January 15, 1916 



HORTICULTUEE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDDCTED BY 



^*^^^.9>^-r,i^xc£^ 



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

 by Mr. Farrell. Such commnnlcatlons should Inyarlably be addressed to the office of HORTICDLTURB """*''" 

 "If vain onr toll, we oueht to blame the roltore, not the boIL" Popt, 



Adiantum Farleyense 



For propagating divide into swingle crowns only and 

 insert these into the sand in a propagating bench witli 

 brisk bottom lieat and a housi- temperature of about 

 Go degrees. Let them form eom])act ehimps of new 

 roots and tlien jxit carefully and again |ilace the pot- 

 ted plants (i\er linttnm heat, later on sepaiating them 

 into seveial gi'ades according to diif'ereiiee in growth. 

 When these are lirndy rooted they should be potted into 

 Vf-inch pots in a good sod soil to which tine gravel or 

 coarse sand and some peat or leaf mold is added. They 

 can also be jjropagated by division of the large specimens 

 into clusters of several crowns and these potted in a 

 very sandy and peaty soil, and placed on a bottom heat- 

 ed bench kept moderately moist and heavily shaded 

 until well established. 



Carnations 



Attention sIkjuIcI at once lie given to the increase of 

 such varieties as have proved the most desirable for 

 one's trade. Looking ahead a whole year, as growers 

 must needs do, the jjrobabilities are that while the less 

 productive sorts will bring about the same figure, the 

 variety less in favor now will lie held in still lower esti- 

 mation ne.xt season. Trade conditions must govern all 

 such matters, but if scarlet is to be grown, early propa- 

 gation must be practiced, not only beginning ojierations 

 in good season hut ]nitting into the sand in either one 

 or two large batches not far apart. 



General Propagating 



I'ush along now on the heliotropes, sweet-scented ver- 

 benas, fuchsias, liedding geraniums, alternantheras, cro- 

 toiis. colored cli-acaeiias, ditfenliacliias. fittonias and 

 other warm-house plants. Do not forget a good hatch 

 of niarguei'ites. 'i'hose carried o\cr sunnner in pols 

 will make tlu' best possilile plants for lilooining ;inothei' 

 winter. If y(Ui want a late planting of snapdragons for 

 Memorial Day. root the cuttings now. Keep the cut- 

 ting bench well lilled. 'I'lie useful winter blooming 

 Erica mi'lantliera can he rootcnl in the bench which is 

 used for carnations Rub otf short shoots with a heel 

 for the best results. It is a good jilan to root a ipiantity 



Next Week: — Acacias; Dimorphotheca aurantiaca ; Ferns; Grevil 



rial 



of coleus from the old .stock plants carried over. Keep 

 these old plants for another batch of cuttings and tlien 

 throw them away as they get full of mealy bug. 



Lorraine and Cincinnati Begonias 



Ivirly propagated leaf cuttings of these begonias 

 should he kept growing right along now. Those that 

 are rooted in the .sand should be lifted without delay 

 and potted. These plants like a light sandy inLvture so 

 ,uive them a compost of about four |)arts good loam, two 

 part-^ leaf mold and one pait well-rotted nianui-e with 

 .-ome sand. Keep them where the night temperature 

 runs about (50 degrees and on the dry side rather than 

 (ui the wet side, giving some shade when the sun is 

 powerful. They will want a somewhat close and mod- 

 erately humid atmosphiM-e and as close to the glass as 

 possible. Ventilation will have to be properly man- 

 aged now so as to meet the many excessive changes in 

 tempei'ature. 



Marguerites 



.Marg-uerites propagated last spring should now be 

 in 6 or 7-inch pots and of good size. They like a tem- 

 perature from 50 to 55 degrees during the night, with 

 10 to 15 degi'ees higher with sunshine, and plenty of 

 fresh air when possible, in order to tlower well they 

 should become pot bound. As' the pots aie filled with 

 roots they will require plenty of w^ater and feeding 

 twice a week. The present is a suitable time to put in 

 a good batch of cuttings which will come in handy for 

 late spring sales. These, if kept ])otted along, will 

 make nice bushy stock in (i-inch pots liy late spring. 

 Give them any necessary repotting in a ricli compost, 

 and be sure to always give them an abundance of wate^ 

 at the roots. Plants that were struck during August 

 or September should be kept potted up until tiiey are 

 in 6 or 7-inch size and these will make fine stock for 

 Decoration Day. 



Icy Blasts 



Now is the time we all will have to watch out for the 

 frigid northwest gales and not get caught unawares, 

 with inadecpiate fuel supjjly, pipes bursting, boilers 

 giving out, etc. See that the coal bunkers are filled, 

 heating apparatus in tip top order. Take no chances. 



lea robusta; M.iurandias and Thnnbergias; Feverfew for Memo- 

 Day. 



BOOM YOUR BUSINESS 



hy adoertising your goods in ihe 



Mre 



Publicity among the kind of readers reached 

 by this paper is THE SORT OF PUBLI- 

 CITY THAT PAYS. 



