May 20, 1916 



IIORTICULTUEE 



691 



* NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



^i^>*>'%.9y^.Ta.yu^ 



uestlons by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly aniwered 

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

 "If vain oar toil, we onffht to blame the caltore, not tlie soil/' — Pope. 



Ferns 



Xow is a good time to sow spores of those ferns, use- 

 ful for filling small ferueries. Partly fill pans with 

 crocks and some coarse material such as sod. On top 

 place a finely screened compost of soil three parts, leaf 

 mold and j^eat one part each., and some sand. Water 

 with a fine I'ose and let stand for four or five days before 

 sowing the spores. Scatter the spores evenly and press 

 in. Cover with glass and keep in a sliady humid liouse 

 where a warm temperature is held. The benches and 

 floors should never be allowed to remain dry for any 

 length of time. Stand the pans well to the glass that 

 • has been shaded so they will have plenty of light with- 

 out direct sunshine. Now that young ferns are making 

 fairly good g^o•^^■tll they will require more water riglit 

 along. 



Flowers for Memorial Day 

 Spiraea jajiunica and its various foi-ins mil make one 

 of the best flowers for tliat date. 'Wliere tiiey are well 

 out a slight shade will hold them in good condition un- 

 til the}- are sold. A temperature of 55 to 60 degrees at 

 night will be preferred to a higher one. Hydrangeas 

 will take about the same care and temperature as spir- 

 aeas. Both these i>laiits will need lots of water at the 

 roots now. It can be applied two or three times a day. 

 (iive plenty of ventilation. It is a hard proposition to 

 hold lilies in good condition at this time of the year. 

 When well out they should be placed in a cool shady 

 place and never allowed to want for water. Look them 

 well over now for fly and give two or three successive 

 fumigations. Benches containing ten-week stocks, 

 gladioli, snapdragons, candytuft and other Memorial 

 Day stock in pots should be looked after often in order 

 that none be allowed to go \\Tong. 



Lycastes 



The flowering season for these orchids is now over, 

 and with new growth starting any needed potting 

 should be done. T?epotting once in two or three years is 

 all these plants usually need. Few orchids are more 

 generally satisfactory than the old Lycaste Skinneii 

 and its beautiful jiure white form. The flowers JKild 

 fre.sh for ten to twelve weeks on the ])lants and keep 

 for three weeks in water. They grow better in ei|u;il 

 parts of fern fibre and fibrous loam than in pure fern 

 fibre. When growths liegin they should have abundance 

 of water. Even during the season of rest they .should 

 never be allowed to become too dry at the roots. They 

 do well in ]>ots or pans iialf filled with clean broken 

 crocks. In summer they succeed best in a cool north 

 house, liiit they should have a rather warmer position in 



Next Wfok— licKonias: Drac.ionii iiiiHvisa ; t'iciis 



winter. Among the numerous species Lycaste Skinneri 

 is undoubtedly the best bloomer. Lycaste cruenta and 

 Harrisoniae are also very good. 



Primulas 



After the middle of May primulas should be grown in 

 a cold frame and if they are partially plunged in fine 

 coal ashes, all the better. A spraying overhead each 

 afternoon will be beneficial. The earliest sowing should 

 now be in 2|-inch or 3-inch pots. The compost should 

 be light, e(|ual parts of leaf mold not too much decayed, 

 and loam with a little sand. The young plants want 

 to be kept near the light, but need a little shade from 

 the direct sun. Sowing primula seed is still seasonable. 

 You will not get as fine Christmas plants as from the 

 earlier sowings, but they can be gro^vn into nice little 

 stock in 4-inch pots which is a convenient size for mar- 

 keting. Primula seed wants a brisk moist heat to ger- 

 minate, but the plants themselves should never be sub- 

 jected to any forcing conditions. Prick out and pot 

 off when large enough. While they need some shade do 

 not overdo it as it only makes them become drawn and 

 weakly. 



Single-Stem Chrysanthemums 



From now on up to the first week in June is good to 

 put in cuttings for fi-inch pots. Where the idea is to 

 grow single-stem chrj'santhemums in pots there is no 

 better time. Never let the cuttings show signs of wilt- 

 ing either from want of moisture or proper shade until 

 rooted. It is advisable to change the sand for this batch 

 of cuttings so as to avoid as much as possible the cut- 

 ting-bencli fungus. When rooted, pot into 2i-inch pots 

 and thence into 4-incb, and finally to their last shift — 

 a G-inch pot. Never permit the jilants to become pot- 

 bound until the last shift is reached. For the last shift 

 use a rich compost. .\t least one-third of the bulk of 

 soil should be well rotted cow manure and a good 

 sprinkling of bone dust. Make it a practice to syringe 

 several times a day. 'I'he be.^t place to grow those plants 

 during the summer is on a bench where there is side 

 ventilation which can be kept open day and night. See 

 that tlu'V are svrinsicd and watered at the roots every 

 day. 



Stock Plants 



in order to have plenty of stock for another year we 

 shall have to lay aside a number of plants for the pro- 

 duction of cuttings from September on and through the 

 winter. Now is the time to make selections before they 

 are all gone. Give them a good piece of ground and 

 with care they give you a foundation for another year's 

 sales. Label true to name when planting out. 



Mossing; Nerlnes ; Piilnis; Vhicjis for .\cxt Year. 



