October 7, 1916 



flORTICULTUBE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



COMSCCTBD BT 



^^^^%.9>r.T-a^pxu/ 



QnesUon* b7 our readers In Uae wltli any of tbe topics presented on Uil« page will be cordially rtcelred and promptly aBiw*red| 



by Ur. Farrell. Sncb commnnicatlona aboald Inrarlably be addreeaed to tlie office of HOBTICCI/riTBB. 



"It vain onr toil, we oasbt to blaBo tbo e«It«r«^ not the aoU." — Pope. 



Acacias 



There are many sijecies of acacias, but only a few that 

 merit a place in the florists' plant collection. For the 

 trade the dwarf species are found to be the most satis- 

 factory in every way. Among the best are Acacia 

 armata. A. cordata, A. lineata, A. grandis, A. para- 

 doxa, A. heterophylla, and a few others. Plants that 

 were trimmed liack last spring and have been plunged 

 out of doors all summer should have now finished up a 

 fine growth which will not fail to give a profusion of 

 wonderful bloom by next Easter. They thrive in a win- 

 ter temperature of 40 to 4.5 degi-ees. and if Easter is 

 late they should be kept just a little above the freezing 

 point, as with tlie increasing heat and light of the spring 

 it is sometime^ hard to keep them back. These plants 

 do not like heat, and consequently are not adapted for 

 forcing. They shoiild be wintered in a cool house, and 

 as near as possible to 40 degrees and allowed to come 

 along naturally. Do not let them suffer for the want 

 of water at any time, and give them a good syringing 

 once or twice a week. 



Cypripediums 



Keep the plants free from the yellow thrips by 

 sponging occasionally with a weak solution of nicotine 

 or tobacco water. It is a good plan to give the house 

 a light fumigating once or twice fortnightly to keep 

 down this pest. It is essential to give regular ventila- 

 tion as moisture in excess is liable to be very injurious. 

 ' A weekly application of weak liquid manure will be of 

 great assistance in the perfecting of the plants and 

 bloom. Give a liberal supply of water, allowing the 

 compost to become dry occasionally. From now on, a 

 temperature of 5.5 to 60 will suit them well. For the 

 average florist there is no more valuable orchids than 

 Cypripedium insigne. which can be had in bloom just 

 after the chrysanthemum season is over. It makes a 

 fine flower for the holiday season lasting, as it will, for 

 over a month in good condition. They will not need 

 any shade after this date. Shade only tends to make 

 them weak. 



Lomarias 



These can be grown under proper treatment into min- 

 iature tree ferns, which can be used for general house 

 decoration. In their young state they make good center 

 pieces for the table. \Vhen the plants get large and pot- 

 bound they can be root pruned and the soil reduced, and' 

 put back into the same size pots. They will soon make 

 a new set of roots and a new crown if given a gentle 

 bottom heat. They can be readily raised from spores. 

 Sow in shallow pans or boxes and keep in a temperature 

 of 70 to To degrees in a close atmosphere, well shaded 

 from the sun. using fine ]x>aty soil or leaf mold with a 



good portion of silver sand. Transfer into fresh soil 

 when large enough to handle. Keep in a temperature 

 of 60 to 6.5 at night. Lomaria gibba and intermedia 

 are the best. 'SYlien they have produced two or three 

 upright fronds they can be put into thumb pots in a 

 soil of one-half loam and one-half peat or leaf mold 

 with some sharp sand. Pot as needed so as to keep them 

 moving. 



Marguerites 



AH marguerites, whether white or yellow, single or 

 double, flower well in spring and early summer, and a 

 good many of them can be sold for bedding out and the 

 filling of window boxes and vases. All will make good 

 sized plants by the end of May. A batch can be started 

 by propagation now if not already started. If you are 

 going to prepare for Easter at all, a good stock of mar- 

 guerites should be gotten into shape, for that is the 

 great dav for the sale of them. Bring the plants along 

 so they will not have to stand the high pressure of ex- 

 treme forcing. If at all shapely they should be allowed 

 to grow along from now on in a carnation house temper- 

 ature. 



Preparing Land for Next Year 



Wliere the ground area is ver}- limited there is 

 nothing better than trenching, with a heavy coat of 

 manure intermixed with the surface soil. For those 

 that have only a comparatively small parcel of land and 

 cannot afford to let it lie idle for this time there is 

 nothing better than sub-soiling, the sub-soiling plow 

 following after an ordinan- plow loosening the lower 

 layer of soil and fairly well intermixing the two. Some 

 florists' establishments have quite a lot of land under 

 cultivation so can reclaim their womout land by run- 

 ning it in grass crops for a few years when it will again 

 be fit as tillable land. Every florist who has land in 

 which to grow his stock should always make it an aim 

 to restore'^to the soil some of the organic and mineral 

 substances which have been taken away by previous 

 crops The first thing that suggests itself is manuring. 

 Now is a good time to plow or dig in a liberal dressing 

 of coarse barnyard manure. 



Reminders 



You will have to use greater judgment now with syr- 

 inging overhead. Always try to have the plants dry by 

 nightfall. 



Lay Rambler roses on their sides where the wood is 

 well matured. A daily syringing overhead ^vill be 

 enough to keep the wood plump. 



Xerines will now be pushing their flowering spikes. 

 Eepot any urgently requiring it, but not otherwise a,s 

 these pretty bulbs do better when the pots are well 

 filled with roots. 



X."Xt Wwk : 



."^iliiinUT FlnwcriliK Cnttlv 



[.Hies for tlip Iliiliihiys; otiLliiitr Oniii;.'!' 



