August 5, 1916 



nORTICULTUBE 



167 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONUL'CTKD BY 



^*^y*-S'.9^.r,^,Az^ 



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



by Mr. Farrell. Sui li coiumunleatloBS should Invariably be addressed to the otBce of HORTICULTURE. 



"If VBiD oar toil, we ouifht to blame the rnlture, not the hoII." — Hopi, 



Cattleya gigas 



These do well in a mixture of soft fibrous heat and 

 sphagnum moss, intermixed. I have seen some gi'owers 

 successfully use nothing Init moderately course osmunda 

 fiber. Give the pans or baskets half their depth of 

 clean crocks with a layer of charcoal on top and get the 

 compost firm all around and between the roots. This 

 orchid requires a little more warmth than most of the 

 other species. Should any jxirtion of the plant be un- 

 steady tie it to a neat stick to hold it firm until the new 

 roots get a grip. Be very careful about watering for 

 four or five weeks, but wlien they are once re-established 

 they will require an unstinted amount of water, jill 

 cattleyas delight in a liberal supply of pure air. but 

 without cold draughts. 



Repairing 



Now is the time to do any repairing to houses, boilers, 

 piping and glass. During the busy season of planting, 

 cleaning up etc., this work cannot be attended to by the 

 ordinary help and it would be more profitable to call 

 in a tradesman than to liave the work drag along until 

 cold weather sets in. Wliere the putty is in very bad 

 condition it is sometimes more profitable to lift out the 

 glass, repair and repaint the sash bars and reset the 

 glass. It being impossible to produce good stock in 

 houses which are drauglity and leaky, any repairs nec- 

 essary to put them into good condition should be done 

 while tlie wood is dn' and the weather such that a few 

 hours' exposure to the open air would not affect the 

 general health of the plants. Ventilators should be re- 

 adjusted and the machiner}- put into good working 

 order, also the boilers. 



Feeding Chrysanthemums 



Where liquid manure is used with prudent care you 

 will find a decided difference between the size and color 

 of flowers where it is used and where it is not. It also 

 gives that black green foliage and heavy stem which go 

 with an ideal flower. It makes no difference how rich 

 the soil was when the benches were filled, they always 

 need feeding from the time the buds make their appear- 

 ance, and until they begin to show color, when all stimu- 

 lants should cease. Where the stock is in good condition 

 you can make up some liquid by placing in a barrel of 

 from 45 to 48 gallons of water a half a bushel of cow 

 manure, or if sheep manure, half the quantity will be 

 enough. There is no better fertilizing element than 



liquid cow or sheep manure. Let it stand for a day or i^,^ 

 two so the water will bo well impregnated before being r^_^ 

 applied. It is better for the average grower to start g^^ 

 with one application a week and then increase it to "^ ■ 



twice a week and even to three times. •'*'«/' 



Geranium Cuttings 



Where a big lot of geraniums are to be grown for 

 next year start as early as now to take cuttings, thus 

 giving the plants time to make up another good batch 

 in September. Always trim the cuttings up well and cut 

 below a leaf joint. After they are placed in sand give 

 them a good soaking of water and break only the direct 

 rays of the sun from them. They are better when kept 

 slightly on the dry side until they begin to root as there 

 is then less likelihood of their damping off. Give a 

 thorough watering and then wait until they are dry 

 before giving anymore. Grow in a light airy house 

 and by the middle of October you will be able to take 

 a cutting from every one. In about a month they should 

 be well rooted when they can be potted firmly into 2^ 

 inch pots, using any good loamy soil. 



Winter Flowering Sweet Peas 



Procure the best known varieties in white, pink, laven- 

 der and scarlet. Sweet peas have been so greatly im- 

 proved of late that it is possible to have them do fairly 

 well during the early winter now. Sweet peas to do 

 their best sliould be in a house by themselves and have 

 at least six feet headroom. They will need at least four 

 feet between the rows and do not sow the seed two thick. 

 Sod that was piled up last fall will make a very con- 

 genial soil to use. Make the compost rich by adding to 

 every three loads of soil one load of well rotted cow 

 manure and a pailful of bone du.st. These plants like a 

 syringing on all bright days, and an even amount of 

 moisture at the roots. 



Reminders 



Get the propagating bed ready 



by renewing the 



drainage and sand. 



Look after nephrolepsis that are planted out on a 

 bench. Pot the largest now so they will be well establish- 

 ed for earlv sales. 



Give plenty of ventilation to calceolarias, cinerarias, 

 cyclamen, primulas, etc. 



See that young herbaceous stock — seedUngs or other- 

 ^rjse — liave careful culture and attention. 



Next Week :— Polnsettias ; Primulas; Mignonette for Mid- Winter; Paper White Narcissi: Preparing Soil; Reminders. 



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