July 24, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



97 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^■f^>^%.9^.Tk4AZ^ 



Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordlar.y received ^"^B^^^fiU^ answered 

 Such commnnlcatlons should Invariably be addressed to the otBce of HOKTlClJL.TlJKfc. 



by Mr. Farrell. 



**It vain our toll, we ouKbt to blame the cnltiue, not the soU." 



Bulb Compost 



With the pressure of other duties there is a likeli- 

 hood of the compost heaps being somewhat neglected 

 in that the}' are allowed to become overgrown with rank 

 weeds, which will soon eat away much of their richness. 

 Keep the compost pile clean and you will find it to be 

 money well invested. It will be some time before the 

 French or Dutch bulbs arrive but it is better to prepare 

 a pile of compost for them now rather than when they 

 are on th>e place. It is much better to leave out bone 

 and all chemical fertilizers. These are more likely to 

 be harmful than helpful. If you stacked up a pile of 

 sod and cow manure last fall chop this down and throw 

 it in a heap. Bulbs like a light and rather rich soil. 

 One-third of the whole should be decayed manure. If 

 you have any spent hotbed manure or such as has been 

 used in the make-up of a mushroom bed either of these 

 is excellent for bulbs. A few shovels of soot and some 

 sharp sand should also be added. Turn the pile over 

 twice or thrice to thoroughly mix it. 



Eucharis amazonica 



Where you mean to start growing Eucharis amazonica 

 now is a good time to begin. Plants that were started 

 last winter and are now in 4 or S-inch pots are the best. 

 A perfectly sound bench should be chosen, as a bench 

 of eucharis is good for years, the plants becoming more 

 and more floriferous as they get crowded in the course 

 of time. You can also use old clumps that have been 

 divided up. The divided plants will take about a year 

 to get established, and will not flower until then. Give 

 them a good sod soil with about one-third of well decom- 

 posed cow manure. They can be planted as close as 

 5 or 6 inches apart. When established plants have made 

 a good growth for about two months grant them a rest 

 by shortening up on the supply of water for about four 

 to six weeks, but not so severe as to show any bad effects 

 on the foliage. By this process flowers will form in- 

 stead of leaves. After this rest apply abundance of 

 water. A temperature of 60 to 6.") degrees at all times 

 is needed. 



Gardenias 



Gardenias should now be advancing well in growth. 

 These plants will want all the air possible now, so on 

 all favorable opportunities give them ventilation with- 

 out allowing drafts to strike them. Gardenias that were 

 benched early in June will now be very active and 

 must have every encouragement to promote a quick and 

 sturdy growth. Give a good syringing in the morning 

 and right after dinner-time. Examine the plants two 

 or three times a day so none of them will remain dry, 

 or, on the other hand, saturated for any length of time, 

 both conditions being very detrimental. Give them a 

 dusting of very fine bone, first over the surface and 



Next Week :— Antirrhinums; -Vspldistras; Chrysantbemu 



then a light mulch of well rotted cow manure. Damp- 

 ing down will now be necessary two or three times a 

 day. Give them fumigations about every ten days. 



Orchids 



All cattleyas that have completed their growth should 

 be placed at the coolest end of the honse or where they 

 can be given a fair amount of air. The quantity of water 

 should be lessened nntil only enough is given to keep 

 the plants from shrivelling. Cattleyas that are in active 

 crrowth will require an abundance of water at the roots 

 with a light syringing overhead two or three times a 

 day Damp the floors and benches well twice a day so 

 as "to create a humid atmosphere. All other orchids of 

 the many species that will now be finishing up their 

 trrowth should be removed to a cooler house that is very 

 Tightly shaded so as to prevent a second growth. Later 

 vou can give them more airy, cool, dry and sunny quar- 

 ters which will induce them to ripen up their growth. 

 Very little water will be needed at the roots during 

 this" rest, but give a gentle syringing over the plants On 

 bright days which will help to keep the growths m good 



condition. 



Poinsettias 



We shall now be propagating poinsettias about as fast 

 as we can get the young growth. Never let them wilt 

 for want of water or from sunshine. Keep the sand 

 saturated and guard against sun and draughts and 

 ninety-five per cent, will root. Cuttings of poinsettias 

 can be inserted until the middle of August and the late 

 ones while they will not make large bracts are reaHy 

 preferable for making up into pans o^vlng to their d^varf- 

 ness If the sand is sharp so that water passes a^va> 

 freely there should be little trouble from damping off 

 In putting in cuttings during this hot weather trim the 

 ea^L ofi^^quite close and let the cuttings he in a pai 

 of water half an hour to help plump them up. Be sure 

 lo examine the cuttings frequently and lust as soon as 

 they have made roots an inch long pot them. If left 

 longer the roots will be broken, the cuttings w,ll soon 

 harden and never make as satisfactory plants as if potted 

 ,„ore promptly. Any compost suitable for carnations 

 or chrysanthemums will gi'ow first-class po nsettias. 

 Plants in [lots should not receive any shade wlien once 

 they have become established in their first pot. 



Starting Hollyhocks 



Now is the time to make a :^owing of liollyhock^. The 

 seed can be either sown out of doors or in a cold frame. 

 The cold frame will prove to be the best. Here they 

 can be watered and shaded and given general care. Wien 

 large enough they can be planted out into other frames 

 and kept there until next spring when they can be set 

 out in the open, 

 ims; Lorraine Begonias; Sweet Pons; Miinure fi>r Winter. 



