November 4, 1916 



HORTICULTUBE 



597 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDCCTED BT 



/*^i?^. ;?Ul^4^ 



QaeiUont b7 onr readers In Une wltli •ny of U>e topic* presented on this page will be cordially recclred and promptly answsrsd 



by Mr. Farrell. Snch commnnlcatlons shonld InTarlably be aadressed to the office of HOHTICULTUBB. 



"If vain our toll, we oasht to blame the caltare, not the solL" — Pofig. 



Dracaena indivisa 



Seed sown now will gvnuimilo quite freely, it sliould 

 be sown in light sandy soil and kept in a temperature of 

 fiO to 65 degrees. Wlien large enough they can be put 

 in '2 or 3^ inch pots and grown during the first season 



will come along all right. Give them some liquid ma- 

 nure as the flower spikes are forming. This is very 



beneficial 



m 



under glass, and the second season they can be planted 

 out in the field. When lifted in the fall they will make 

 fine plants for .5 or G-ineh pots. Pot bound Dracaena 

 indivisa should be shifted now. Use a little care and pot 

 them according to their size from a 3-inch to a 5-inch 

 and place in a cool house or a deep cold pit. The latter 

 will make a good place for tliem for the next four or 

 five weeks. Keep them well-sprayed and they will soon 

 become re-established. Give them 50 degrees at night 

 during the winter and keep tliem well syringed on bright 

 days. 



Ericas 



In ventilating beware of piercing winds that we are 

 sure to have at this changeable part of the year, but 

 always try to keep the atmosphere from becoming in any 

 way stagnant, which is very injurious to this class of 

 plants. They will not require much pushing to be in 

 at Christmas and anywhere from 45 to 48 degrees night 

 temperature will hold thetn in good shape. If there is 

 any plant that likes a lot of air it is Erica. Should mil- 

 dew show itself on any plant, remove the plant at once as 

 it is veni' contagious, and blow sulphur through and over 

 the plants until the attack is checked. These old 

 favorites are coming to the front more and more as pot 

 plants. For the Christmas holidays there is nothing 

 better than Erica melanthera, E. gracilis, E. Wilmore- 

 fina and E. regerminans. Be very careful about water- 

 ing. The only rule is to keep them in an even state 

 of moisture at all times. 



Forcing Gladiolus 



The smaller flowered section of the Colvillci has nuuiy 

 beautiful varieties. These small bulbs can be planted 

 and forced in flats. Then there are the large-flowored 

 kinds such as Augusta, America. May, Shakespeare, and 

 Silver Trophy. Before starting to force them be sure 

 that the conns are thorouglily cured. Witli ordinary 

 weather conditions most varieties will flower in from 

 14 to 15 weeks after ]ilanting. When planting in 

 benches the conns sliould be placed at least two inches 

 below the surface and if yo\i have room for six inches 

 of soil plant tlicm three inches deep, ^\^len planted dpc'|i 

 thev are not so liable to bend when coming into bloom. 

 Give them at least five inches betw-een the rows. If given 

 a temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees at night they 



Next Week:— Care of Carnations; Violets; Orchids; Spiraea japonica 



producing fine blooms. 



Smilax 



To sustain vigor there is nothing better in the way 

 of feeding than a mulch of ricli compost spread be- 

 tween the rows. Syringe ri'c(|uently as a preventive 

 for red spider. Pay coiistanl attention to the stringing. 

 Good strings can oidy be raised by the unremitting at- 

 tention of a guiding baud. When cutting begin at one 

 end of the bed and clear off all the strings as they come 

 along. A vigorous new growth will follow and the 

 stringing of these new growths should take place before 

 tliere is a mass of entangled vines that will be hard to 

 straighten out. Little water will be needed nntil the 

 new growth starts. In cutting always save any young 

 growth as they can be strung and will give just so much 

 lieadway. See that the night temperature does not go 

 below fiO dearecs. 



Veranda Boxes for Winter 



These should be filled early so the soil can have a 

 chance to become somewhat settled before the real cold 

 weather sets in. Give the boxes good drainage so that 

 when the ground is not frozen hard the water can run 

 iitr. A somewhat heavy soil rather than a sandy mixture, 

 and one but sparingly enriched, should be used for this 

 work. Bay trees, hollies, aucubas, boxwood, junipers, 

 spruce, pine, arborvitae and biota, which are most at- 

 tractive, all can be supplied at reasonable prices from 

 our nurseries at home. There is no doubt but what 

 the larger cities are more in need of something green 

 during the winter months. Yet even in the suburbs and 

 smaller tow'ns there are occasional calls for stock of this 

 kind, and in most cases it will require but little pushing 

 on the ]iart of the local florists to do a most profitable 

 business in this line. When planted they can stand 

 out of doors in some slieltered position until wanted. 

 Reminders 



The earliest bulbs may now be brought into gentle 

 heat. 



It is time now to sow seed of shamrock for St. Pat- 

 rick's day. 



Take advantage of all good days and ventilate all 

 departments. 



It pays to spend some time in collecting leaves for 

 leaf mold at this season. 



Watch carefully for aphis on carnations; fumigate 

 directly as soon as seen. 



Sweet Peas ; Reminders. 



BOOM YOUR BUSINESS 



iy adoertalng your goods in the 



HorticMltujire 



Publicity among the kind of readers reached 

 by this paper is THE SORT OF PUBLI- 

 CITY THAT PAYS. 



