October 14, 1916 



HOETICULTUEE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



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Qneatloni by onr readers In line with ac7 of the toplea presented on thU page will be cordlallr recelred and premptly aBiw*r*<| 



bj Mr. Farrell. Snch commnnlcaUonR ahonld Inrariably be addreeaed to tbe office of HOBTICUL/TUEB. 



"It vain onr toU, we onclit to klmme the emltiue, net the tn\\,"—Popt. 



Azaleas 



Unpack as received and give the balls of roots a good 

 dipping in a tub of water for at least an hour to soak 

 them through. Pot firmly in 6 to 8-inch azalea pots, 

 using any good potting soil, and stand them in a cool, 

 shady house and keep rather close for a week. Spray 

 lightly two or three times daily. Most of the azaleas are 

 so heavily rooted that it is necessary to trim the roots so 

 that they will go into a pot of suitable size. If the ball 

 is cut down with big, sharp knife, I never saw the least 

 harm come of it. Those wanted for holiday forcing should 

 be gradually inured in a cool house of about 50 degrees, 

 which will get them into shape for a warmer place in 

 two or three weeks. Those wanted for Easter should 

 be stored in a cool pit where they will get sufficient 

 light and where the frost can be excluded in zero weath- 

 er. On account of the slow importations, scarcity and 

 high price, those who had some azaleas left over from 

 last year and took care of them are in luck. 



Care of Summer Flowering Cattleyas 



Before starting to repot give the plants a thorough 

 cleaning, but avoid as much as possible break- 

 ing the roots. Late summer flowering cattleyas 

 that have had a good rest will now need re- 

 potting. It is always better to wait until new 

 growths appear, with renewed root action, before giving 

 them an overhaiding. Use clean pans or baskets half 

 filled with clean broken crocks. Small lumps of char- 

 coal intermixed \rill help to make the drainage more 

 effective.' Quite a few growers use nothing but clear 

 o.smunda fiber for cattleyas and they seem to do fine in 

 it, but, of course, every grower has his own idea as to 

 compost. Newly potted orchids will only require Just 

 enough water at the roots to prevent the compost from 

 becoming dry. When the growths have attained a few 

 inches in length they will begin to make new roots into 

 the compost and then the watering may be gradually 

 increased. 



Lilies for the Holidays 



We should be able to count the buds the first week in 

 November, if we want to be sure of the lilies being on 

 time for the holidays. It is a very easy matter to hold 

 them back at this season of the year. Plants of Lilium 

 Harrisii that are wanted for the Christmas trade should 

 be pushed from now on. Keep them as near the glass 

 as possible and it is advisable to thoroughly damp down 

 the house twice a day, especially in bright weather, also 

 give them free syringing overhead on all good days. 

 When lilies have their pots well filled with roots and 

 are healthy they can stand anywhere from 65 to 70 de- 

 grees at night, with ten to fifteen degrees higher during 



Next Week :— Allani.indas : Carnations; Young Cinerarias; 



the day with sunshine. To enlarge the flowers and give 

 color to the foliage, apply liquid manure twice a week. 

 To keep the aphis down fumigate once a week. See 

 that they have enough of room from time to time. 



Otaheite Oranges 



Give good syringing once a day now as it will be a 

 great help in keeping down scale and mealy bug. By 

 all means strive to keep free of these pests if you want 

 highly finished plants. Give a sunny place with day 

 temperature as near 70 to 73 as possible and from 52 

 to 58 at night. When pots are well filled with roots 

 give liquid manure once or twice a week and examine 

 them each day to see which ones need to be watered, as 

 some will .require a more liberal supply than others. 

 Place them far enough apart, and turn them around 

 frequently. 



Violets 

 Durig the daytime, even in cool weather, it will be 

 necessary to withhold artificial heat and open all the 

 ventilation possible. In a warm atmosphere the leaves 

 will push out verj- rapidly although scarcely any flow- 

 ers will appear. Continued warmth above the danger 

 line mentioned is fatal to the production of flowers. 

 The amount of heat will have to be determined by the 

 character of the weather. The main thing is that the 

 temperature must not rise above 45 degrees with fire 

 heat. If leaf spot appears pinch off all affec-ted leaves 

 and then dust with dry Bordeaux mixture. Another 

 good remedy is to syringe with a solution of potas- 

 sium sulphide to a gallon of water. Tlie violet house 

 should be fumigated. once every ten days or two weeks. 

 The soil should be well drained and kept only moist. In 

 applying water do not wet the entire bed unless it is 

 . dry "all over. In drv' places involving only one plant, 

 while the remainder of soil is still moist, the dry places 

 should be watered and the "remainder of the bed left 

 untouched. 



Reminders 



Keep sweet peas at from 40 to 45 degrees at night, 

 with a 10-degree rise during the day. 



Where you have not filled up the coal bins yet lose 

 no time in getting in the winter supply. 



Give ericas, azaleas, acacias, bay trees, epaeris and 

 other cool hardwood stock that you do not need until 

 spring, a cool house of say about 40 degrees. 



Keep show pelargoniums on the dry side until an 

 inch of new growth'has been made and then repot and 

 place on a sunny bench in a temperature of 50 degrees 

 at night. 



Planting Slirubs: Primulas for Christmas; RemluUers. 



