October 5, 1912 



HORTICULTURE 



469 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS^ STOOC 



CONDCCTKD BT 



^~/ 



pl.^OAA^^^ 



Questions by our readers In line with luiy of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such comnnmicntinns slionid invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



feet drainage in the pots which will prevent the soil from 

 becoming sour. The green aphis is likely to be trouble- 

 some from tliis out so fumigate once a week which will 

 liold them down 



Hydrangea arborescens 



This is a very fine hydrangea to use for forcing, giv- 

 ing fine heads of large flowers, which will make a valu- 

 able acquisition in the line of pot plants. Where you 

 did not grow some of these it would be well to buy some 

 now and pot them up, using any good rich soil. Give 

 tliem pots just large enough to hold the roots without too 

 much crowding. After they are potted place them in a 

 cold frame until January. Give just enough protection 

 so they can be brought in when wanted. Before starting 

 them up prune them back to within about 5 or 6 inches 

 of the pot. 



Orchids 



N"ow tliat tlie short days are coming on us, with less 

 sunshine, fire heat will again be necessary with all cool 

 oi'chids. It is better to have a gentle warmth running 

 through the pipes with ventilation, than to try to bottle 

 up some heat by shutting down the houses early. Such 

 treatment often produces the right condition for the 

 spread of fungus or spot. With the intermediate orchids 

 you will need to increase the fire heat to meet the out- 

 side conditions. During damp, dull, murlcy weather 

 give careful attention to the atmospheric conditions in- 

 side. There should lie just enough of fire heat to allow 

 ventilation both night and day unless we have a very cold 

 snap. With warm orchids ventilation and firing will 

 need very careful attention to avoid any great extremes 

 in temperature. See that the atmosphere does not be- 

 come too dry. Your houses will require damping down 

 two Or three times a day to keep them right. At this 

 time of the year it will be advisable to modify the tem- 

 perature in the various departments as growth and root 

 action are not very active from now on. The cool house 

 should be given a night temperature of about 55 degrees; 

 day, with sun about 65 degrees; without sun anywhere 

 from 58 to 60 degrees. The intermediate house can be 

 kept about 60 degrees at night, with a rise to 70 degrees 

 with sun, but without sun around 65 degrees will do. 

 In the warm house anywhere around 70 degrees at night 

 will be higli enough, with a rise to about 80 degrees dur- 

 ing bright davs, but during dull days 75 degrees will fill 

 the bill. 



Oxalis 



Where you have a sale for pot plants grow a batch of 

 oxalis as "they make an admirable pot plant for winter 

 flowering. Plant two or three bulbs in a four-inch pot 

 and place in a night temperature of about 55 degrees. 

 For a compost use turfy loam three parts, well decayed 

 cow manure one part, and see that they have good drain- 

 age. Wlien they have filled these four-inch pots shift 

 into a six-inch and they will show a mass of bloom. 

 They will take an abundance of water while growing, 

 so see that they have it when needed. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes wm be on the following: Adia'ntums; Araucarias; Coreopsis grandiflora; Crotons: Geraniums; Primulas for 



Christmas. 



Antirrhinums 



Take good care of the antirrhinums that you have 

 grown on and now have in \ or 5-inch pots as they make 

 a fine cut flower to follow chrysanthemums. Give them 

 a bencli in a cool house where they can have plenty of 

 light. Wiere the flowers are showing they can be 

 pinched off which will make the plants more bushy. 

 Give tliem a fumigating often, but moderately, so that 

 the green fly will not get a foothold. Pay regular atten- 

 tion to watering, airing, etc., so they will be encouraged 

 in vigorous growth until you have a place in which to 

 plant them out. As your early chrysanthemums are cut 

 they can be planted into the 'mum soil and will do fine. 

 Tliey like a temperature of from 45 to 50 degrees at 

 night and 10 to 15 degrees higher with sunshine. Give 

 them plenty of ventilation when the outside condition 

 will allow. M^^en they throw up their spikes pinch out 

 the side shoots which will be quite numerous. This will 

 improve both the flowers and spikes. As they become 

 well established they will take a liberal amount of liquid 

 manuTG 



A lamandas 



Plants that have been growing all suiniiu'i- will have 

 made some fine wood by this time. Where you want a 

 batch of these to flower early, they will need some care 

 as to ripening up their wood. Discontinue syringing and 

 place them in a house where they will have a temperature 

 no higher than 60 degrees at night, and in about three 

 weeks they can be given about 55 degrees. Withhold 

 water even if they do flag a little, but not to the point of 

 allowing the wood to shiivel which would be a great 

 injury. Keep on giving less water at the roots until 

 you have the wood in a well ripened state. To flower 

 well they should have a rest of from ten to fifteen weeks 

 before they are started up. These plants can be handled 

 so they will bloom at any time of the year by giving them 

 a rest. When the wood is well ripened prune them back 

 well. This followed by high temperature, abundance 

 of water at the roots and a high degree of moisture in 

 the air, will encourage them into growth again. Where 

 you have a call for yellow flowers these can be made very 

 ser\'iceable for the florist. 



Cinerarias 



These plants will now be making very rapid growth 

 and should have every attention to keep them in full 

 vigor. They will soon need to be housed, as the weather 

 now becomes very uncertain. The management of cin- 

 erarias under glass is a simple matter. Give a cool and 

 airy house, where the temperature can be kept from 40 

 to 45 degrees at night, with a rise of 10 degrees during 

 the day with sun heat. A very imperative necessity is 

 fresh air whenever possible. Particular care should b' 

 taken to ventilate well during warm and dull weather so 

 that the plants will not become soft in growth. Do not 

 let them get' in a potbound state before giving them a 

 shift. In order to make them grow into fine plants they 

 will need a compost of two-thirds of chopped sods and 

 one-third of well decayed cow manure. Be sure of per- 



