November 20, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



661 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^'f^^%9^■r}t^^^c^/ 



Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this pnge will be cordlnlly received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communlcaUons should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



'*If vain oar toil, we ought to blame the culture, not the soil." — Fope^ 



Cattleyas 



All such varieties as C. Dowiaiia, C. Eldorado, C. 

 Harrisoniae, C. Loddigesii, C. marginata and C. Bow- 

 riiifrcana. as they pass out of flower will need new feed- 

 ing material. Where the compost is in good condition 

 it is not necessary to repot them — a top-dressing will 

 suffice, but where the compost is sour it is better to 

 repot them. Every subject should be carefully looked 

 over and when the material looks dry give the whole 

 mass a thorough soaking. Watering should be done 

 early enough in the day from now on so as to get the 

 atmosphere dry before closing up time or night. Dur- 

 ing the winter months water must not be applied in- 

 discriminately or a good deal of damage will follow. 

 Give ventilation on all good days. 

 Violets 



Keep a temperature from 10 to 45 degrees at niglit, 

 with 10 degrees warmer when possible during the day. 

 Syringe occasionally on bright days for red spider, .^t 

 all times give all the air that outside conditions and 

 weather w-ill permit, at the same time putting a little 

 heat on in order to keep the air dry. Don't start and 

 water the whole bencli when there are only a few places 

 dry. It is a good plan every morning to examine the 

 beds in order to find the dry spots. To keep them too 

 wet is as bad as keeping them too dry; we must guard 

 against these two extremes and if we expect to keep our 

 plants in a healthy growing and flowering condition 

 the soil should be ke])t as evenly moist as possible all 

 the time. It will soon be the days of dark and gloomy 

 weather, which means more fire heat. Fumigating each 

 week will keep the plants clean of fly; but sliould not 

 be given too heavy. 



Evergreens in Pots for Winter Use 



Now is the proper time to get a good lot of these pot- 

 ted up and tliey can be set under cover outside for some 

 time, which will help to keep the foliage in better color 

 and give the plants time to make some roots before they 

 are sold. Every year there is more demand for ever- 

 greens in pots or tubs. On the approach of winter the 

 florists of all large cities are called upon to have some- 

 thing to break the bareness of the entrances to hotels, 

 stores and dwellings. These should be available in all 

 sizes. When plants are wanted for inside or where 

 freezing will be very sliglit, Euonymus japonica 

 and its varieties will make excellent plants to break the 

 monotony of so many conifers. Make an assortment of 

 the many varieties of, retinosporas, arbor vitaes, juni- 

 pers, yews, spruces, etc. Where you want trailing ever- 

 Next Week — Bcconla de Lorraine; Chrlstm.ns Cultural Suggestions 



gi'eens, Euonymus radicans and English ivy can be used 

 to good effect. 



Primulas 



Give the primulas room to spread out. From 

 now on a temperature near 50 degrees at night 

 will suit them well. Keep them as near the glass as 

 possible. Four, five and six-inch pot plants and make- 

 up pans, fancy dishes, and baskets arranged for Christ- 

 mas sales, should by this time be almost full grown. 

 Plants thai are wanted for late winter flowering should 

 have their last shift now. Five-inch makes a very 

 good size, but where e.xceptionally large and fine plants 

 are required a six-inch pot can be used. A suitable 

 soil can be prepared by intermixing equal parts friable 

 loam, leaf mold, and cow manure, and enough of sand 

 to keep it open. With proper protection from frosts 

 there is no better place for these plants than a cold 

 frame until late in December. 



Lily of the Valley for Christntas 



A period of four weeks — ratlier a little over from 

 the day the pips are planted in the pots — until they 

 are ready to sell. Take five-inch and six-inch pots (or 

 half pots will do), fill them full of pips, spacing the 

 pips properly, having tbe neck even with the rim of 

 the pot, allowing the three-quarter-inch long pips to 

 project above. It is too early yet to force freshly im- 

 ported stock. If not on hand, order some cold storage 

 pips now from any supply house advertising in Horti- 

 culture. Perhaps the main thing is to be able to main- 

 tain about 85 degrees for bottom heat with a few de- 

 grees less on top. If at all well-grown a six-incli pot 

 of lily of the valley with several dozens of flowers and 

 trimmed with red water-proof crepe paper always sells 

 well at Christinas. When the flowers are beginning to 

 open, give more air and be very careful about watering 

 so as not to let any rest on the bells. Gradually inure 

 to the light and air to harden them up. 



Storing Cannas, Dahlias, Etc. 



I^fost of tliu cannas and dahlias are lifted by this time 

 and placed in the shod. Before they are put away for 

 tlie winter see that they are correctly labeled. Cannas 

 will do fine in a violet house under the benclies or some 

 place as cool. Dahlia roots will require a dry place in 

 some shed that does not fall below 45 degrees in the 

 coldest weather. Gladioli will do in the same place. 

 Gloxinias and tuberous-rooted begonias should be gradu- 

 ally dried off and packed in dry sand in a temperature 

 of about 50 degrees. 



: Cyclamens: Polnscttlas; SowIur Fern Spores. 



BOOM YOUR BUSINESS 



hy aJoertising your gnod.i in the 



Horticmlt 



Mre 



Publicity among the kind of readers reached 

 by this paper is THH SORT OF PUBLI- 

 CITY THAT PAYS. 



