October 19, 1912 



HOBTICULTURE 



533 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



j^A^%.p1 . POAAZU 



Questions by our readers In line with any o( the topics presented on tbis page will be eoralally received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications sbould invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTTJEE. 



V^^ 



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Azaleas 



These plants should be procured as soon as possible and 

 got into shape. They should be unpacked as soon as re- 

 ceived as they may have been boxed up for four or five 

 weeks. Give the ball of roots a good dipping in a tub 

 of watei' for at least an hour, which will be sufficient to 

 soak them through. They can be potted in 6 to 8 in. 

 azalea pots, using any good grade of potting soil. Pot 

 them firmly so that the soil gets in all around the ball 

 and the pot. Stand in a cool shady place and refresh 

 them with a spraying occasionally. Those that you want 

 for holiday forcing should be gradually inured to the 

 sun and placed in a cool house which will get them into 

 shape for a warmer place in two or three weeks. Those 

 wanted for Easter should be stored in a cool pit where 

 they will get sufficient light and where the frost can be 

 excluded in zero weather. 



Callas 



To grow good callas the first importance is direct and 

 strong sunlight, so see that they have it. Prom this time 

 on they will require some fire heat to maintain a tem- 

 perature of from 58 to 60 degrees at night. Wfiere they 

 have proper drainage, they will require lots of water at 

 the roots to keep them riglit. Do not neglect to give 

 them a good syringing on all bright days to keep thrips 

 in check; a mere wetting of the plants will not suffice. 

 In a short time the pots will be well filled with roots. 

 Then they can have plenty of liquid feeding which will 

 give them the needed nourisliment to keep them in good 

 growth with plenty of flowers. To avoid a dry and arid 

 atmosphere damping down will be necessary at least twice 

 a day and ventilation should be given whenever possible 

 in a judicious manner to avoid also a muggy condition. 

 Fumigation should be practiced persistently from now 

 on. 



Ericas 



Such ericas as E. melanthera, E. hyemalis and E. 

 gracilis, to have them in flower for Christmas should be 

 placed in a house where they can have a temperature of 

 from 45 to 50 degrees at night, but do not let this tem- 

 perature be exceeded as they do not like too much forc- 

 ing. To ensure a free, healthy growth, ventilation is 

 a most valuable agent in growing these plants. Ericas 

 will not stand anything like a stuffy or stagnant atmos- 

 phere. Pay attention to watering at the root for they 

 like an even amount of moisture in the soil. If the soil 

 is impoverished give liquid manure twice a week, but 

 only in moderately weak doses, for when given too strong 

 it does more harm than good. Watch out for mildew 



and where any of them show signs of it remove them to 

 some other place, and blow sulphur over the plants while 

 the sun is shining, which will help to check it. 



L'lies for the Holidays 



See that lilies intended for the Christmas trade are 

 given faithful attention in every way now. Place them 

 as near the glass as possible and look them over often so 

 none will sufl'er for want of water at the roots. Keep 

 plenty of moisture in the atmosphere by damping down 

 the walks two or three times a day, as they delight in a 

 siiperabundance of atmospheric moisture. Ventilation 

 should be done with care so as to avoid cold draughts. 

 Use the syringe freely during all bright days which will 

 help to keep them clean. These plants soon exhatist the 

 soil in the pots, so they should have some nourishing in 

 the way of liquid manure, once or twice a week to avert 

 actual deficiency of ])lant food in the soil. When the 

 lilies have their pots well filled with roots they will stand 

 a temperature anywhere from 65 to 70 degrees at night 

 with a rise of 10 or 15 with sunshine. Fumigate often 

 now. 



Pandanus Veitchii 



These plants require careful handling from tliis out 

 and will need fire heat right along now. Some days 

 quite a brisk fire will be needed to keep the temperature 

 from 65 to 70 degrees at night, whereas other days that 

 are warm will need only a little warmth in the pipes. 

 Ventilation is a matter that will take a fair amount of 

 attention and care to prevent sudden rising or falHng of 

 (he temperature. Where the plants are pot-bound thej 

 would be better for a sliift now than later. Give them a 

 compost of three parts turfy loam, to one of well-rotted 

 manure. These plants will not do well unless the water 

 passes off freely so give them plenty of drainage. From 

 tliis out they will luxuriate in the full blaze of the sun, 

 so see that tliey have a sunny place. Where you have 

 plants that are showing a lot of suckers put in a batch in 

 small pots with a sandy mixture and plunge in a warm 

 propagating bed to root. 



Shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day 



Xow is the time to get some shamrock seed and sow 

 without delay. They can be sown in pans or flats in a 

 compost of soil and leaf mold in equal parts with a little 

 sand. Place in a close moist house and cover with a 

 pane of glass until the seeds begin to germinate when 

 1 hey should be put in a cool and airy house. When large 

 enough they can be pricked out in flats and grown on. 

 .Vfter January they can be potted up into whatever size 

 desired. 



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



Acacias: Begonias; Cannas; Care of Summer B'lowerins 

 Forcing; Wallflowers. 



Cattleyas ; Peonies for 



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