February 12, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS* STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^*^>->'%.9^.rk.yLU^ 



Question! by our reader! In line with any of the topics prewnfMl on this pnge will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communlcatlona should invariably be addressed to the oUice o( HORTICDLTUBBJ. 



"If vain oar toil, we ousht to blump the roltore. not the hoII." — Fopt. 



Euphorbia fulgens 



By heading back tlicsp plants now and giving them 

 a temperature of 65 degrees at night they will soon 

 break into young growth that will make fine cuttings. 

 Of more importance than anything else is an even tem- 

 perature of about 78 to 8(1 tlegrees of bottom heat and 

 clean rather sharp sand. With such bottom heat, water- 

 ing must be closely attended to so as to keep the sand 

 constantly moist. During this stage they will want 

 careful watering and sliading. 'WHien they have made 

 roots of about half an inch they should be potted in 

 a compost of two parts fibrous loam, one part leaf mold, 

 one part well decayed cow manure and a little 

 sand. Keep shaded until they have taken root. Give 

 them a warm and rather moist situation that never goes 

 lower than 60 degrees at night, but 65 degrees would 

 be better. If kept near the glass they will make better 

 and more stocky growtb. 



Dracaenas 



Leggy plants can be utilized by mossing the tojis and 

 using tlie canes. Cut the stem about half through just 

 below the leaves and place somefbing between to keeji 

 the cut open. Place a small handful of wet moss 

 around the cut and secure by a few twists of rafha. 

 Keep the moss constantly wet and when white roots 

 are seen pushing through, the stem may be severed 

 beneath and the moss and roots are buried to the 

 lowest leaf in a well drained pot of soil. The canes 

 can be sawed up into pieces containing one eye and 

 split each section down the middle. Every .section split 

 or unsplit forms a new plant. Place these in a com- 

 post of equal parts of loam, leaf mold and coarse sand, 

 and then sprinkle a layer of sand over all. Place in a 

 propagating case and in a very short time, [jrovided 

 plenty of heat and water arc given, they will show roots 

 and growth. 



Gardenias 



If you ha\c phuits in I lie lienehes at lliis time with 

 a full promise of a good eiop. lie sure to maintain a 

 temperature of 65 degrees at night with little or no 

 deviation either way. This means everytbing in the 

 perfecting of gardenia blooms. While there arc oc- 

 casional periods of glut even at this season, prices of 

 the blooms as a rule hold up well and those who are 

 able to make gardenias bear freely during the coldest 

 months will find tliem a paying crop. You can begin 

 to feed with liquid mamire water now as the days aie 

 becoming longer. Be very careful when ventilating as 



they do not like cold drafts. Give a good syringing on 

 all bright mornings. Water should pass quickly through 

 the benches. A fairly moist atmosphere is indispens- 

 able as the dense foliage takes a lot of moisture out of 

 the air so damp down two or three times during bright 

 days. Those who w^ould succeed with gardenias in win- 

 ter must watcii them carefully. 



Sowing Smilax 



Do not fail to sow smilax this month, as they will 

 take all their time to grow into nice 4-inch stock by 

 June. For tbe starting of the seed any good grade of 

 sand soil that is fairly open will do. Keep the flats 

 or pans covered with a piece of glass until the seeds 

 have gemiinated. For rapid germination a steady heat 

 and moisture are needed. A temperature of from 60 to 

 65 degrees will be right. Keep shaded until they begin 

 to appear when they should be given the sunniest bench 

 you have, well up to the glass. Transplant when they 

 have made their third pair of leaves, into 2-inch pots, 

 using a friable sandy and moderately enriched soil. To- 

 wards spring they will need another shift into 3-inch 

 pots. About tbe middle of April they should be ready 

 for a 4-inch pot. Kee[i them growing along without 

 any check. 



Timely Seed Sowing 



Many of us do not sow our seed early enough. Per- 

 ennials, such as coreopsis, dianthus, delphiniums, gail- 

 lardias. gypsophila, iinris, incarvillea, lavendula, lobelia, 

 lychnis, peiitstcmon, etc., all greenhouse seeds as aspar- 

 agus, gloxinas, begonias, dracaenas, smilax and others, 

 and annuals such as ageratum, asters for early flower- 

 ing inside, bedtling ceiitaurca, dahlias, heliotrope, pan- 

 sies, petunias and vincas should now be started. Select. 

 for this purjiose a liench with bottom heat to set the 

 flats on. These can all Ite sown in flats or pans, provided 

 with jirojier drainage, and a compost of new loam, leaf 

 mold aii(l sand in equal parts. After sowing, press all 

 down firmly and water with a fine rose. For a top cov- 

 ering, after tbe boxes are placed side by side, paper will 

 answer very well. Give a temjierature of about 60 de- 

 grees, with liottorn beat a few degrees higher. 

 Salvias 

 Stock plants of salvias can be worked up for a tine 

 batch of |ilant.s by planting out time. Place them in 

 a temperature of about 60 degree at night with 10 to 15 

 degrees higher witb sunsbiiie. Seed may also be sown 

 about the end of this niontii. Salvias want plenty of 

 sun and not lower than (iO degrees at night. 



N'lxl \Vcck~.A<:il.vphas; Amaryllis; Orchids; Sclilznnthii''; Stnri f^r N'<-xt ciirLslmnu; Sowlue Musn. 



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