April 3, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



457 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTKD BY 



9^.TkA.xe^ 



Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptl: 

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

 "It vain our toil, we onebt to blame the culture, not the toll." — Pope. 



romptly answered 



Decorative Foliage Plants 



Before it gets any later all these plants should have 

 a good sponging with some good insecticide such as 

 Aphine or Lemon Oil, because later on you will not 

 have much time. Repotted now they will start into 

 active growth. Knock tlie plant out of the pot and 

 remove as much of tlie old soil as will come oS without 

 injury to the active root:?. Different composts will be 

 needed to suit their dLfferent requirements. When re- 

 potted, they will require a closer atmosphere which will 

 help them to start up quicker after they have been dis- 

 turbed. Most foliage plants like plenty of syringing so 

 don't be afraid to use the hose. 



Gardenias 



The right sort of easily r(X)ted cuttings can now be 

 had if good stock for the future is to be provided by 

 home propagation. Gardenias in their young state 

 grow faster than is generally supposed and a young, 

 thrifty plant is worth more than several hard worked 

 and hard wooded old ones when it comes to planting 

 for indoor culture in nortliern latitudes. The new wood 

 shoots just beginning to show the firmness of matur- 

 ity along their lowermost joints, broken off with a 

 bit of heel or cut sharp with a trifle of a slant will root 

 steadily in good heat, if kept moist and shaded. \Vlien 

 gardenias have safely passed through all the dangers 

 of the winter and grown to productive plants, they are 

 then in a pa«ition to appreciate generous treatment and 

 respond to it as readily as any other kind of stock. The 

 common stable manure water, as iised for roses, I have 

 found to be also the most reliable and beneficial feeding 

 liquid for gardenias in pots or benches and they should 

 now have it about once every five or six days after they 

 have been thoroughly watered. In a steadily held tem- 

 perature of C8 degrees gardenias feel most comfortable. 

 A pleasantly humid air is to be maintained at all times 

 but in piirtieiilar while buds are swelling and opening. 



Mulch for Carnations 



To protect the feeding nxit.- ihat are now near the 

 surface from strong sunsliiiic, and to keep the benches 

 from drying out too quickly, they should now get a 

 liberal mulching of rich compost. The soil, if tlie 

 plants have been doing good work, will by this time be 

 much exhausted, and as the spring growth is now on 

 they will require some fre.sh material to work on. By 

 mulching now the blooms can be kept up to size for 

 quite a long time even in hot weather. The compost 

 should consist of two parts decomposed cow manure 

 and one part good soil. To this should be added fifteen 

 or twenty pounds of dessicated bone meal to each cubic 

 yard of compost, the whole to be thoroughly incorpor- 



ated and put on the bench one inch thick. Passing the 

 compost through a screen of an inch mesh makes it 

 more easily spread, covering the ground more uniformly 

 and making it more assimilable than if put on in a 

 rougher state. This mulcliing, with aid of liquid feed- 

 ing should keep the soil in good condition till planting 

 time. 



Swainsona 

 Now is a good time to propagate this very sen'iceable 

 florists' flower. Swainsona can be put to a good many 

 uses as it has the make-up of graceful and very delicate 

 green foliage in contrast to its pure white flowers. 

 Place in sand where they will have a little bottom heat, 

 and with necessary waterings and frequent spraying 

 they will soon root. Give them plenty of shading until 

 they are rooted, when they can be potted into % or 

 2^-inch pots. Mix up a light compost, say one part 

 leaf mold and sand to three of new loam. See that 

 they are potted firmly and place in a somewliat closer 

 atmosphere for ten days or two weeks or until they take 

 hold of the soil. They can then be placed in from 

 55 to 60 degrees at night, shifted from time to time 

 and grown on in pots, or planted out in a bench at 

 alwut 55 degrees during the winter. 



Starting Achimenes 



These make very nice flowering plants to have on 

 hand in the spring. A good way is to place tubers quite 

 thickly in pans that have been previously filled with 

 good drainage material finished off with sand so the pans 

 will be three-quarters full. Then cover the tubers with 

 sand. Place them in a temperature of at least 65 

 degrees. Keep the sand moist all the time but not too 

 wet or the tubers will rot. When the plants have made 

 a growth of two inches they should be potted — 6 to 8 

 in a 5 or G-ineli pan or pot. Use a compost of 

 two parts fibrous loam, two parts leaf mold and one part 

 sand. Give them ample drainage and on this some 

 turfy material or spliagnum moss. Keep in a temper- 

 ature of about 60 degrees at night. Place well up to 

 the glass but shade when the sun is powerful so that 

 they may suffer no injury- to tiicir leaves. When flower- 

 ing begins th(>v will take lifjuid manure about twice 

 a woek. 



Stock Plants 



Now is the time to take note and find out what kind 

 of stock, and how much we intend to grow another 

 year. Every up-to-dat-e grower should make a practice 

 of looking ahead, so that when the time comes he will 

 have the required amount of stock to meet his trade, 

 so put aside enough now to propagate from during next 

 fall and winter. 



LIBKAKI 



•otanica 



Next Week:— P.ire of Ferns; CiiUas ; FU-ddlnR I'laiits; Orchids; Pot Adl.nntiinis; Ripening Freeslas. 



