November 27, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDCCTED BY 



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



by Mr. Farrell. Sueh communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



"If Tain oar toll, we ought to blame the cnltare, not the 80IL'* — Pope, 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine 



To have exceptionally fine stock of Begonia Lorraine 

 for nest year propagating should be started now. There 

 is no douht as to the superiority of early-propagated 

 stock. Wlien selecting material, take well matured 

 leaves of a spotless green from the most vigorous plants. 

 Trim away the stubby end of the leaf stalk, about half 

 an inch below the leaf and insert in the sand un- 

 til the base of the leaf is in close contact with 

 the .surface and see that they are well firmed in the 

 sand. Exclude sunshine and give them frequent 

 sprinklings and they should root in about eight or nine 

 weeks. Every day they should have fresh air admitted. 

 It is a good plan to have them covered with sashes 

 while you are ventilating the house to ward off draughts 

 or excessive changes in the temperature. 



Christmas Trade Suggestions 



To be well prepared for a run of good business is 

 very often all-sufficient to assure its coming. Goou 

 stock, plenty of it, rich in variety and temptingly dis- 

 played never fails to attract custom. This fact should 

 not be overlooked by those new in the retail flori.st busi- 

 ness. Have a good supply of holly, mistletoe, laurel, 

 lycopodium and boxwood and wreaths for use in decora- 

 tions. The filling of pans, baskets and other receptables 

 ■with plants other than bulbous stock or poinsettias 

 should be done now or as soon as possible. See that 

 the plants are well watered or thoroughly dipped before 

 being made up. The buds of lilies should be well for- 

 ward now. You will have to do some figuring during 

 the next ten days in moving around those lilies so as 

 to time them to a nicety. The most advanced ones 

 should be removed to cooler quarters while those that 

 are backward should be given some high forcing unless 

 too far behind. 



Cyclamen 



Cyclamen will not last long in fine condition, nor 

 prove of so great a value for living room or house adorn- 

 ment, if they had to be giown and flowered in great 

 heat in order to make them Christmas plants. They 

 can be grown to perfection in a night temperature of 

 about 50 degrees. Perfect foliage is the proper setting 

 to their flowei-s and without the former the latter, if ever 

 so abundant, fails to aroii.se admiration. Plants which 

 have a number of buds well-developed but not quite out 

 should be put into about 5."> to 58 degrees at night, as 

 near the glass as possible and in full sun. Cyclamen 

 should be fi'equently examined and if not entirely free 

 of insects should receive a good sponging especially on 

 the under side of the leaves. From this out see that 

 they do not suffer for water at tlie roots. 



Next Week:— Christmas Greens; Azaleas for CbrlstmaB; DecoratlT* 



Small 



Poinsettias 



Those that are coming along not so fast can be held 

 at from 60 to 65 degrees at night. By this time most 

 poinsettias should be well advanced and if so a tem- 

 perature of about 55 degrees will be sufficient to hold 

 them in good condition. No plant more quickly re- 

 sents neglect than a finely developed poinsettia. Failure 

 with poinsettias can usually be traced to insufficient 

 heat. Grown in a low temperature, the leaves will 

 turn yellow and drop. The best poinsettia bracts with 

 their stems leafless lose the greater part of their value. 

 Keep your pans and pots from drying out too much by 

 giving water when necessary. The loss of foliage is 

 often caused by the exhaustion of the soil. If they 

 have had some liquid manure occasionally up to now, it 

 will help them materially. It is not safe to abruptly 

 bring about a gi'eat change in temperature of poinset- 

 tias, but they can be gradually lowered until they are 

 standing 55 degrees at night and 10 to 15 degrees more 

 with sun heat. 



Sowing Fern Spores 



Those who are sowing spores should bear in mina 

 that the most desirable commercial varieties will take 

 from 10 to. 12 months before they are fit to sell in 

 pot. To have success in growing ferns from spores it 

 is necessary to have the compost sterilized. A great 

 deal of what is known as damping off has its origin in 

 a minute fungus. Where you do not have a better 

 means the. soil can be baked in the furnace or soaked 

 with boiling water. Fill the pans about one-third with 

 crocks, larger ones in the bottom and those on the top 

 finely broken and over this place a layer of moss, then 

 fill to within an inch and a half of the top with the 

 sterilized compost. This compost should consist of 

 loam, leaf mold, jieat and sand in equal parts. The 

 surface soil in the pan should be pressed down and 

 made as smooth as jiossible. A good soaking of water 

 should be given and allowed to drain off before sowing 

 the spores. Don't cover the spores with soil but place 

 over the pan a close-fitting pan of glass and place where 

 they can have 65 degrees. 



Propagating Vincas 



Large clumps of vincas, say in 5 or 6-inch pots can 

 be broken up into pieces large enough for a three-inch 

 pot. Give them a compost of fibrous loam three parts 

 and well rotted maiuiie one part. Leaf mold add one 

 part will also be good. Keep shaded for a little while. 

 Give them a temperature of not less than GO degrees 

 at niglit. 



Stock; Getting Heady for Christmas; Lorraine Begonias ; Soil for 



Seeds. 



