July 13, 1912 



HOETICULTUEE 



37 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



INDUCTED BY 



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

 by Mr. Farreil. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICDLTDRB. 



eoTA^ 



Hydrangeas 



Young hj'drangeas that you are growing under con- 

 tinuous pot culture should have very strict attention as 

 to watering • as they dry out very soon this weather. 

 They should be shifted as the pots become filled with 

 roots, and never allowed to become potbound until their 

 flowering size is reached. It is better to have them in 

 6 and 8-inch pots for forcing. These plants are great 

 feeders. A fibrous loam, two parts, well decayed cow 

 manure, one part, and a good sprinkling of bone meal 

 will make a mixture to their liking. The pots should 

 be plunged outside up to the rims in a good sunny place 

 where they can make abundance of flowering wood. 

 They should always have water in great abundance dur- 

 ing the summer or they are bound to receive a check 

 that will tell later on. The principal point to attain in 

 their culture is to get a strong growth during the sum- 

 mer, and, when the fall comes, to get the wood well 

 ripened by withholding the water supply; the cool nights 

 and bright sun are the other aids that make fine flower- 

 ing wood. Turn the pots around every couple of weeks 

 to let sun reach every side of your plants. 



Care of Cypripcdiums 



Now is the time that all of these orchids will require 

 great care. Wliere you are crowded inside or want to 

 give your house a good cleaning empty frames can be 

 utilized to advantage. First place a good layer of coal 

 ashes which will give the plants a nice cool bottom to 

 stand on. Here they will have an ideal location where 

 they will be close to the glass and can have all the venti- 

 lation that they will need. On all bright days give 

 them a good syringing both under and over the plants. 

 Where you are sure that your plants have made lots of 

 roots they would be better for some weak cow manure 

 once a week. Keep a sharp outlook for thrips other- 

 wise they will soon disfigure and check your cypripedi- 

 ums. Go over them often and dip and sponge with to- 

 bacco water or some good insecticide. Do not shade too 

 heavily. There is nothing to beat either lath or cloth 

 shading as it can be removed when the sun's rays will 

 be an advantage and on dull days. 

 Hollyhocks 



Do not forget to start a liberal lot of these stately 

 plants; l)oth the single and double varieties are good. 

 Sowing now, you will have fine stock by the fall. It is 

 always well to procure the best strains in colors of white, 

 pink, crimson and yellow. Sow the seed in a cold frame 

 where you can give them shade and water until they have 

 germinated. When they have made sufficient growth 

 they can be trans])lanted into other cold frames where 

 they can have some winter protection during the severest 

 weather. Give them a spray about every two weeks with 

 ammoniacal solution as a preventive from disease. Every 

 florist should grow a good lot of these as they come in 

 handy for many purposes such as for hiding any untidy 

 places, for the back ground of small growing perennials 

 ov to break up the formal lines where shrubbery is 

 planted. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following. Calceolarias: CaL-e of Nephrolepis; Pansies 



I'or Pans; Orchids; Schizanthus. 



Asparagus Sprengeri 



Do not fail to plant quite a batch of this popular 

 green for it always comes in very useful. It is not very 

 fussy about having a very light house but likes solid 

 beds rather than benches and can be planted in the nar- 

 row bench tliat runs along the front or the rear of any 

 of your houses. It also does well when grown in baskets 

 or raised receptacles. It makes such big and fleshy roots 

 that it soon exhausts the soil so give it a rich compost to 

 grow in — say to two parts of fibrous loam use one of well- 

 rotted manure and a good sprinkling of bone meal and it 

 will respond mth a generous cut of green. A foot apart 

 each way will give them enough of room to grow good. 

 While tiiey like plenty of water at the roots they should 

 not be overwatered while in their J'oung state, but when 

 they begin to make lots of roots they will take plenty of 

 it. Give plenty of moisture in the atmosphere with a 

 free circulation of air. In the fall when they have made 

 plenty of roots they should have manure water once a 

 week. 



Lilies for the Fall 



Those who conduct quite a retail trade will always 

 find many uses for lilies that come in the fall. A few 

 hundred of cold storage Lilium speciosum rubrum and 

 longiflorum started now will come in very handy when 

 other flowering stock is becoming very short. They will 

 do well in a compost used for roses or carnations. See 

 that ]iroper drainage is provided for each pot. You can 

 use either 6 or 7-inch pots. It is always better two or 

 three days before you intend to pot them to turn the 

 soil over and moisten it nicely ; they require less water 

 until they start when this plan is followed. They should 

 be placed in as cool a place as you have, so as to develop 

 good root action before the tops begin to start. Where 

 you have a cool cellar there is no better place for them ; 

 if this is not at hand a cold frame will do. When they 

 show growth they should be brought in and placed on a 

 bench in a light and airy house where they can have 

 water and attention. 



Repairing and Outside Painting 



Now is a good time to look all over your houses and 

 do any repairing that may be necessary such as putting 

 in sashbars where they are rotting out. Go over all the 

 ventilators and see that they are rightly adjusted and 

 give them a good oiling and painting. Where the putty 

 is in very bad condition it will be more profitable to take 

 it all out and repaint all the sashbars and reset the glass 

 with new putty. There is no better season for all this 

 work than the next six weeks as the weather is such that 

 a few hours exposure to the bright sun will leave the 

 paint and putty in a complete dry state. Every grower 

 whether large or small should make time enough to do 

 all this kind of work now when the weather is so con- 

 genial. Do not be one of those who neglect their houses 

 until it is too late to do anything in this line, but make 

 every preparation now so as not to have your houses 

 leaky or draughty when the cold weather sets in. 



fcir Winter Flowering; Poinsettias 



