June 24, 1916 



HOETICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDCCTKD BY 



^^^>^^.9^.r',iAAz^ 



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

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

 "If vain oar toll, we ouffbt to blame the cnltnre, not the floU."^/*^^^. 



Adiantums 



Xo asparagus, no matter how soft and featheiy will 

 ever entirely take the place of adiautiira and every re- 

 tail grower wlio can provide a house in which he can 

 maintain a temperature not less than 60 degrees during 

 zero weather, should devote some bench room to its cul- 

 ture. Stock out of 2-J inch pots is all right, but better 

 and quicker results will be obtained by making use of 

 larger plants. The adiantum, like most members of 

 the fern family, flourishes in mellow loam. This with 

 a fair amount of well-rotted cow manure and a little 

 sharp sand will do nicely. Provide good drainage and 

 allow about one foot of space between the plants. The 

 present is as good a time as any to prepare for planting 

 out and even if you should not get as large and as fine 

 fronds as your wholesaler supplies, you will appreciate 

 having a good number of plants to cut from next 

 winter. 



Care of Violets 



They should grow without a check and this neces- 

 sitates faithful watching. Remove every runner. Keep 

 the plants free from diseased or yellow leaves. Watch 

 out for greenfly or other insects; don't wait until they 

 pay a visit, but use fumigation and a weak nicotine solu- 

 tion regularly to keep them away. Do not wait for 

 weeds to come, but go over the benches twice a week 

 if possible. A very important matter at this time is to 

 keep the surface of the benches loose by continued 

 scratching. Of the leaders in cut flower stocks, grown 

 extensively for winter .production none probably requires 

 more watchful attention during hot and dry summer 

 than does the violets. The slightest neglect, the least 

 delay or oversight, very often costs the grower dearly. 

 Keep the plants clean and well watered and syringed 

 during bright weather, but during dull weather. keep 

 your house as dry as possible. 



Cinerarias 



It is well to make "three sowings — one early in July. 

 another about mid-August, and the last in the middle of 

 September. The last dates are the best for most grow- 

 ers as they will have them from February on to Easter, 

 which will be not so late next year. Use fresh seeds of 

 the best strains to be had. Sow on leaf-m.old plentiful- 

 ly intermixed with clean, sharp sand. Place the trays 

 in a cold frame. Seeds of Cineraria hybrids started 

 about this time germinate most readily and with proper 

 attention during the warmest months of summer are 

 least difficult to work into good stock. When the seeds 

 are up lay off the sashes on rainless, pleasant nights al- 



together. Time to transplant is after tlie seedlings have 

 developed their third leaf. Keep moist and shaded, but 

 let the sashes be raised a few inches from the start un- 

 less in unusually cold windy weather. Keep clean by 

 frequent fumigations. 



Orchids 



All such Cattleyas as Mossiae, Mendelii, Warneri, etc. 

 when through flowering should be given new material 

 and when in poor condition repot, using osmunda fibre, 

 and sphagnum moss with a liberal drainage. These 

 orchids require every encouragement in the way of heat, 

 light without direct sunlight, and moisture, for they 

 have liaffled quite a few who have tried to grow them. 

 During now and through the summer see that they don't 

 suffer "for the want of water. Now as the season ad- 

 vances the Cattleya department will need more air 

 thus necessitating more thorough and frequent damp- 

 ing of the walks and under the benches, with a syring- 

 ing overhead once or twice a day. Wlien there is a 

 spell of damp weather don't do much damping, and it 

 will be necessary to keep on air with a little fire heat so 

 as to keep tliem in good shape. 



Gardenias 



Early propagated stock uf gardenias should be well- 

 rooted in four inch pots by this time. To have good 

 stock for next wintei-'s flowering the house or bench 

 should be prepared right away. On the way the soil is 

 prepared depends much of the success or failure. The 

 best compost is a loam with plenty of fibre in it, but 

 alwavs avoiding a heavy soil. A very good mixture is 

 fibrous loam three parts, well-decayed cow manure two 

 parts with a sprinkling of bone. It is a good plan to 

 place a layer of broken crocks on the bottom of the 

 l)euches which will insure a sweet soil. They can be 

 planted about fifteen inches apart each way and see 

 that thev are well firmed around the ball. Keep plenty 

 of atmospheric moisture in the house. On all good 

 days give them a gc-od syringing at least twice a 

 day during summer. 



Pelargoniums 



Xow is a good time tn ,uive pclaigouiums a rest. The 

 best place for them is outside iu full sun and gradual- 

 ly reduce the water supply. Wlien the foliage takes on 

 a yellow color the plants can be placed on their sides 

 for about three weeks. This will thoroughly ripen up 

 their growth and put them in condition to break again 

 later. 



Next Week:— Chrysanthemums; Crotons; Orchids; Raising Perennials; Compost for Carnations; Stock Plants. 



BOOM YOUR BUSINESS 



hy adverihing your goods in the 



HorticunltMre 



Publicity among the kind of readers reached 

 by this paper is THE SORT OF PUBLI- 

 CITY THAT PAYS. 



