December 30, 1916. 



HORTICULTURE 



869 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDCCTKD BT 



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Questions by our readers In line with any of tbe topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 



by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the ofllce of UORTICULTUEE. 



"It vain vat toil, we ODKbt ta bbun* tha ealtare, a** th« aolL" — Pofe. 



Care of Sweet Peas 



ir the stems show any signs of becoming shorter a 

 watering of liquid cow or sheep manure once in two 

 weeks will help them. A top dressing of well decayed 

 cow or pulverized sheep manure is better if lighth' 

 forked into the ground before watering. It is better 

 to avoid all chemicals at this season, for unless applied 

 with great caution, they will do far more harm than 

 good. If the plants are covered with buds and in good 

 health, with small fibrous roots coming to the surface, 

 a light mulch will do them good. Feeding must be 

 given with care. The plants are unable to assimilate 

 anything like the amount of food now that they can 

 two mouths hence. Tying must be regularly attended 

 to, for once any stems become bent the flowers are un- 

 salable. The temperature with sun heat can run up to 

 65 or 68 degrees, but on cloudy days a maximum of 

 55 to 58 degrees is sufficient and at night about 50 

 degi'ees. On all good days see that they have a syring- 

 ing. Give light fumigation ahout every 10 days, so as 

 to keep down green fly. 



Forcing Dahlias 



Now is the time to start the roots. Be sure when 

 planting that you give them plenty of head room, and 

 5 or 6 inches of good soil. ^V^lere there is a vacant 

 bench I would suggest the forcing of a few dahlias as 

 they will come in about right for Easter, giving abund- 

 ance of bloom from that date on. They can be grown 

 in any house where a temperature of from 55 to 60 

 degrees can be maintained. Plant them from 18 to 24 

 inches apart as they will need all of this room. Stnke 

 and disbud the lateral growths as they progress. Give 

 them abundance of water at the roots when well started, 

 not forgetting a syringing on all fine days, using a good 

 pressure on the underside of their foliage so as to hold 

 red spider in check. The single, cactus, and pompons 

 yield well to forcing. Watch out for the green fly and 

 on the first appearance fumigate for this pest. 



Geraniums 



Where a supply of slock ]ilauts is on hand in pots or 

 benches (the latter gives the more abundant crop of 

 cuttings) a fresh batch can be secured almost weekly. 

 and now that they can be given a little steady bottom 

 heat, few should "^ dam p. If the sand in the cutting 

 bench is rather fine and water does not pa.ss quickly 

 through it, break up some charcoal, pass it through a 

 ^-inch or even a ^-ineh screen and mix it with the 

 sand. This will make a splendid rooting medium. 

 Bedding geraniums, as the weather becomes colder and 

 proportion of dark days increases, must have more care- 

 ful watering. It is better to keep tliem on the dry side 

 throuo-h the coldest month. If kept constantly moist at 

 the root, thev make too rank a growth and there is 

 also a greater probability of their damping olT 



Oncidiums 



'Ventilation should be given with intelligence so as 

 not to cause any draughts or sudden falling or rising of 

 tlje temperature. It is well to give these orchids a good 

 cleaning and sponging about once a month to keep down 

 insect life. Give just enough water at the roots to keej» 

 them in plump state, lliey delight in a position where 

 they can have an abundance of light during the winter 

 montlis. Where it is possible suspend them as near to 

 the glass as you can. As they go out of flower they 

 should have a period of rest. Oncidiums can be grown 

 either in pans or baskets. The best potting material is 

 clean chopped fern fiber and live sphagnum moss in 

 equal parts. This sb/)uld be liberally interspersed with 

 pieces of charcoal. Make the plants secure by fastening 

 them firmly. A good winter temperature is from 50 

 to 55 degrees at night, with 10 to 15 degrees higher 

 with sunshine. On all good days give them overhead 

 syringing. 



Propagating Carnations 



The next two months are the best time of the year 

 for this purpose, as we have conditions in the green- 

 house absolutely under control. As the ventilation is 

 limited, this eliminates the danger of wilting from 

 drafts. Shading from the sun is easily managed, too. 

 Propagating benches should be located so that we can 

 keep old both sun and drafts without covering the cut- 

 tings too closely. Bear in mind that on the success of 

 your propagating will largely depend your success next 

 season. Trim the cuttings fairly well, and see that 

 they are made firm in the sand. All the foregoing 

 notes pertain to the preliminary arrangements, which 

 I consider as important as the propagating proper. 

 With the right facilities, there is no more jdeasant or 

 interesting work in the greenhouse than the propagat- 

 ing. Too often, growers select odd corners, where 

 no'thing else will thrive, on account of poor light and 

 sometimes too much heat, for their propagating. . 



Reminders 



Prepare all hardy shrubs and plants for forcing by 

 a few weeks" sojourn in a cool house. 



Achimenes started now, will do fine later in baskets 

 They are fine and useful pot plants. 



Ivy-leaved geraniums struck in September may be 

 topped now and the tops inserted as cuttings. 



Resting conditions arc best now wherever possible for 

 all classes of palms, ferns, crotons, and other foliage 

 plants. Bulbs fresh from the plunging inaterial should 

 not be exposed to full light at once but shaded lightlv 

 for a few days. 



Next WeeU:-A9paragus: Chrysanthemums; Dracaenas; Mlfrnonette; Boses in Pots: Reminders. 



