December 25, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



843 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



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Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics prcsentprt on this pace will be ccirdlally received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the ofllce of HORTICDLTURE. 



"If vain our toll, we ousbt to blame the cnltnre, not the soiL" — Pcpe. 



Cinerarias 



Give the plants a uool house and keep the green fly 

 away. A cineraria must have plenty of water, but if 

 you notice traces of yellow in the leaves let uji a little. 

 When the plant once starts to get buds, trao.«plauting 

 or shifting will do it but little good, if you wish it to 

 gi'ow longer before flowering. Rather apply light doses 

 of liquid cow manure instead. This is the time for the 

 cinerarias to grow and while there may be nothing very 

 beautiful about their coarse leaves, they are necessary to 

 give the flower heads their proper setting; they belong 

 to it and in order to have them the plants must bavi' 

 sufficient room to develop nicely. From early January 

 up to Easter, as a plant for the show house they are 

 hard to beat, and they will always be grown by the florist 

 for that purpose. Do not keep them in too high a teni- 

 pei-ature. \Vlien given 40 to 48 they will grow into 

 fine sturdy stuck that will bear flowers profusely. 



Cyclamens 



The young planrs lur next winter should have evci'\ 

 encouragement. If elevated on shelves or in a house 

 kept at 55 degrees at night they will be all right. "Wlien 

 ready for their first potting, use a compost of three parts 

 loam and one-half part each of well decayed dried ma- 

 nure and leaf-mold with some sand added. Contiuui' 

 to give the potted plants the same temperature as when 

 in flats. So long as they remain in flats go over them 

 once a week and scratch over the surface soil. Avoid 

 a close atmosphere, however, as this will cause the plants 

 to become legg}'. Cyclamens which are not wanted until 

 spring must be kept in a cool, airy house, with a night 

 temperature of from 42 to 45 degrees. On through the 

 winter there is a constant call for these plants at all re- 

 tail places, and to get plants along, 8 to 10 degrees more 

 of heat is advisable. On all good days give ventilation 

 even if only a very little. Watch the pots so they do not 

 dry out. 



Chrysanthemum Stock Plants 



Too ul'teii wu ^eu thest- in puts ami lioxes on the 

 walks or even below the benches, exposed to drip and 

 every unfavorable condition. Cuttings taken from sucii 

 plants cannot be expected to give flowers at all equal to 

 those grown well up to the light in a cool liouse. There 

 are all kinds, of ways for wintering stock. Where the 

 climate is not too severe it can be planted in cold- 

 frames, held practically dormant for several months, 

 and when opened in early spring the plants will soon 

 give a grand crop of strong cuttings, better than those 

 to be had in any other way. Good flowers always will 

 sell. The best method for the average commercial 

 grower who may need to start ]iropagating early witli 

 special varieties is to plant in benches in a cool house. 

 A violet temperature of 40 degrees at night will answer 

 admirably. Let us all try to treat our stock jilaiits bd- 

 ber than we have in years past. T am quite sure it will 

 pay in the end. 



Lilies for Easter 



We iiuist now look to our Easter lilies, Ijiit there is 

 no hurry as yet as Easter is very late — April 23 — and 

 it will be more of a case of holding them back than forc- 

 ing them. If the buds show plainly by the 10th or 15th 

 of March they will be all right. Longiflorums should 

 be through the soil now. In the case of multiflorums a 

 temperature of 55 degrees at night will suffice, while 

 Formosas will do nicely at 50 degn'ees as a minimum. 

 Giganteum is the lily par excellence for the pot plants. 

 Bull)s of this arrive later than other varieties. It likes 

 bent from the start and if given 55 degrees at night 

 after (jotting, and 60 to 65 degrees once growth is 

 started, it is almost sure to do well. If the.se lilies are 

 just showing their growth above the soil they will be all 

 right in an average minimum 60 degi'ees. Of course 

 it is to force or retard a I'crtain number which always 

 come earlier or later than the main liatch. 



Violets 



At this season the violets, will not need frequent 

 watering but sometimes the surface soil may seem damp 

 and that below be rather dry. Yiolets like to have their 

 roots cool and moist and anything like dryness will in- 

 jure them and make them an easier prey for red spider 

 if they chance to be near the heating pipes. To hold 

 singles down to 40 degrees at night has not been possible 

 sometimes. On the other hand, the doubles in mid- 

 winter should be kept at 42 to 45 degrees at night or 

 they will not oiien well. A few degrees higher will 

 speedily excite the ]ilants and cau.se an increased crop 

 of leaves which we do not want. Ijook out for green fly 

 or it will sjK'edily cause lots of trouble. Violets will not 

 stand heavy fumigation, .\void, therefore, the use of 

 tobacco steins and any of the nicotine extracts. The 

 nicotine papers are perfectly safe. Change the air of 

 the house even if it is for only a short time, as they like 

 fresh ail- at all times. 



Verbenas 



While some of us kee]i stock plants lifted in the 

 fall to take cuttings from, plants rai.scd from seed can 

 be depended upon to furnish the best flowering. To 

 have good sized plants by next spring seed .should be 

 sown now. Give them a mixture of soil, leaf mold and 

 sand in equal parts. Place in a temperature of 60 de- 

 grees until they come up, when they should have from 

 50 to 55 degrees. Wlti^i large enough prick off. 



Clematis Jackmani 



Mr. John J. M. Farrell, 



Dear Sir: Please tell me in your valuable paper the 

 best way to get a stock of Clematis Jackmani. It seems 

 as if I cannot get seed to come true. 

 Yours truly, 



Chilllcothe, Mo. R. L. I. 



In answer to the inquirer I would say that they 

 can be readily increased eitlier by cuttings, grafting or 

 layering. 'I'lie best time to take cuttings is about the 



