February 27, 1915 



HOETICULTUEE 



269 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDCCTKD BY 



^^^%.9^. T-a^A/^ 



Questions by our readers in liue with any of tbe topics presented on tliis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



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



**!( vain our toll, we ougrht to blame the coiture, not the soil." — Popf. 



Azaleas 



The azaleas for Easter should now be placed in a 

 slightly warmer house. As a rule, six weeks in an 

 average ni.sht temperature of 58 to 60 degrees will suf- 

 fice to bring any of the naturally late varieties into 

 bloom, but there are some sorts, such as Deutsche Perle, 

 Mme. Petrick, Apollo, and a few others which will re- 

 quire but little forcing. Spray the plants over twice a 

 day during the bright weather. Discontinue this as 

 soon as the flowers begin to open; give ventilation on 

 all good days; see that none are allowed to become dry 

 at the roots; give plenty of room between the plants. 

 The azaleas should show color about three weeks before 

 Easter so they can be hardened oS in a low temperature. 

 It is always better to hurry them now, rather than late 

 in the season, as a few days in a cold house before being 

 sold makes them better fitted to withstand vicissitudes. 

 Carefully pinch out any leaf gi'owth that may be show- 

 ing around the swelling of the flower buds, whicli would 

 only be at the cost of producing food flowers. 



Bulbs for Easter 



There is not much trouble in forcing bulbs, es- 

 pecially if j'ou know your stock is furnished with an 

 abundance of active roots. It is not always easy to time 

 the various species under this head so as to be just right 

 for Easter. In forcing these bulbs at this season it is 

 well to figure on from three to five weeks. Tulips need 

 about 70 degrees until the bloom is developed and should 

 then be gradually hardened off in a cool house. Always 

 select a cool bottom to place them on but a warm at- 

 mosplieric temperature overhead. Narcissi and hya- 

 cinths are better when grown slowly in a tempera- 

 ture of from 55 to GO degrees witli a moderate bottom 

 heat. Daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and others belonging 

 to this class that are buried outdoors or under protec- 

 tion of some frame, should be brought into a cool house 

 not later than the 25th of this month. When fully de- 

 veloped they should be placed on a cool bench in a semi- 

 dark place to bring about an exquisite blending of their 

 delicate tints which enhances their value. 



Chrysanthemums 



Give the stock plants a place well up to the glass 

 and in full sun and they will give you fine sturdy cut- 

 tings. They will want a temperature not lower than 50 

 degrees at night, with 10 to 15 degrees higher with sun- 

 shine. Provide fresh sand to place the cuttings in, and 

 when they are in the sand tliey should be kept just moist 

 enough to prevent their wilting. When tliey have made 

 roots about half an inch or so they should be potted off 

 without delay. It only permanently weakens cuttings 



Next Week :— >ll;;ui>nette in I'ots; Siilvlns: Seed Sowing 



to remain too long in the propagating bed. For the 

 first potting you can use quite a bit of leaf -mold in the 

 soil as the young roots delight in it. Shade until they 

 become used to the sun and give plenty of ventilation. 



Easter Lilies 



Prom this out lilies will consume great quantities 

 of water. They should now be well formed in c^o^vn 

 growth. By the first week in March they should plain- 

 ly show their buds clustering in the heart of the crown. 

 If this is the case they will be in good time when held 

 at a steady pace temperature of 60 to 65 degrees. Any 

 that show an inclination to become stunted or evince 

 slowness in growth after that date should bo sorted out 

 subjected to 10 or 15 degrees higher, which usually will 

 bring most of them in liue with the rest, providefl, of 

 course, that they were sufficiently furnished with roots. 

 To enlarge the fiowers and give color to the foliage, 

 liquid feeding once or twice a week will prove a great 

 benefit. Lilies of the Japan longifiorum class, only re- 

 cently started into active growth, if well rooted, can 

 still be forced into bloom by Easter, but need driving 

 hard. A gradual daily rise in temperature until by the 

 second week in March the 75 degree mark is reached 

 and then steadily adhered to will promote development. 



Gladioli for Memorial Day 



It is time now to plant gladioli for ^[einorial Day. 

 Give them a bench in a house kept at 48 to 50 degrees 

 at night. Use such varieties as Brenchleyensis, Augusta 

 and America, wliich are all excellent sellers. Do not 

 use any fresh manure wliich will come in contact with 

 the bulbs. If you have no old manure, try fine bone 

 and pulverized sheep manure, incorporating them well 

 with the soil. Of course, so much depends on climatic 

 conditions that it is not easy to hit the date just right 

 with this crop. Again, the bulbs do not all flower at 

 one time, which is, generally speaking, an advantage. 

 The market for gladioli spikes is usually good in April 

 and May, and fairly good in June, and there is not 

 much likelihood of s|)ikes being wasted even though a 

 good many of them flower before and after Memorial 

 {lay. In order to secure an early crop of such varieties 

 as Colvillei The Bride, Peach Blossom and Blushing 

 Bride, every week or ten days bring a few flats into a 

 house kept at 48 to 50 degrees at night. 



Sowing Moonflowers 



Seed should be sown now. They can he sown in 

 any light sandy mixture and placed in a wann liouse 

 until they come up, when tliey will do better in a tem- 

 jierature of about •">(> degrees than when kept too wann. 

 ^\Tien' large enough put off and grow on. 



starting Begonia TiiImms; Sweet Peas; Outside Work. 



