September 14, 1912 



HORTICULTUEE 



373 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



^W^^. A*^^^ 



Questions br our readers in line with any of tlie 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 HORTICULTURE. 



Carnations 



Carnation plants should be given supports at once. 

 It not only keeps them in a neat shape, but also from 

 getting broken. The earliest planted houses will now be 

 giving a fair crop of flowers, so disbudding will be in 

 order. It is a good rule when you start cutting flowers 

 to let feeding begin too. Give light mulches of soil and 

 cow manure in equal parts. Apply a fair sprinkling of 

 bone meal on the surface before the mulch is applied. 

 Do not put these mulches on too deep; about half an 

 inch will be enough. WHien the nights become cooler 

 run a little fire heat through the pipes. Endeavor to 

 maintain a night temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees 

 and a rise to 65 or 70 degrees on all sunny days, but 

 during cloudy weather 58 to 60 degrees will be about 

 right. From now on see that the houses have abun- 

 dance of fresh air whenever possible as carnations are 

 great lovers of it. Fumigate once a week from now on 

 which will be a sure preventive for fly and thrips. 



Care of Smilax 



The general routine of work connected with young 

 smilax will be weeding, watering, ventilating and syr- 

 inging. Keep the plants properly tied up to prevent 

 tangling and it will save trouble later on. Syringe on 

 all bright days, getting well under the foliage which 

 will help the plants against insects, such as spider and 

 thrips. Ventilate freely, but judiciously and a little heat 

 in the pipes will be an advantage from this out. When 

 the outside conditions allow, the temperature should be 

 kept as near as possible to the right mark. They do 

 well in a night temperature of 60 or 65 degi-ees, witli 

 10 or 15 degrees higher with sun heat. On dark, rainy 

 or misty weather about 5 or 8 degrees more than the 

 night temperature will be enough. Where strings are 

 well up they can be given a light mulch of well rotted 

 cow manure and soil in equal parts. Before applying 

 the mulch give the beds a dusting of fine bone. 



Demorphotheca aurantiaca 



This South African annual has increased in public 

 favor on account of its rich orange flowers and its last- 

 ing qualities after being cut. Seed sown now will flower 

 by January on. Make a compost of soil and leaf mold 

 in equal parts and fill some Si^ or 3 inch pots; place 

 about three seeds in each pot and keep shaded and moist 

 until they begin to come up. Give them the coolest 

 house you have at present. When they have filled these 

 pots with roots you can shift them into a larger 

 size. Vfhen the seedlings become strong thin out to one 

 plant. To flower well they like a temperature of about 

 ' 50 degrees at night. When you are ready, plant them 

 out on a bench setting them a foot apart each way. Keep 

 an even degree of moisture and syringe on all good 

 days until the flowers begin to open. Every florist should 

 grow a few because they are something different from 

 the usual run and will take the eye of many a customer. 



Hardy Phlox 



In making a plantation of phlox work the ground 

 fully 18 inches deep and do not be afraid of making it 

 too rich. Give as much manure as you can dig down. 

 The earlier you can plant it the better, after Sept. 20, 

 as it will give the plants time to become well rooted 

 before hard weather sets in. They should be set no 

 closer than eighteen inches apart to do well. By a ju- 

 dicious selection of varieties a continuity of bloom can 

 be had from June until freezing weather. It is well to 

 grow a lot of the white and pink sorts as they come in 

 handy for design work. Where you grow quite a lot in 

 the field and wish to increase the stock lift a good num- 

 ber in about a month from now and heel them in a cold 

 frame where they can be protected until January when 

 you can bring them in and propagate for another year. 



Oncidioms 



Where these orchids have been in pits or cold frames 

 they should now be removed to their winter quarters. 

 Care must be taken never to let the compost remain 

 dry on all such species as Oncidium Forbesi, 0. in- 

 curvum, 0. ornithorynchum, 0. splendiduni, 0. tigrinum 

 and 0. varicosum Rogersi, from this out and up until 

 they flower. Remove shading gradually now so that by 

 the middle of October they will have full sun. Keep 

 the floors and benches well damped so as to make a 

 moist atmosphere. From this out it is better to have 

 fire heat than to depend on shutting up houses early to 

 retain heat, for these orchids should have plenty of ven- 

 tilation without cold draughts, as the outside conditions 

 will permit. Most oncidiums will do well in a tempera- 

 ture of 45 to 52 degrees at night with a rise of from 10 

 to 15 degrees wit*li sun. By placing some in a tempera- 

 ture of 55 to 60 degrees at night they will bloom earlier, 

 thereby making more of a succession. 



Tulips 



Get all tulips boxed up and put into pans as soon as 

 received. Give them as good bulb compost as described 

 in this column before. After they are planted place in 

 a bulb cellar if you have one, or if not put them outside 

 on a level piece of open ground, taking care when choos- 

 ing that the water will pass off freely. Have the flats 

 in straight rows and each kind by itself. Place a heavy 

 wooden stake where each variety ends; this will make 

 less trouble later on. A thorough watering should be 

 given to each flat and when you are sure that they are 

 wet through they can be covered with six inches of soil 

 over all. If the weather is dry they should be examined 

 once in awhile to see that they will not become dry. 

 Among the best for forcing are La Reine, Pottebakker, 

 Cottage Maid, Couleur Cardinal, Vermilion Brilliant. 

 For early use Due Van Thol, red and yellow, and Belle 

 Alliance. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the foUowlng: Polnscttias; Compost for Next Season's Supply; Cuttings of Vlncas; Eucharls 



Amazonica for Christmas; Making a Lily Bed; Mignonette. 



NEW 



