July 20, 1912 



HOETICULTUEE 



73 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^^A*^3'.^.^4.*U^ 



Questions by our readers In line witb any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially re^'X^d and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTieUblUKis. 



Calceolarias 



Those who want to grow calceohnias can sow them any 

 time from now and up to the end of September and 

 have fine plants by next spring. ]\[ake up some pans by 

 having them well-drained with crocks and filled with a 

 mixture of new loam, leaf mold and sand in equal parts. 

 Sift some of the mixture for the last half-inch on top. 

 When the pans are filled within half an inch of the top 

 they should be thoroughly moistened and allowed to 

 drain, then sow the seed thinly and evenly over the 

 surface. Press with a piece of a board or brick and 

 stand in some shady place and cover with a pane of 

 glass and a piece of paper. When the young seedlings 

 begin to appear they should be placed in a frame or on 

 the side bench of a cool house. In this position they 

 should lie shaded quite heavy, but as the fall comes the 

 shading should be made lighter. For the next 8 or 10 

 weeks they will need the strictest attention as to water- 

 ing, pricking, etc. AVhen they have made 4 or 5 leaves 

 they can be potted off into small pots in a compost of 

 fibrous loam three parts, leaf mold one part, well de- 

 cayed cow manure one part, and enough of sand to make 

 it gritty. 



Care of Nephrolepis 



To liave strong healthy plants of this fern they should 

 not have too heavy a shading. They are much better 

 when only given enough shading to break the direct 

 rays of the sun. To maintain a liealthful growth you 

 should encourage plenty of moisture in the atmosphere 

 with a liberal supply of water at the roots whenever they 

 may need it. Larges plants that you keep for decorative 

 purposes would be the better for some stimulant in the 

 way of either cow or sheep manure water, made rather 

 weak. This can be applied at first once a week and as 

 the roots become more matted in their pots they should 

 have it twice a week. Smaller plants that have been 

 growing vigorously and have filled their pots with roots 

 should have a shift. Use a rich mixture; say — two- 

 thirds of fibrous loam to one-third of well rotted cow 

 manure and pot firmly. Do not stint in giving ventila- 

 tion on all favorable opportunities. Now is a good time 

 to increase stock by potting up all the nice runners you 

 can get. At this season there is always an abundance 

 of these runners. 



Pansies for Winter Flowering 



Where you want ])ansies for winter flowering they 

 should be sown at once. Wlien Inlying pansy seed pur- 

 chase only the best as they are most profitable in the end. 

 Sow the seed either in drills or broadcast in a cold 

 frame on soil that has been well pulverized and made 

 moderately rich. Cover the seed slightly and keep 

 shaded and well watered until they germinate, after 

 which remove shading and sashes so they will not be 

 allowed to "draw." When they are large enough to 

 handle prick them out in other rold frames about four 

 inches apart. Here they can sta}- until you want to lift 

 them to follow chrysanthemums. To grow well in the 

 winter they like a very light house and where a minimum 

 temperature of 40 to 42 degrees can be maintained. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following: Adiautums; 



Daisies; Fraesia Bulbs 



For a compost use fibrous loam three parts, well de- 

 composed cow manure one part, and after the New Year 

 tiiey can be given liquid manure once a week which will 

 be found very beneficial in giving color and size as well 

 as increasing" the number of flowers. See pansy seed ad- 

 vertised this week. 



Poinsettias for Pans 



Where vou have use for a lot of pans and dishes for 

 Christmas" trade keep on propagating poinsettias right 

 up to the middle of August. When the cuttings are 

 taken and until they are placed in the cutting bench 

 they should never be allowed to flag. Give them shade 

 and plenty of moisture until they begin to root. Keep 

 a shar]> outlook and just as soon as any of them have 

 rooted they should go into small pots as when they are 

 left too long in the propagating bench you are bound to 

 break their^roots which always cripples them for some 

 time. When they are potted up keep them shaded with 

 frequent syriugings until they begin to make new roots 

 when thev'can have the fullest light and plenty of venti- 

 lation, in 6 or 7-inch pans they always make ideal 

 material for the holiday trade. Do not plant any pans 

 until after the middle of September as they make too 

 much growth when planted earlier. After September 

 they will want a house wliere they can have a little fire 

 heat. 



Orchids 



Give your Coelogyno cristata every attention now, 

 such as "damping down — which should be done at least 

 three times a day, to encourage a liberal amount of 

 moisture in the atmosphere. Now that the weather is 

 quite wai-m they should be syringed overhead twice a 

 aay— morning and early in the afternoon. This orchid 

 is now in active growth making and pushing lots of roots 

 so where it is possible give them weak liquid manure 

 once a week. Place them where they can be shaded from 

 nine o'clock in the morning until about four in the after- 

 noon as they always make better plants by the fall when 

 exposed to the early morning and late afternoon sun. 

 Give plenty of water at the roots and plenty of ventila- 

 tion. Manv cattleyas such as labiata, Trianae, Schroe- 

 derae, etc., that are'in full growth will need lots of water 

 at the roots and a syringing once or twice a day now. 

 They like shading as mentioned above. 

 Schizanthus 



Sow the best strain of seed now and you will get nice 

 plants that will flower well during the early winter. Sow 

 in pans where a fine compost of loam and leaf mold are 

 mixed together with a dash of sand. Cover seed quite 

 lightly and press the soil firmly. Place in shady position 

 and cover with a pane of glass until they start to come 

 up when they should have full sun. When they are 

 large enough "to handle jiot off into small pots, and shift 

 as they niay require it until 7 or 8-inch pots are 

 reached. Give them a rich compost of two parts of 

 fibrous loam to one of well-rotted manure and always 

 pot firmly. Keep in a frame and pinch them freely for 

 the next 8 or 10 weeks and you will have nice compact 

 plants. 



Callas; Care of Chrysanthemums; Coreopsis for Easter; Double 



