July 27, 1912 



HORTICULTURE 



111 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



Pay^U 



Questions 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 office of HORTICULIUKH. 



Adiantums 



Where you liave some benches of this valuable green 

 that have been cut down a good deal it would be wise to 

 give them a rest as the market for adiantura fronds is 

 now at a low ebb. Now is the time to" renew root action 

 to induce an abundance of fine fronds late in the fall. 

 Cut away all the top growth and dry them off some- 

 what until they show new growth. After they are fair- 

 ly well dried off scrape off all the old soil you can re- 

 move without breaking too many roots. Mix up a good 

 mulch of cow manure and loam in about equal parts 

 and renew to the depth of two or three inches. They 

 then should have a thorough watering, with a spraying 

 two or three times a day, until the fronds are well 

 started. When the fronds have made good growth they 

 should be given liquid manure feeding regularly once a 

 week to give rich green color. See that they have suf- 

 ficient shade to keep the fronds dark green. Where they 

 are bothered with snails lay bait in the way of lettuce 

 leaves or slices of some root crop; these can be exam- 

 ined two or three times a day and the snails destroyed. 

 Callas 



Callas that have had a rest of 6 to 7 weeks, lying on 

 their sides, should now have attention. The tubers can 

 be shaken out and repotted now anytime, the sooner the 

 better. Do not use any diseased or decayed tubers. 

 For a compost give them a generous mixture as they are 

 very rank feeders. To two parts of fibrous loam, use 

 one part of well-dried cow manure and a good sprinkling 

 of bone meal. For commercial purposes 6, 7 and 8-inch 

 pots are the btst sizes to use. See that every pot has 

 ample drainage, for while callas like plenty of water at 

 the roots they will not thrive with stagnant moisture 

 around their roots. When planted they can be placed in 

 a cold frame until the middle of September. Here they 

 will make lots of roots with a stocky top growth. Be 

 careful as to watering until they begin to fill the pots 

 with roots. If you intend to buy a new stock of tubers 

 do not forget to try some of the Godfrey calla as you 

 will find them far superior to the old stock. 



Care of Chrysanthemums 



This is the season when the chrysanthemum grower 

 is kept very busy. See that they have plenty of syring- 

 ing on all bright days as it refreshes the plants and 

 keeps the foliage glossy and healthy. See that they 

 have proper water at the roots, for when allowed to wilt 

 they soon become hard and stunted and will never pro- 

 duce fine flowers. Give them all possible ventilation 

 as this is of the greatest importance in bringing the 

 plants through the hot weather in good condition. 

 Early-planted chrysanthemums will now be making very 

 heavy gi-owth, so examine the surface of the benches 

 and when you detect tlie roots ninning near the surface 

 give them a rich mulch of equal parts of soil and cow 

 manure about an inch deep and repeat in a couple of 

 weeks. This will give them something to feed upon 

 while making such fast growth. Just as soon as the 

 buds begin to form they should have liquid manure water 

 once a week and increase this to twice a week later 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on tlie (ollowing : Aspidistras; Ci 



for Easter; Sweet 



on. Give close attention to weeding, staking and tying. 

 Keep your plants clean and free from the aphis by fre- 

 quent light fumigation. 



Coreopsis for Easter 



A nice lot of Coreopsis laueeolata in bloom at Easter 

 will be found to be a paying proposition. If you have 

 not sown earlier, sow now without delay. They can be 

 sown in a frame allowing plenty of space so the young 

 seedlings will not spindle up before they are trans- 

 planted. Keep shaded and well watered until they begin 

 to germinate. When they are large enough to handle 

 they should be pricked out into other frames, from 5 to 

 6 inches apart. Here they can stay until about the 

 middle of September when they should be potted into 

 six-inch pots, and grown until freezing weather sets in. 

 They can then be placed in some frame where they will 

 have protection from hard frost until they are wanted 

 for forcing. This is the age when people are looking for 

 something new around the spring holidays and a few of 

 these will be appreciated liy many customers. 



Double Daisies 



Every florist should grow a good batch of these 

 daisies in pink, white and red, as they always come in 

 very useful for different kinds of work, such as edging 

 for spring flowering beds, rockeries and for the ground 

 work of bulb beds. They also can be used in pans and 

 baskets for the early spring trade. Sow now in frames 

 on finely made soil. Guard against sowing the seed 

 too thickly. Plenty of room is needed for fine stocky 

 seedlings. When large enough they can be planted out 

 in other frames and carefully watered until they take 

 hold of the soil. Cultivate between the rows and keep 

 clear of weeds. 



Freesia Bulbs 



These are usually the first to arrive of the long list 

 of bulbs for winter flowering. Wliere it is desired to 

 have them flower early tliey should be potted or benched 

 as soon as received. It is a good plan to start a few 

 hundred eveiy two weeks until November, thereby hav- 

 ing a succession right along. For a compost use fibrous 

 loam three parts and well-rotted cow manure one part, 

 as they like liberally enriched soil. If on a bench, the 

 bulbs can be planted in rows six inches apart and about 

 two inches apart in the rows, but for early flowering 

 there is nothing better than 6-inch pans. The bulbs 

 can be dotted all over the surface so they stand about two 

 inches apart. Do not overlook proper drainage for each 

 pan. They can be placed in some frame until about the 

 middle of September. See that they do not get too much 

 water after they are planted for many bulbs are ruined 

 by overwatering at the start. The bulbs that are not 

 planted should be spread out in a cool dry shed until 

 wanted. Keep the plants when they are well up, in full 

 sun. Do not labor under the idea that any ok! place is 

 good enough for them, while they really require as much 

 attention as anything that is grown inside. They like 

 a house where the temperature during the late fall and 

 winter is kept from 55 to GO degrees at night. 



ilanthps; Npwly Housed Carnntions; Compost for Bulbs; Lilies 

 Peas for Winter. 



