September 11, 1915 



HOKTICULTUEE 



341 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDCCTKD BY 



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Qaeatlons by our readeri In 11d« wltb any of the topics preacoted OB thli page will be cordlaUj recelTcd and promptly answered 



b7 Mr. Farrell. Sacb eommnnlcatlons gbould Invariably be addressed to tbe otOce of HORTICCLiTUKE. 



*^f tkIb our toll, we onffht to blame the culture, not the soil." — Pope. 



Carnations 



There is more to the growing of carnations than to 

 ventilate faithfully and water regularly. Keep your 

 eyes open and take a walk through the houses whenever 

 there is a chance. Hardly ever do wo do this -without 

 finding something rcijuiring attention. If there should 

 happen to be a little let-up in the rush you couldn't 

 take better advantage of it than to get the supports put 

 in place ior the carnations. ^Yhic■h is the best kind to 

 use? Tlie kind which in your judgment will hold the 

 plants up well, make the cutting of flowers an easy 

 matter and will let the sun and air into the rows. The 

 winter mouths are not the ones to attempt to get a 

 stunted plant into condition. Tf healthy field-grown 

 plants have been housed, try to keep them so; get a 

 beufh full of live stock and bu.sy tops by the middle of 

 October. Look over the beds every day and water where 

 they show dry. Keep on ventilating all day and even at 

 night, as this tends to produce growth that is hard and 

 robust. 



Geranium Cuttings 



Where a big amount of these cuttings are wanted, 

 lose no time from this out. By rooting the cuttings 

 in benches in sand, a greater number of plants can be 

 raised in a given time than by either of the other 

 methods and if at all times the cuttings are kept cool 

 enough, good salable plants will be the result. Another 

 method is that of putting the cuttings, to the number 

 of fifty or more — the number depending on the size of 

 the flats — into flats. This method, which is generally 

 practiced by private growers and by some commercial 

 growers also, possesses many j)oints of advantage. Those 

 adopting it should, however, count on losing ten per 

 cent, of the cuttings put in if these are allowed as they 

 often are to remain in flats three or four months. The 

 cuttings should be thoroughly watered after being put in 

 the flats and then shaded for a day or two. 



Lifting Hydrangeas 



It is now about time to lift field grown hydrangeas. 

 Many make the mistake of lifting them too early, when 

 tlie wood is not nearly matured; but as each location 

 differs in temperature and other climatic conditions, 

 in one or more particulars, it is impossible to advise as 

 to the exact dale for lifting and potting. Give the 

 plants a good watering directly after potting. After the 

 plants are potted they should lie placed in as exposed 

 a situation as can be found for them outdoors, until 

 safety demands their removal to other c|uartcrs. A 

 cool cellar is a good place for resting hydrangeas, but 



Next Week:- Ciiiiii il.iiry Bells: ChryKnnthpmnms; 



care should be taken tliat frost does not reach them. 

 You will need to look at them about everj' two weeks 

 and see that they do not become dust drv'. 



Midseason Sweet Peas 



A much larger number are planting sweet peas as a 

 succession crop to chrysanthemums. The importance 

 of these flowers commercially is yearly increasing as 

 better varieties are introduced. Any florist who cares 

 to plant sweet peas in benches can get .good flowers for 

 a long period if they are kept well fed and watered. 

 It is, however, in solid beds that the really fine long- 

 stemmed flowers arc to be had. The finest sweet peas 

 under glass are grown in solid beds, as in these they 

 have a deeper root run and the roots are cooler and 

 moister than is possible in raised benches. The soil 

 must be thoroughly prepared. For best results trench 

 the beds twelve to eighteen inches deep, worldng in 

 plenty of well decayed cow manure. Be sure that the 

 drainage is good. Sow the seed thinly, letting individual 

 plants stand two or three inches apart in the rows. Some 

 people prefer to sow the seed in the rows, other to 

 start in flats of sand or fine loam and transplant singly. 



Preparing Soil 



The jirescnt is a good time to look to the turning 

 over and preparing of the soil to be used for benches, 

 etc., the coming season. The compost sliould have been 

 got together some time ago but should be turned over 

 and well broken up now so as to be in readiness when 

 wanted. It is necessary that it be finely chopped so 

 that the ingredients are evenly mixed. If barnyard 

 manure was put in the compost at the time it was 

 stacked up nothing else will be necessary. Bone meal 

 or tankage (the later a mixture of blood, bone and the 

 waste from slaughter houses which is dried and then 

 finely ground up) we have found very good for this 

 purpose. Either of these added to the compost at the 

 rate of about fifty pounds to the yard of soil will make 

 a good, strong soil and also has the advantage of caus- 

 ing the compost to heat sufficiently to destroy the lar^'te 

 or grubs of insects tliat would prove a detriment to the 

 growth of the plants later. 



Firing 



Tlicre are quite a few growers that let all their warm- 

 blooded stock go too long without fire heat. This is 

 not a good plan as it always works harm when the 

 nights become cool. I know some growers who start 

 firing by (he 20th of August within fifty miles of New 

 York City. So it is safe to begin firing for this locality 

 now. 



Onrdonlas: I.orriiliii' r.i'i:i.nl:is: Violets; Vontllalloii. 



