December 4, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



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Questions by our readers In line wltb »ny of the topics presented on tbis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



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



"If vain our toll, we ooebt to blame the cnltnre, not the boIL" — Pope. 



Christmas Greens 



A few words on this will not go amiss now. Prac- 

 tically everyone in the retail business handles Christmas 

 greens, and with most of us it pays as well as anytliing 

 we do around the holidays. We will want all such kinds 

 as holly, fresh cut boxwood, laurel wreathing, lycopodi- 

 imi, moss, mistletoe, etc. A deep coldframe can't be 

 beaten for storing greens. Spread some heavy paper or 

 burlap over the bottom to keep the greens clean; the 

 made-up wreaths can be piled up here, also the loose 

 holly and most of the other stoc-k if the weather 

 isn't too severe. Sprinkle lightly, place heavy paper 

 over the top of all followed by the sashes and such piu- 

 tection on the outside as will be necessary to keep out 

 frost. 



Azaleas for Christinas 



Azaleas left over from last Christmas will come in 

 good now. There is very little difficulty in having such 

 varities as Deutsche Perle, Hexe, Mme. Petrick or 

 Verveaneana in flower for the holidays. It should be 

 borne in mind that for the last ten days before Christ- 

 man it would be a great advantage to the keeping qual- 

 ities of the flower if they were kept down to a tempera- 

 ture from 50 to 55 degrees at night with a rise of ten 

 degree during the day and a good amount of fresh air 

 circulating. If these plants do not show color by this 

 date they should be kept in a temperature of 70 degrees 

 at night and sprayed with lukewarm water two or three 

 times a day. Also give them the sunniest bench you 

 have. Azaleas that are now showing the first flowers 

 open can be kept about 60 to 55. 



Getting Ready for Christmas 



The weather isn't going to get any warmer. Thcic 

 are very few of us who will always do things ahead of 

 time. We should have our holiday plant display on hand 

 and properly staged at least several days before Christ- 

 mas. Study the advertising pages of IIORTicuLTDiih, 

 carefully, mark up your needs and place your order in 

 time. Too often is the ordering of plants for the holi- 

 day trade put o9 too late to either get satisfactory stock 

 or receive it in time. Get ready; advertise; make people 

 come to see your display ; and have it ready at least 10 

 days before the 25th. 



Lorraine Begonias 



Most sensitive to sudden changes of temperature are 

 begonias of all kinds, those of the Gloire de Lorraine 

 type in particular. They should be as near 60 degrees 

 as possible. Wliere large specimen plants are gro^vn— 

 say in 6 to 8-inch pots — they should have plenty of 

 room. Raise them up close to the glass on inverted pots 

 and far enough apart to have ever}' one fully exposed 

 to light. Give them air on all possible occasions, Inn 

 cold currents should not blow over the plants. Avoid 



dryness at the roots or any excess in the way of water- 

 ing. Lorraine begonias are very sensitive to any sud- 

 den changes of temperature. Never let them dry out, 

 for if this happens — -as it frequently does — their beauty 

 will be of brief duration. Any pans or baskets that are 

 to be filled can be done now before the hurly-burly of 

 the Christmas trade is with us. The atmosphere should 

 now be kept rather dry for Lorraine begonias. 



Soil for Small Seeds 



All soil for small seeds is better for being sterilized 

 as it kills fungus spores or mycelium, insects, weeds, etc. 

 With steam heat it can be "done by letting the steam 

 into perforated pipes covered with the soil to the depth 

 of 5 to 6 inches. The temperature for the best results 

 should not be lower than 180 degrees and 212 degrees 

 would be better. This should be maintained for an 

 hour or more. The soil should be covered with canvas, 

 so as to retain the steam as long as possible. Where 

 you have not steam use boiling water, or baking soil 

 will be the next best. 



Next Week: — Propagation and Care of Carnations; Palms; Pelar- 

 goniums ; Sweet Peas ; Double Sweet Alyssum. 



Dendrobium Falconeri 



r (See cover illustration.) 



I was in the office of Horticultuue one morning 

 recently, when Friend Stewart showed me some photo- 

 graphs taken by M. J. Pope the well-known orchid grow- 

 er to Mrs. Tuttle, Naugatuck, Conn. Among them was 

 one of Dendrobium Falconeri, a magnificent specimen, 

 exceedingly well flowered, one such as is not often seen. 

 It carried me back in memory some fifty years when I 

 first saw tliis lovely variety. It was a plant sent to 

 Messrs. Low, then at Clapton, from Sir William Mar- 

 riott Baronet. Down House, Blandford. This plant was 

 carefully packed in a box standing upright and as soon 

 as the cover was removed there it stood in all its glory 

 and I have never seen a Dendrobium more beautiful, 

 the bright crimson purplish tips making a striking con- 

 trast to the base of the flower. Falconeri Gigantea has 

 perhaps finer and more substantial looking flowers, but 

 misses the graceful charm of the original type. I have 

 seen perhaps as many Dendrobiums as most people, but 

 none have made so lasting an impression on my mind as 

 good old Falconeri. 



Mr. Pope seems to have got the knack of flowering it 

 well. From what I have seen and from what my old 

 friend Boxall who collected thousands, told me, it seems 

 to want keeping very cold during the resting season, and 

 then to be put info sharp heat, when if will flower well ; 

 otherwise it goes into growth. 



J'H^^ 



