist" state, but not soaked, as that only tends to 

 rot the seed. Tlicy will ireed close attention in this 

 res])ect. 



Reminders 



.\fter flowering cut the boronias back a little and wait 

 until the stems lireak again before reiiotting. 



Look to the lnii-deniti<z: of all bedding plants. N,„je 

 should be taken diicct I'rom warm bouses to be planted 

 out. 



That fine marguente. Queen Alexandra, should be 

 freely pi'0|ia'iatcd. It is a fine grower and the flowers 

 are of excellent quality and substance. 



Many hard wooded plants will require to be lightly 

 cut back to keep them shapely. The stronger grow- 

 ino- kinds like acacias niav be cut harder than heaths 

 iind similar subiects. 



Next week — Antinliiiiunis : B.iy Trees: Lori-.Tine Befroni;is: Cemetery Viises ; ri:irilenias ; Iteuiiiirlers. 



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