Alay 26. 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



673 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^^^^^.P^^.T^a^Az^ 



Juestions by our readers in line with any of the topics presented on this page will t)e curdially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTOKE. 



"ir vHtn fiur toll, wr oucht to blame the cultare. not the soil." — Pope. 



Alocasias 



'riioc tropietil plants ran lie incruaseil either liy cut- 

 tiiiiis of the rhizomes or h}- suckers. When doing 

 either they are hetter wlieii ]>hiced in small pots filled 

 wiih a eonipost of peat and sand in e(pial |)arts. Pack 

 the compost well and plunge where there is plenty of 

 bottom heat. There is nothing better than a closed 

 frame over bottom heat of aliout To degrees. Give 

 plenty of overhead syringing and keep a night temper- 

 ature of 70 to 75 degrees. In jiotting give plenty of 

 drainage. Use very fibry loam and fibrous ])eat in equal 

 parts, with (piite a jiortion of sphagmun moss, some 

 lumps of charcoal and silver sand. (!ive some shade 

 all through the summer and Keep ibc air in the house 

 well supplieil witli inoistni'c. 



Dracaenas 



Saw the canes into pieces containing one eye each 

 and .split each section down the middle. Every sec- 

 tion split or unsplit forms a new plant. Place these 

 in a comixist of equal ]>arts of loam, leaf mold and 

 coarse sand and then sprink'lc a layer of sand over all. 

 Place in a ]iropagating case and in a very short time, 

 |>rovided plentv of heat and watci" are given, they will 

 show roots and gi'owth. l.c-Civ plants can be utilized 

 by mossing the tops and usinu' the canes, ("ut the stem 

 about half through just below the leaves and place 

 something between to keep the cut open. Tie a small 

 handful of wet moss around the cut and secure by a few 

 twists of raffia. Kee]i the moss constantly wet and 

 when white roots are seen pushing through, the stem 

 may be severed beneath and the moss and roots buried 

 to the lowest leaf in a well drained pot of soil. 

 Place the young plants wliere they can have plenty of 

 atmospheric moisture with three or four'sprayings over- 

 head on all bright days. 



Forcing Lily of the Valley 



After the middle of May lily of the valley can be 

 grown in frames that are built good and close. For 

 the next couple of weeks bottom heat will be necessary, 

 but from that out they will do without it. Place about 

 six inches of sand on the manure and in this plant the 

 pips the same as one would in the fi'ame in the green- 

 house. It is a good plan to have the frame partitioned 

 off, then one can plant two or more successive batches. 

 Keep close and dark until they are -well up and then 

 give air and light so they will not become too leggv'. 

 Wlien the bells are well out give shade with plenty of 

 air. 



Xeit WpHk --.^iliMiitiims ; Vanrlas; Baby Rambl 



Hardy Perennials 



Where a batch of seeils of such subjects as delphini- 

 ums, aquilegias, Shasta daisies, lupines and other va- 

 rieties were sown under glass in February and have ••ttiHj^ 

 lieen pricked off in flats, these will now be all right to •'^flW vc 

 .-ct out in nursery r<iws. and any Tall seedlings wintered ^'''"Anic 

 in cold frames should also lie set out. Many of these ^^i>Ht 

 will flower nicely this season and all will make strong 

 stock for planting in permanent beds in the fall. It is 

 noticed that the nnmlier growing these hardy plants in- 

 creases every year. From now until the first of .Inly 

 is a suitable time to sow hardy perennials outside in 

 a seed bed. They need a piece of ground in a warm 

 and sheltered spot. Make the soil rich, fine, soft jind 

 deep. After the beds have been generally levelled draw 

 shallow rows across the surface fi to i^ inches apart ami 

 licre sow the seed, labeling each variety, and press the 

 whole surface over moderately firm. 



Primulas 



It is always well to go over these plants at least three 

 times a day to see if any may need water, (iive them a 

 nice spraying overhead once a day. As they grow they 

 Mill want spacing to prevent crowding. It is always 

 better to have the primula pots plunged. When this is 

 done they will not dry out near so quickly as otherwise. 

 .\s the weather becomes warmer you can raise both top 

 and bottom of sash at least eight inches and keep the 

 .-ashes shaded so the foliage will not burn. It pays to 

 have the sashes all removed from about 3 o'clock in the 

 afternoon until about 9 next morning when they can be 

 put on again. Some growers use latli shading, excei)t 

 when they run into a rainy spell. 



Reminders 



Continue to propagate verbenas by cuttLngs. '1 be\ 

 should be kept cool and allowed plenty of air. 



Take oft" euphorbia and poinsettia cuttings when 

 small with a .small heel of (dd bark as such cuttings 

 make good plants. 



Use the shears on any genistas, borouias, azaleas,, or 

 similar shruljby greenhouse plants and trim them into 

 shape a little i)efore th(»y start theii- summers growth. 



Watch bedding plants carefully for water when they 

 are taken from "the greenhou.se to the frames as they 

 drv out verv. very rapidly. 



Where have you stored vour [reesia bulbs? Ihe\ 

 should not be dried right after the flowers are cut but 

 (gradually until the foliage shows discoloration. I lace 

 m a cool, dry shed when quite dry and pick out the 

 bulbs when opportunity ofPers. 

 >rs: Dipffpnhachias: Plniits fnr Stork: Reminders. 



