December 16, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



COMDDOTKD BT 



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Joestions by our readers in line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the oiHce of HORTICULTURE. 



"It vain oar toll, we oavlit to bl&me the coltnre, not the %vXL**^Pcpe, 



Callas 



Don't fail to fumigate about once a week or greenfly 

 and thrips will get ahead of you. Ventilation should be 

 given on all favorable days to avoid a stagnant humidity. 

 In order to bloom well they require a night temperature 

 of from 55 to 60 degrees. When in continuous iiower 

 callas eagerly take up large quantities of food from the 

 soil and should have liquid manure regularly once a 

 week and, when spring is nearing, twice a week. Now, 

 under fire heat, water should be used abundantly on the 

 paths and around the house. On all good days give them 

 a syringing after the flowers have been cut. These 

 plants will assure fair returns if grown under anything 

 like fair treatment during the winter and spring. When 

 planted out in beds, in two or three weeks they will 

 stand a mulch of manure. 



Easter Lilies 



Harrisii or Formosa lilies, if they are just coming 

 through the ground now will be all right, as Easter 

 comes this year on April 8th. Now that the holiday 

 trade leaves some vacant bench space it will be well 

 to bring in some of the lilies intended for the Easter 

 trade. There isn't any reason for using a strong heat at 

 present, at least, for any lilies intended for Easter; 55 

 degrees will do nicely. Higher temperature will only 

 tend to produce a soft growth. In about three weeks it 

 will be all right to give them 60 degrees. All Easter 

 lilies should have their pots well filled with roots before 

 they are given too much heat. Give a good syringing 

 on all bright mornings. Fumigate for green fly every 

 ten days. In the case of multiflorums and giganteums, 

 if the growths are three to four inches high you are all 

 right. These lilies can be given a house that stands 

 about 60 degrees at night and in about three weeks they 

 can have 65 degrees. 



Mignonette 



Disbudding once a week improves the flower and stem. 

 Keep them clean by light fumigation. They do not like 

 heat. A temperature from 43 to 45 degrees at night 

 and from 10 to 15 degrees higher with sun will be all 

 right. See that they have proper supports to keep the 

 shoots straight. If there is one thing that is very im- 

 portant in the culture of mignonette it is a fresh and 

 bracing atmosphere. Take advantage of every good day 

 and give ventilation to this crop, but always avoiding 

 chilling drafts. Mignonette likes to be moist at the 

 roots, so look to the watering. Do not keep the house 

 too damp during dull weather as it tends to make a very- 

 soft growth. A mulch of half manure and soil about 

 every four weeks will bo advisable, but do not put it on 

 any deeper than half an inch. Now is a good time to 

 make a sowing for spring flowering. You can use three- 

 inch pots, planting about four seeds in each pot. Keep 

 shaded until they start to come up, when they should be 

 given a place well up to the glass in a light house. 

 Orchids 



Do not keep the houses too damp during dull and 



Next Week : — Care of Manure ; Gardenias : Glganteum L 



murky weather, but during bright weather you can damp 

 down two or three times a day. Use any spare time now 

 in changing and sponging the orchids. East Indian 

 family will stand more coddling and thrive, but that 

 does not mean that they do not want ventilation, too. 

 This should be given on all bright days. All such or- 

 chids as cattleyas, coelogynes, miltonias, laelias, odonto- 

 glossums, etc., love fresh air, so make it a point to give 

 some ventilation every day, even if it is only for an hour. 

 We are now coming into our shorter days, when careful 

 watering counts. To do this work right the grower will 

 have to go over his plants every day and make it a rule 

 to water only as they may individually need it. They 

 will not need any shade now until the middle of Feb- 

 ruary. Look over the crates, baskets and pans and see 

 that there are enougli, as the potting season for most 

 orchids will soon be here. 



Start Propagating 

 Be sure that there is enough of bottom heat. This 

 can be increased by boarding in the sides all around 

 wliich will throw the heat right up to the bottom of the 

 lienches. Give the entire surface of sides and bottoms a 

 good whitewashing of hot lime. See that everything is 

 made thoroughly clean by washing down with a strong 

 force of water all benches, walls, etc.. It is always better 

 to place about an inch of coarse material on the bottom, 

 which will assure good drainage. You can place some 

 moss on this, and then about three or four inches of 

 clean sharp sand. Spread all over even, press down firm 

 and give a thorough watering. All bedding plants can 

 be put in from now on. 



Shamrocks 



Mr. John J. M. Farrell, ' 

 Dear Sir: 



Will you kindly tell me how long it will take shamrock 

 to grow to size for potting In two-inch pots? I have a 

 small house, one side devoted to lettuce, so that the tem- 

 perature will not be very high. Possibly shamrock will 

 not do well. I will be grateful tor any information. 



T. M. P. 



In answer to tlie foregoing, it will take from three and 

 one-half to four months to grow good shamrocks from 

 the sowing of the seed until they are salable stock in 

 two-inch pots. They will grow very good in a 50 degrees 

 night temperature, with 10 to 15 degrees higher by day. 

 In order to have them of good size for St. Patrick's Day 

 the seed should be so\\'n any time during November. 

 We sowed ours at the end of November. 

 Reminders 



Give a mulch of well decayed manure to beds of peo- 

 nies now. It will act as a protection in winter as well 

 as enrich the soil. 



I^t young cyclamen have all the light possible now. 

 The best place is on a shelf near the glass. 



Keep the flower buds constantly picked off ageratums, 

 alternantheras and other bedding plants. 



Prepare the ground for next season's sweet peas. Use 

 plenty of good manure and dig deep. 



Hies for Easter; Hydrangeas; Schlznnthus; Remindera. 



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