October 28, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



565 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONODCTKD BY 



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Qnestion* bj our readers lo line witb tcj of the topics presented on tbls page will be cordlslly re<:elTed and promptl; saswstedl 



b7 Mr. Farrell. Sacb commnnlcatlons sboold InTarlably be addressed to tbe office of HOBTICUIiTUkK. 



"If vatn oar toll, we onctit ta bbute the ealtan^ net the soU." — Popt. 



Begonia Gloire de Lorraine 



There can \)v no ilduht as to tlie superiority nf rarly 

 siarted ])Iaiits rmni leal' cuttings over those propagateii 

 later by rnotinu siilc shouts in tlie usual way. thougli the 

 latter have their uses and aie prohahly as useful as 

 anything expressly raised tor a holichiy trade. Vow is 

 a good tiinie to start |)ropagati<>u of Begonia de Lor- 

 raine and Oiiieinnati. Stock for next year must spring 

 from early struck leaf cuttings. A steady heat of not 

 less than 7li degrees in the saud with a few degrees 

 i.vcrhead. a somewhat clo.se and moderately humid 

 atmosphere, frecjuent sprinkling and tlu; exclusion of 

 liiight sunshine hy portable shailes will insure a good 

 >tart and healthy root formation. Well matured leaves 

 hut still of a healthy spotless grecm are taken from the 

 most vigorous plants in such a manner as to cause no 

 disfigurement. Cutting away the stubby* end of the leaf 

 is all the trimming needed. This lower end when in- 

 serted in the sand will just bring the base of the leaf 

 in close contact with the surface of the sand bed. 



Callas 



Don't fail to fumigate regularly or greently and 

 thrips will get ahead of you. About once a week 

 should keep the plants free. Ventilation should be 

 given on all favorable days. To bloom well, callas 

 require a night temperature of from 55 to 60 degrees. 

 When in continuous flower, they eagerly take up large 

 <|uantities of plant food from the soil and should have 

 liquid manure regularly once a week and, when spring 

 is nearing, twice a week. Now when fire heat is neces- 

 sary a sufficient amount of water should be used on the 

 paths and around the house for the prevention of a 

 iiarsh and dry atmosphere. On all good days give 

 them a syringing after the flowers have been cut. These 

 plants will assure fair returns if grown under any- 

 thing like fair treatment during the winter and spring. 

 Keep the old foliage trinnned away, which will let more 

 air and lijrht to the rest of the plant. 



Lily of the Valley 



For early forcing choose the Herlin pips, and the 

 Hamburg pi|i« for late forcing. Cold storage should 

 he relied upon for the supply up to the holidays. 

 The sand bed should have a Ijottom heat of at lea.st 8.") 

 to 90 degrees. Keep them moist with several spray- 

 ings overhead during the day until the bells are well 

 formed, when spraying -should eease. Shade heavily 

 for the first two weeks, afterwards admit light in a 

 gentle manner for about two days, when all the shading 

 ran be removed. If grown in flats they can be stood 

 in the cool end of the house which will give the flowers 

 a fine texture and help their durability. It will lie 

 pretty hard to get the normal supply this year. 



Next Week: — Dracaena indivisa; Kricas; Forcing Glad 



Paper Whites and Roman Hyacinths 



Homan hyacinths should be given (id degrees at night 

 and allowed six weeks to come into flower, but give 

 them also full light. I have often mentioned that paper 

 whites should be hroiighl in early and given lots of 

 time in a cool liouse. I'ay a little more attention to it: 

 provide a light, sunny, e-ool house where the flowers can 

 develop slowly. If you have plants whicii seem a little 

 forward a temperature oT about 40 degrees and enough 

 shade to exclude the smi will keep the stock at a stand- 

 still. The same can be said of Woman hyacinths, al- 

 though they will endure a much higher temi)erature 

 without hann. 1 have seen jjaper whites brought in and 

 put down l)y the side of the path in a warm house 

 where they grew all to leaves. Bring in the flats in 

 the first "half of November and put them on the 

 bench in the full light, in a liouse where it is about 

 .")0 degrees at night. 



Sweet Peas 



To ensure a free lieallliy growth it is always better 

 during spells of rainy or misty weather to have a little 

 heat and ventilation at the same time. I)on"t run 

 sweet peas too high, which only lea\es them weakened 

 in constitution from which they do not easily recover. 

 While they always like jilenty of jnoisture at the roots 

 they will not stand a continual over moist condition, so 

 let them drj- out once in awhile. To grow sweet jieas 

 successfully, ventilation is one of the cardinal points. 

 Now that the c-ool nights have arrived keep a little 

 hciit running through the ])ipes and at the same time 

 have the ventilation open a little at the top; this will 

 giv(> them a cool dry atmosphere wdiicli is a good pre- 

 ventive for the dropi)ing of buds, A sowing made now 

 in 1-inch ])ots will bring in a crop in February which 

 should last for about three months. Keep them well 

 supported from time to time. As the days grow shorter 

 the utmost attention and good judgment should be paid 

 to watering. 



Reminders 



Lift carcfullv and |iot small shrubs f<ir window and 

 veranda, decoration. 



Prepare all beds that are to be jdanted to bulhs and 

 have them in readiness. 



Now is a good time to cut up old plants of Cy penis 

 alternifolius for propagating purposes. 



Clean up shrubs for forcing, by eutfing out any un- 

 necessary shoots and give a top dressing with a good 

 eoin)iost. 



Mark the date of potting or boxing of all hiilbs 

 clearly so that it can be seen without disturbing thf 

 plunging material. 



lolus; Smllax; Veniiida Ho.tes for Winlor: Ueinlndorii. 



