April 24, 1915 



HORTICULTUEE 



553 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTBD BY 



^*^>->S.9^.T-a^yte^ 



Questions b; our readers in line wltti any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farreli. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



"If vain our toil, we ought to blame the cnltore, not the soil.** — Popf. 



Cattleyas 



Hotter weather will necessitate more ventilation. 

 Give walks and under the benches a more frequent 

 ■damping. Water whenever the compost appears dry 

 and spray overhead on bright days. Do not keep the 

 shading too dense. Wliere it is possible shade with lath 

 -or canvas so they will have the benefit of the early 

 morning sun and the late afternoon sun, as well as 

 having full light on aU sunless days. Keep tlie plants 

 free from thrips and scale by sponging occasionally 

 with a solution of nicotine extract and also give them 

 & light fumigating once a week. Do not allow them 

 to become scale or bug-ridden before giving attention. 



Cibotium Schiedei 



These handsome ferns should always be given an ele- 

 vated position so as to retain the graceful sweep of their 

 fronds. During tlie spring they will need lots of moist- 

 ure both at the I'oots and in the house. Give them 

 sufficient ventilation and do not keep the house too 

 humid as it makes them very soft. While these ferns 

 like shade they do not want it too heavy. Shading, 

 nine times out of ten, is overdone with all kinds of ferns. 

 Where cibotiums are quite pot-bound now is a good 

 time to give them a weekly liquid feeding. Tliere is 

 nothing better than cow manure, using about a bushel 

 •of cow manure in a barrel that holds about fifty gallons 

 of water. Let it stand for about two days and if too 

 strong dilute it some. They can get this about once a 

 ■week. 



Gloxinias 



Plants that are coming into bloom should have a tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees at night with a rise of 10 de- 

 grees during the day, but when the flo.wers are well 

 •opened they can be kept 10 degrees cooler. This will 

 make the foliage firmer and the flowers will have greater 

 •durability. They should be given a light shade and so 

 situated that they will get a requisite amount of air 

 without draughts. Tubers that have been kept back 

 but are now starting up naturally should be potted, 

 using a mixtiire of two parts leaf mold and one part 

 fibrous loam and some sand. Be very careful not to 

 wet the foliage any more than is absolutely necessary 

 when watering as they get scorched. The seedlings 

 started early in the year will now be of good size for 

 three-inch pots. These young plants can be sliifted as 

 they need it and will grow into nice plants by the late 

 summer. Treat them throughout the season with shade 

 but give plenty of light and moisture. 



Propagating Crotons 



Place the tall and lanky plants in a warm, close and 

 moist house, and propagate them by mossing. Select 

 the stem and denude of leaves for a distance of 2 or 

 3 inches. With a sharp knife make an incision upward 

 in the wood of half an inch, and from one-half to one- 

 third tlirough. Place a little sphagnum in the incision to 

 keep it open then put a small quantity of sphagnum 

 about the size of an egg and tie it on. Encourage a 

 moist atmosphere by damping down the house three or 

 four times a day and give daily syringing over the 

 plants to keep the moss wet. Keep the plants rather 

 dry at the roots and in a short time they will be push- 

 ing roots through the moss. In about four weeks, under 

 favorable conditions, the roots should be seen coming 

 through the moss, when it is time to sever tlie tops 

 from the parent plant and pot them and place in a frame 

 where there is gentle bottom heat. Keep the atmos- 

 phere well charged with moisture. For a week or two 

 they should be shaded from the sun and care exercised 

 in watering. When the foliage is in no way limp and 

 the plants have the appearance of sturdiness they should 

 be taken out and placed on a bench in a house where 

 the temperature can be maintained at 70 degrees at 

 night. 



Plants for Vases, Etc. 



Many growers who have these receptables to fill have 

 only a vague idea as to the amount of stock required. 

 Now is a good time to sum up. The florist who does 

 a general retail plant business adjacent to town or near 

 some leading cemetery, will have many vases to fill. For 

 the center Draciiena indivisa, Chamserops humilis or any 

 of the Plioenix family. For ti'ailers, Vinca major 

 variegata, Solanum jasminoides, Abutilon vexillarium, 

 nasturtiums, verbenas, Gorman ivy and ivy-leaved gera- 

 niums and many others. If plants are required for a 

 shady situation the following selection is good : fuchsias, 

 begonias, Cyperus alternifolius, Ficus elastica, aspi- 

 (li>tras, Farfugium grande, selaginellas and ferns. For 

 centers use Phoenix nipicola, Latauia borbonica, Areca 

 lutescens and cordyliues. For trailers use German ivy, 

 tradescantias, Kenilworth ivy, and Asparagus Sprengerii. 

 Where they will be exposed to the sun the following are 

 very satisfactory: geraniums, coleus, ageratum, acaly- 

 plia, petunias and dwarf nasturtiums. See that all 

 climbing and drooping plants do not get tangled up. 



Shading 



All plants such as ferns, pahns and foliage plants 

 will now need a denser shade than heretofore. A mod- 

 erately heavy shade will help to keep down the temper- 

 ature : a gallon of kerosene to ten pounds of white lead 

 makes a fine mixture to use as it withstands the weather 

 and rains well. 



Next Week :— Adlantum ; I,orraine and Cincinnati licgonlas; Carnations; Flcus elastics: Increasing Fern Stoclc; Poinsettlns. 



