September 2, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^^^%.9>^.r-ctyiAX^ 



Qaestlons by our readers In line with any of tbe toplea presented od this nnge will be cordlallj rec-elTcd and promptly answaradi 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communicatloDB should Invariably be addressed to the offlee of HOKTICULTUF" 



IE. 



"I( vain onr toll, we oasfat to bluna tbe enltnre, not the solL" 



-Pope. 



Ardisia crenulata 



A careless hand at watciini; uill (juiekly do lots of 

 damage among the ardisias. lixainine eacli pot carefully 

 and only water where it is really needed. Any excess 

 will cause loss of foliage even more quickly than an 

 insufficient supply. The plants should be elevated so 

 that they can get all possible light, and plent}' of ventila- 

 tion. In applying stimulants also use great care, for 

 too much will color up plants with pale foliage. Do 

 not crowd them. A good syringing eai'ly in the morn- 

 ing will help to keep them clean. Once in a while yon 

 may have to go over them with a sponge, using somu 

 good insecticide. Give all tlie sun they will stand with- 

 out burning. This helps both berries and foliage tn 

 have high coloring. 



Pansies for Winter Flowering 



Pansies that were sown early in July will make tine 

 plants to bench in a cool house. At about 4.5 degrees at 

 night they will bloom all winter. These young seedlings 

 may be planted in a frame that has been enriched and 

 some leaf mold and sand added. Give them about 6 

 inches apart each way ; they can stay here until October 

 when they can be moved into winter quarters. Wlien 

 planting in the house give them 6-inch in the rows and 

 about 8 inches between the rows. They like a comiX)st 

 of fibrous loam four parts, cow manure two parts and 

 leaf mold one part. Keep moist at the roots and syringe 

 two or three times a week. Be careful about ven- 

 tilation and see that they have it in plenty. Do not 

 ever attempt to force them into flower by extra heat. 

 Keep clear of fly by light fumigation every 10 days. 



Pompon Dahlias for Christmas 



These plants make quite a novelty around the holi- 

 days. It is well to try your luck in flowering them for 

 that date, (buttings that were taken during June and 

 grown on can be plunged in a frame where they will be 

 handy for watering and syringing. They can have a 

 couple of pincliings to make tliem bu.shy. They will 

 flower well in .5. 6 or 7-inch pots. About the middle 

 of September they can be given a light bench where the 

 night temperature runs from 50 to 55 degrees and about 

 70 degrees by day. Keep them clean by light fumiga- 

 tion. When they begin to show bud they can have a 

 little manure water once a week until they show color. 

 Keep them tied to small stakes. They like a compost of 

 fibrous loam four parts, cow manure two parts, leaf mold 

 one part. 



Schizanthus Wisetonensis 



This is a ven- eharining aiiiuial to grow during the 

 winter for either a pot plant or cut flowers. Now is a 

 good time to sow for winter. Mix a compost of loam, 

 leaJ" mold and sand and fill the pans to within an incli 

 of the top. Kcej) them shaded until the plants begin 

 to show enough through tbe surface, but after that they 

 will stand all the sun they can get. \Vlien they can be 

 liandled they should be potted in 3-iuch pots and shift 

 ahead aftenvards as they may need it. From a 6 up 

 to an 8-inch pot will do to flower them in. Pinch fre- 

 quently so as to fomi bushy plants. For the last two or 

 three shifts give them a comiX)st of fibrous loam three 

 parts, well rotted manure two parts, with a little sand. 

 When they have filled the ix)ts with roots they will take 

 plentv of water. They will grow well in a night temper- 

 ature" of 45 to 48, with 10 to 15 degrees higher during 

 luight weather. 



Swainsona 



Florists who have a lot of make-ui) work can use these 

 flowers well. The bloom should be cut when all the 

 flowers are nearly full out and placed in water in some 

 cool light place for 8 or 10 hours. When these plants 

 uet pot-bound they will show flower and keep on liloom- 

 ing with great persistency. At this stage they should 

 have someliquid manure about once a week. They root 

 easily from now on, so if cuttings are put in now and 

 grown along without cheek, they will make nice flower- 

 ing plants in 5 or 6-inch pots by next sjiring. \Vhen 

 well-rooted thev should be potted into 2 or 3-inch pot^ 

 iind kept shaded for a few days until well estabished. 

 Toward the last shifts use rich soil. They can be 

 planted out on a bench at about 50 to 55 degrees during 

 the night, dive plenty of ventilation without drafts. 



Reminders 



House winter-flowering geraniums as they do better in 

 the house after this date. 



Cutting of nearly all perennial vines strike freely now, 

 especially the various kinds of anipelopsis. 



Put in a good batch of cuttings of variegated vincas, 

 as they are always in good demand during the spring. 



Fire heat will now be needed in some of the houses, so 

 see that everything is in readiness before the very cool 

 spell arrives. 



Next Week:— Euphorbia Jacquinaeflora; Lilluin multlflorum; Mignonette; Orchids; Phlox; Hemlnders. 



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