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HORTICULTUEE 



September 7, 1912 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



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CONDUCTED BT 



pi.Pa/iAU/' 



Questions bj our readers In line with anv ol the topic* presented on tbli page wlU be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such commnDlcatlons should Inrarlably be addressed to the office of HORTICDLTURB. 



Bouvardias 



It is tiiin' now to lift tlie bouvardias aud liouse tliem. 

 They delight in a house that gets plenty of sun during 

 the winter. To grow bouvardias successfully a night 

 temperature of at least 60 degrees will have to be main- 

 tained, and they should have a rise of from 10 to 15 

 degrees during the day with sun heat, but during dull 

 days a rise of about 5 degrees will do. Give them a 

 compost of three parts of fibrous loam and of cow ma- 

 nure and leaf-mold one part each, and see that they have 

 good drainage. They can be planted a foot apart each 

 way which will be little enough for them. Keep them 

 shaded after planting for a few days until they begin 

 to take root, and give them frequent syringings during 

 the day and they will soon go ahead. These plants 

 need very careful handling from this out, for if they 

 should once happen to get a set-back it will be no easy 

 matter to start them up again. Give extra attention to 

 watering and give a good syringing on all bright days 

 to keep down red spider and thrips. Whenever possible 

 see that there is a circulation of fresh air in the house. 



Cyclamen for the Holidays 



All plants that are intended for Christmas blooming 

 should be given a place on the sunniest bench, in a house 

 that is kept from 50 to 55 at night. Place them far 

 enough apart to let the sunlight enter all around them. 

 Give a spraying once a day now, and do it sufBciently 

 early so that they will be dry before night-fall and pro- 

 vide plenty of ventilation to keep the plants cool and 

 airy and insure a fine stocky growth. The plants to be 

 right for Christmas should now be showing quantities 

 of buds about the size of pin heads, but where there are 

 flowers on the way to open soon, these should be picked 

 off. Extra eare will have to be exercised in the way of 

 watering, as some plants will dry out more quickly than 

 others which will require a close observation two or three 

 times a day, so every plant will be kept in the right state 

 of moisture at the roots. Fumigate them lightly at 

 least once a week for the aphis. 



Crimson Ramblers 



Where you have been growing this stock all summer 

 by continuous pot culture, which no do\ibt always makes 

 the best material for forcing, it is now time to let up on 

 the water supply so as to ripen v;p their growth. This 

 ripening up should always be done quite gradually, giv- 

 ing them a little less each week after they are placed 

 outside. After two or three weeks the pots can be laid 

 on their sides and left that way until they are stored 

 away in the frame and covered with some boards and a 

 little hay or straw, as the cold weather sets in. Stocks 

 grown in the field should be lifted any time about the 

 end of this month, care being taken to preserve as many 

 of the roots as possible. They can be potted in any good 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following: Carnations: Smilax 



Tulips. 



rose soil and given a thorough soaking, after which give 

 just enough water so they will become well established 

 in their pots without starting the buds up, and then they 

 can be given the same treatment as for the pot-grown 

 ones. 



Hydrangeas 



It is no good to wait any later before starting to lift 

 hydrangeas that have been grown in the field. They 

 will go into 6, 7 or 8-ineh pots according to size. Make 

 a ricli compost for these plants, say to three parts of 

 iibrous soil, give one part of well pulverized cow manure 

 and a good sprinkling of bone meal, and see that the 

 whole is thoroughly mixed. Such a mixture will be to 

 their liking as it contains the available nitrogen that 

 they will require later on. Place in shade for a day or 

 two and then put them where they get all the sun that is 

 going. They can be kept outdoors until heavy frost is 

 threatened, when they should be placed under protec- 

 tion of some kind such as a deep frame. Plants that 

 you have grown in pots will have their growth finished 

 now, so withhold the water supply gradually so that they 

 will get well ripened up. 



Laelia anceps 



Tlie grower will have to use good judgment with these 

 orchids now that fall is with us again. To ensure a free 

 healthy gi'owth with fine flowers you will have to keep 

 as even temperature as possible. This is the season 

 when Laelia anceps are in danger of receiving a set- 

 back from some cause or another. Keep your house as 

 well ventilated as the outside conditions will permit, 

 being very careful not to allow any direct cold draughts 

 to sweep over the plants. Do not let them become dry 

 at the roots as they wU take water in unstinted amount 

 now when they are sending up their flower scapes. 

 Create a liberal atmosphere moisture by damping down 

 the walks and under the benches two or three times a 

 day. Gradually expose to full sun all those that you 

 may need for early flowering and you can retard a batch 

 bv using common sense in giving them a cool and lightly 

 shaded house where the atmosphere is kept a trifle 

 lighter and drier. 



Making a New Peony Plantation 



This is the time par excellence for the making of a 

 new plantation. While peonies will do very well in a 

 partially shaded place, yet when grown commercially 

 gi'eat care should be taken to give them a place fully 

 exposed to the sun. The next thing of importance is a 

 rich soil that has been deeply dug and a generous amount 

 of well rotted manure well mixed through it. Where 

 you have plenty of land to spare give them at least four 

 feet apart as they will need all this room. ^Vhen plant- 

 ing see that they are not set too deep as this induces 

 shy flowering. The crowns should be just about two 

 inches below the surface to do well. 



Demorphotlieca .nurantiaca ; Hardy Phlox: Oncidiums ; 



