August 18, 1917 



H 1! T I C U L T U E E 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^*^>*>'%.9^ . T^a/tA^^ 



Questions by our readers In line with auy of the toplrs presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



"If valu our toll, vrr ouEht to blame the calture, not the soil." — Pope. 



Chrysanthemums 



Chrysantheumnis .should now have some extra feed- 

 ing. TJie fine feeding roots are by this time close to 

 the top and in many cases where the foKage of the 

 plants shades the soil sufficiently they are visible. This 

 means they are looking for nourishment. All they 

 require is a good mulch, wliich might consist of well 

 rotted stalile manure or good loam mixed witli manure 

 or followed by a dose of licpiid cow manure. Either 

 will do the work and keep the plants in a good con- 

 dition. I suggest cow niamire wherever such can be 

 had. It is the safest and one of the best. Where that 

 cannot be had I think sliecp manure the next best, if 

 not equal. Keep up the syringing on all good days, 

 and do not let them suffer from lack of water at the 

 roots. Keep down fly, fumigating even' week from 

 this out. 



Care of Primulas 



In potting the Chinese priiiiroses set the jjlants just 

 low enough that they will stand firmly in the pots. 

 Those left too liigh will be wobbly and will need stak- 

 ing and will never make as good plants as those set 

 a little deeper. The intense heat of the filrst half of 

 July has been trying for primulas, wliich. like many 

 other winter flowering plants love cool weather and 

 only start to grow in earnest with the arrival of cold 

 nights. When tlie theiTaometer registers 90 degi'ees 

 or even 100 degi-ees in the shade, day after day, many 

 of the pot plants suffer severely unless closely watched. 

 Cold frames are the places for them and the sashes 

 should be raised top and bottom until about the 10th 

 of September or when there is danger of frosts. Give 

 them a spray in the morning and right after dinner. 

 See that they do not become infested with fly. Give 

 light fumigation about every ten days and they will 

 be always clean and healthy. 



Florists* Greens 



Is isn't now that the green question worries many 

 of us, but it is bound to concern us next December and 

 January, and bapjiy will be the man who is able to 

 cut from a good supply. Asparagus sprengeri is mak- 

 ing a strong growth just now whether old or young 

 stock. Good grow^th necessitates sufficient feeding, so 

 let the plants have it in the form of a top dressing 

 which may consist of al)out two-thirds well rotted ma- 

 nure. This may be given frequently for at tliis time 

 of the year the plants make a heavy growtli without 

 coaxing them, and j'ou should encourage this. Keep 

 the bench free from weeds and cultivate the surface 

 regularly. It is not too late yet to make new beds, so 

 where there is room do not bo afraid to do so. Keep 



Next Week: — Amaryllis; Care of Geraniums; Ferns; Home 



the plants well watered also syringe tlioroughly to keep 

 them clean of mealy Inig. 



Palms 



Palms of advanced age and size being excessively 

 loot-bouud should now be potted, if this operation, ow- 

 ing to pressure of work, had to be postponed earUer in 

 the season. At this season palms do their best growing 

 and the cultivator's chief aim now must be to prevent 

 tliis growth from becoming soft and flabby, which under 

 too densely shaded glass and with an overplus of humid- 

 ity in the house is only too likely to occur. Abundant 

 ventilation day and night is therefore now in order. 

 Badly infested plants should be given a thorough clean- 

 ing and be set by themselves. A fumigating now and 

 then with any one of the different nicotine preparations 

 will do no harm and is the safest means of keeping 

 down insects, while forceful syringing prevents others 

 from gaining a firra foothold. Young palms can be 

 plunged in ashes, which will lielp to keeji them in an 

 even state of moisture all the time. 



Poinsettias 



Get the cuttings into the sand as soon as possible. 

 Let some of the soft wood remain on the woody stalks 

 of the old plants to finish more cuttings. If you prop- 

 agate a few hundred more than you need for yourself, 

 no harm will be done. Tlie ideal pan for the retail 

 trade is about 8 to 10 inches in diameter. These pans 

 are best planted with well established '2\ inch stock. 

 June or July cuttings will lie the best for benching or 

 ]iot culture if a 4 to li ft. stem is needed as is often the 

 case during December. On the other hand, the call for 

 made-up pans of gi'owing plants has wonderfully in- 

 creased and for the last two seasons tliere has been a 

 shortage in the supply of good poinsettias in pans. 

 These late-sti-uck cuttings make fine stock to lie sold 

 in 4-inch pots. 



Reminders 



Keep up spraying with nicotine on the late chrys- 

 anthemums. 



Keep the soil loose under the bulbs of all kinds and 

 firm over them. 



Repair l)ull) flats on wet days as they will be needed 

 in quantity soon. 



Sweet peas may be grown on the benches that the 

 asters are cleared from. 



Finisli up all glazing to sash and greenhouses while 

 the weather is fine and dry. 



Watch all newly planted shrubs and trees and give 

 thorough soaking rather than repeated small doses. 

 Give no liquid manure. 



Grown Shrubs for Forcing; Lilium candldum ; Remlnderi. 



