July 17, 1915 



HOETICULTUEE 



65 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



9^. TkAAxz/ 





Questions by our readers In line wltb any of tlie topics presented on this page will be cordlal'.y received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Sucb communications should Invariably be addressed to the oUlce of HORTICl'I,TrRE 



"If vain our toil, we ouebt to blame the cnltnre, not the soli." — /'<,' 



Chrysanthemums 



Plants set in the tienclies in W^y will liave made a 

 foot or so of growth and will produce a bnd some time 

 in Jul}-. This is nailed a "break." Ver}' early planted 

 stock may produce a first bud in ,Jime and a second 

 one in Jnly which is obvionsly too early to retain so 

 that advice to take first or second crowns is not veiy 

 explicit. All buds produced in August are crown buds 

 and a crown bnd, by the way, is always distinguished 

 by the shoot? that appear around it and which soon 

 grow np and take all the strength away from the bud 

 if they are not removed. The temiinal bud, which 

 does not appear till September or later, always has a 

 cluster of smaller buds around it in place of the small 

 shoots, and this bnd being produced some fonr weeks 

 later than the crown bud will not produce so large a 

 flower or so deep a flower because it has had another 

 growth to mature while the crown bnd has been putting 

 tliat same strength to producing jjetals in the future 

 flower. 



Lorraine Begonias 



Don't overlook keeping the flowers and buds re- 

 moved. Growth is what you want now and not flowers. 

 If the plants are free from green fly, as good a way as 

 any to keep them so is to apply weekly a light spraying 

 of a nicotine solution. Examine the stock carefully and 

 if at all potbound don't wait for a time to shift but do 

 not shift unless you are positive that the plants are 

 in need of it. The main thing is to use a porous soil. 

 We are making use of loam and leaf mold mixed with 

 about one-fifth of well rotted cow manure for the 

 present shifting and this with plenty of drainage in 

 the pots seems to suit the plants nicely. Shade just 

 enougii to keep the foliage from burning. Avoid care- 

 less watering. 



Rambler Roses 



I'ot culture during summer is the best method for 

 plants to be forced during the winter. Failures in 

 forcing are usually tracable to neglect during summer. 



Xc'xi wcik— Bulb Compost; Eucharis nmaznnic 



Pot grown ramblers will now have made canes of con- 

 siderable length. Do not allow these to lie over on the 

 ground but tie them up securely. Only in this way 

 can they be well ripened. This is particularly necessary 

 with Dorothy Perkins and other pink varieties which 

 are somewhat prostrate in their natural habit. Eeduce 

 the number of shoots to four or five on each plant. 

 If the pot ramblers are still indoors get them outside 

 at once. Plunge them to their brims. I'se the hose 

 freely and there is little likelihood of red spider getting 

 a foothold. 



Pruning Flowering Shrubs 

 The time to prune flowering shrubs with the ex- 

 ception of hydrangeas and one or two other unimport- 

 ant species is just after the flowering period. All the 

 spring bloomers flower from the shoots made the prev- 

 ious season while the late summer and autumn flower- 

 ing sorts require new young shoots for blooming. The 

 pruning of the first named consists of cutting out much 

 of the older shoots but not all, which will cause fresh 

 growth for the next year's blooming. 



Start Freesia Bulbs 



Freesia bulbs that were forLed last year and had good 

 attention in the way of drying off will make fine bulbs 

 to plant now. To get freesias in flower by Christmas 

 or the New Year plant them right away in flats or imns. 

 Place them two or three inches apart each way in good 

 new soil well drained. Fibrous loam three parts, cow 

 manure and leaf mold one part each will suit nicely. 

 Place them in a cool place or cellar until they begin 

 to show through when they should be brought out to 

 full light. Water moderately until the foliage is well 

 developed. 



Perennial Lupines and Larkspurs 



Seeds of these stately and gorgeous perennials should 

 be so\m now without" delay. Sow in a cold frame. 

 Give them some shade and they will germinate much 

 better. \Mien large enough they can lie transjilanted 

 into other frames where they will make fine growth 

 l.v late fall. 



(Jnrdciilas: flnliiils 



I'dinsptllas: Starting Hollyhocks. 



RESTING GRAFTED ROSES. 



Kinillv ailvisc me lljrougb tile HCiKTI- 

 CrLTIUlO how far to cut hack grafted 

 roses fur a rest, that were planted out In 



Greenhouse last July, and how lone should 

 rest them to get the best results this 

 winter. N. II. C. 



New York. 



Generally speaking, any of the forc- 

 ing roses now in commerce sliould be 

 cut back to about 12 inches when be- 

 ing; made ready to start up after a 

 rest, the length of time that they have 

 been dried off governing somewhat 

 this point. Some growers prefer to 

 dry off the Teas and Hybrid Teas for 

 apiiroximately two weclts. gettini; the 

 soil thoroughly dried out and harden- 



ing the wood well, being careful, of 

 course, not to allow the wood to 

 shrivel. Such a long period of dry- 

 ing will iiprmit of cutting back low, 

 say to to 12 inches. 



Another system of handling carried- 

 over roses and one which is nicetin' 

 with a great deal of favor is that of 

 simply withholding the water gradual- 

 ly ami bringing the wood on the plants 

 to a firm state, then cutting the plants 

 back to 15 or 18 inches and starting 

 right on again without the long period 

 of rest. About a week is all that is 

 necessary. 



From the writer's observation this 

 has given most excellent results and 



is worthy of a trial. Less time Is lost 

 during the resting period and wher- 

 ever this has been tried the plants 

 have started along quickly and made 

 as strong a growth as could ever be 

 expected from the former method. 



R. 



SOWING MIGNONETTE. 



1 iioti' in your last issue that Mr. 

 Farrell in his notes advises sowing 

 mignonette, for winter blooming, at 

 once. It is just one month too early 

 for New Jersey; to get the best re- 

 sults I nnd the middle of August the 

 beat, as early sowing is inclined to 

 make it weak. H. A. M. 



New Jersey. 



