August 19, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



239 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDrCTKD BT 



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



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the olBce of HOHTICULTDRE. 



"If vain onr toU, we ong'ht to blame the cnltnre, not the soil." — i'ope. 



Cattleyas 



Species such as C. labiata, Trianae, Mossiffi, Percival- 

 iana and others in active growth, will need a liberal 

 supply of water more than C. Gaskelliana, Dowiana 

 and others which are Just coming into growth. Water- 

 ing should be done in the morning and a spraying each 

 clear afternoon should be given. Do it sufficiently early 

 so that it will dry before night. Night temperatures are 

 variable during September. As a general rule it can 

 run from CO to 65 degrees. Some nights it will be higher 

 and it well do no harm if it falls to 58 degrees on cool 

 evenings. It is not a good plan to shut the house up 

 tightly on a cool night. Leave some air on to keep the 

 atmosphere pure. Those who can afEord roller or other 

 movable shades have a great advantage in being able 

 to give their plants a maximum of light when it is 

 most needed. Keep them well ventilated. 



Freesias 



In planting freesias we find that the long thin bulbs 

 give far better results than the thick, heavy ones usually 

 sold. Quantity of freesias is not wanted at any par- 

 ticular time, but a succession should be kept up. Give 

 55 to 60 degrees at night, plant one inch apart in rows, 

 and the rows four inches apart, a few hundred at once, 

 and the same every month. The bulbs will start into 

 growth quickly after September and should have full 

 light as soon as the shoots appear above the soil. The 

 freesia is good on a north and south bench — such a 

 bench as you would use for carnations or mignonette, 

 four inches of soil is enough. After they become well 

 rooted they will stand any amount of feeding. 



Lorraine Begonia 



Give the plants plenty of room so as to make sym- 

 metrical specimens. Begonia Gloire de Lorraine at 

 this season is making its fastest growth. They should 

 have a tying now, placing one stake in the center, and 

 looping with raffia each shoot loosely and repeat as the 

 plants may require it. Those that have not been shifted 

 into their final pots should be done without delay. A 

 good compost is turfy loam three parts, sand two parts, 

 and well-rotted cow manure one part. The best kind of 

 pots is azalea pots in 5, 6 or 7 inch. Do not keep them 

 too heavily shaded from this out. 



Nephrolepis 



One of the surest ways to kill a fern is to let it wilt 

 from being too dry at the roots. Another way but a 

 trifl^ slower is to keep it soaked and soggy. This sug- 

 gests the exercise of watchfulness in the watering of 

 ferns of all kinds, but Boston ferns in particular during 

 periods of abnormal weather conditions want care in 

 this line. Ferns of the original Boston type, as also 

 some of the newer forms that were planted into benches 

 last spring have done very well and are now a mass of 

 erect, sturdy frondage. It is now time to work them up 

 into salable form, if not already taken in hand. A fern 



compost is three parts fibrous loam, two of leaf mold 

 and one of well-rotted and sifted cow manure. See that 

 the pots are well cleaned and have good drainage. It is 

 only when afforded sufficient time, after being made up 

 into specimens of healtliy plants in the transfer from 

 bench to pot that these ferns become the best of market- 

 able decorative plants. 



Plants for Christmas 



A count-up will very often reveal the want of some 

 stock which at the present time can be advantageously 

 procured through consulting the advertising columns 

 of Horticulture. Now is the time to buy. Among 

 the plants most in demand at Christmas as pot plants 

 are poinsettias. Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, adian- 

 tums, cocos, pandanus, lilies, cyclamens, azaleas, pri- 

 mulas, ardisias, celestial peppers, Jerusalem cherries, 

 oranges, araucarias, ferns, palms, etc. 



Reminders 



Where you have late seeds sown see that they do not 

 dry out too much. 



Pull up and burn all diseased asters. This helps to 

 keep the disease from spreading. 



Nothing is more productive of poor crops than 

 alternate dry and very wet spots on benches of growing 

 crops. 



Now that the bulb season is coming have plenty of 

 finely sifted ashes on hand and some long labels to 

 mark them. 



Next Week — Bourvardlas; Carnations; Lllium giganteum ; Mll- 

 tonight; Transplanting large Palms; Reminders. 



Jackson Dawson : In Memoriam 



That is a piece of shocking, though rather expected 

 news which the last issue of Horticulture brings us of 

 the death of old and true Jackson Dawson, beloved by all 

 who had the pri^dlege of his personal acquaintance. 

 Such men as Jackson Dawson are privileged gifts of 

 kind Providence to humanity; his worth is appreciated 

 by all who love nature; he was a beaconlight among 

 botanists and horticulturists. I have always felt the 

 highest admiration for the man and his achievements. 

 I shall always treasure his memory in my innermost 

 soul, and I feel convinced that Jackson Dawson through 

 his work here in our midst has made himself immortal 

 for all future. He has found his reward and his rest 

 Requiescat. Yours in fullest sympathy. 



'New York. 



