June 16, 1917 



HORTICULTURE 



757 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



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luestlons by our readers In line with any of tbe topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the otike of HORTICtJLTDRE. 



"If vain oar toll, we onrht t« blame the cnlture, not the aoU." — Fope. 



Care of Violets 



Violets not yet jjlanted in tlie liouses sliould l)e 

 planted as soon as possible. The plants are usually 

 placed eight by ten inches. Double varieties, especially 

 Kar(iuhar and Marie Louise, seem to thrive better in 

 soil which contains a relatively high percentage of clay. 

 The Lady Hume Campbell and single violets thrive 

 l)est in light soil. If tlie soil is inclined to be quite 

 heavy a considerable amount of cinders is added to in- 

 crease its poi'osity. As soon as the young plants are in 

 the beds in June, a heavy shade is applied to the glass. 

 This must not be too heavy, however, or the plants be- 

 come light colored and spindling. It is considered best 

 to apply slight shade at first, increasing the density as 

 the hot days of July approach. The shade is gradually 

 removed in the fall and by the middle of October the 

 glass is clear. 



Chrysanthemums 



For all the shifts after a 3 or 2^-inch, soil should be 

 made rich; say fibrous loam two parts, well decayed 

 cow manure one part and a good sprinkling of bone 

 meal and soot. Much of the success in growing chrys- 

 anthemums can be traced to the compost used. Attend 

 to the watering two or three times a day and give them 

 frequent syringings on bright days, which will encour- 

 age a good clean growth. Cuttings that were put in 

 tiie last of May for single stemmed will now soon be 

 showing signs of .rooting. Keep a shaqi lookout as to 

 waterings, shading and spraying until they are tit for 

 potting. To have good plants and flowers they should 

 be gi-own on without a check and never pemritted to 

 get pot bound until they are ready for the last shift, 

 which generally is a 6-inch pot. Both day and night 

 give them plenty of ventilation. Keep them tied and 

 staked. 



Cinerarias for Christmas 



Get fresh seeds of the l)est strains and sow in pans 

 on a mixture of leaf mold two parts, soil one part, in- 

 termi.xed with clean sharp sand. Cover the seed thinly 

 and water so as to moisten the soil. Cover with a glass 

 and some papers to keep them sliaded until they germi- 

 nate. Seeds of Cineraria hybrida sliould lie sown within 

 the next two weeks to get strong flowering jilants for 

 the holidays. A cold frame is the most suitable place 

 for these plants. Wlien the seedlings are up lay off the 

 sashes during good days, but replace them when heavy 

 rain comes, leaving on a few inches of air. They should 

 have movable screens placed over them from a. m. 

 until 3 p. m. to moderate the sun heat. 



Next Week:— Antirrhinums for Next Winter; Care of Cyclamen 



Bouvardias 



Allow about VI inclics of room eacli way, making use 

 of a mellow loam for idantiiig. Flowers are not wanted 

 on them at this season and the shoots should be kept 

 pinched back wlieiiever they show an inclination to 

 flower. Nice stock out of 2-inch or 2^-inch pots 

 planted out now will give the plants for benching in 

 September. These flowers come in verj' handy during 

 tlie winter. The only thing they want is good rich 

 soil and a light house where the temperature can be 

 kept at about 60 degrees at night. There is no more 

 to their culture than other plants, such as roses or car- 

 nations require and you can have them in flower from 

 October on to the last of March. See that they are 

 well cultivated up to tlie end of August to keep them 

 clear of weeds and the ground open. Where the ground 

 is not very rich a dressing of pulverized sheep manare 

 will tone up their growth. 



Outdoor Roses 



The June bug is one of tlie early callers and a ma- 

 rauder that defies the common tactics of the rose 

 grower. Dustings and sprayings of deadly decoctions 

 are of little avail in its case. Gathering the bugs by 

 hand is the best way to bring about a noticeable scarcity 

 of June bugs. Roses out of doors are hardly ever 

 troubled by red spider, if well attended to, but when 

 once infested it will be found that the evil is much 

 harder to fight in the open than under glass. Syring- 

 ing, forceful and often, in any event a great lielp to 

 roses in hot and dry weather, is the remedy here as well 

 as indoors. Some of our best roses always suffer more 

 or less from mildew at about this time, notably moss 

 roses, some of the hybrid perpetual class and nearly all 

 of the multiflora section, of which Crimson Rambler is 

 the most striking examjile. However, it can be checked 

 to a considerabie extent by a timely use of powdered 

 sulphur, in mild but fi'equent applications. 



Reminders 



Tliin out the hardy annuals to tlic final distance be- 

 fore they get crowded. 



Keep the growing points of young vines tied in fairly 

 close or they may be battered about it by wind. 



Either mulch or cnliivate regularly the borders where 

 young shrubs are planted to keep the sun from the 

 roots. 



Cut all outdoors flowers for sending to a distance 

 early in the morning and place tbom in water until the 

 time comes for packing. 



Mignonette; Miltontas; Reasonable Kopairs; Remindcrg. 



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