January 17, 1914 



HOETICULTURB 



69 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



Qaestions 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 HORTICULTDRE. 



Bougainviileas 



Bougainvilleas intended for Easter should now be 

 given a place where they will be induced into action. A 

 light bench, about 60 degrees at night, will do for the 

 present. Keep them moist at the roots and syringe two 

 or three times a day. Wlien they show some advanced 

 growth you can raise the temperature to 65 degrees, and 

 as they become well furnished with foliage they can 

 stand from 70 to 72 degrees at night, with from 10 to 15 

 degrees more with sun heat. Be very careful not to 

 allow cold draughts to strike these plants. Just give 

 ventilation enough on bright days to keep the temper- 

 ■ature right. When started into full growth they will re- 

 quire a good supply of water at their roots, and as they 

 become well matted with roots they can be liberally fed 

 with liquid manure. Spread tliera apart and turn them 

 around often to induce an even growth. 



Candytuft for Memorial Day 



This is a very good crop to grow for Memorial Day 

 trade. Where it is wanted for that date it should be 

 sown no later than the 20th of January. If vacant beds 

 or benches are at disposal, sow it in rows 12 to 15 inches 

 apart and rather thinly. Do not leave more than three 

 or four good seedlings to the square foot, where fine 

 stalks are wanted. If there are no empty benches in 

 January, the best plan is to sow in 3-inch pots. Put 

 half a dozen seeds in a pot and thin out to three. You 

 can also sow in flats of light soil, but great care must be 

 taken to pot off in good season, as candytuft seedlings 

 do not transplant as easily as some other annuals. Place 

 the pots or flats on a shelf or bench in a moderately cool 

 and well aired house, with a temperature of not over 48 

 degrees at night. Water carefully. Do the necessary 

 thinning in good season and spread out a little where the 

 seedlings crowd. Use a generous soil such as would 

 grow good chrysanthemums or roses in benches. Candy- 

 tuft will not stand any coddling and does better in a 

 night temperature of 45 degrees than 50. If your plants 

 seem at all late you can run them a little warmer as 

 the flowers open. 



Easter Hydrangeas 



If you have not already brought the liydrangeas into 

 a cool house you should not lose any time in getting 

 them in. These plants are always better when started 

 cool imtil they have made some root action. A tem- 

 perature of about 45 degrees at night will do for the 

 start. In a couple of weeks they can have 50 degrees 

 and aliout 60 to 65 degrees with sunshine. In order to 

 make them break good give them a spraying overhead 

 at least twice a day. These plants are lovers of sun- 

 shine, so see that they have a place where they can gel 

 it. In five or six weeks they should be standing a tem- 

 perature of 70 to 72 degrees at night, which can continue 

 until the trusses show color. After this the temperature 



should be gradually reduced until they stand at about 

 50 degrees at night. While making roots and top growth 

 Ihey will require plenty of water, as they are very thirsty 

 plants. When they have a fair start they will stand 

 manure water once or twice a week until they show color. 



Gladioli 



The market for gladiolus spikes is usually good in 

 April and May, and fairly good in June, and there is not 

 much likelihood of spikes being wasted even though a 

 good many of them flower before and after Memorial 

 Day. The first planting of the large-bulbed varieties, 

 such as America, Augusta, etc., can now be done and do 

 not omit a good number of- that inexpensive, but excel- 

 lent scarlet variety, Brenchleyonsis, in addition to 

 America, Augusta and Mrs. F. King. In order to have 

 ■A good Memorial Day crop gladioli should be planted 

 now in benches. Of course, so much depends on climatic 

 conditions that it is not easy to hit the date just right 

 with this crop. Again, the bulbs do not all flower at 

 one time, which is, generally speaking, an advantage. Do 

 not use any fresh manure which will come in contact 

 with the bulbs. If j'ou have no old manure, try fine 

 bone and pulverized sheep manure, incorporating them 

 well with the soil. To secure an early crop of such varie- 

 ties as Colvillei The Bride, Peach Blossom and Blushing 

 Bride, every week or ten days bring a few flats into a 

 bouse kept at 48 to 50 degrees at night. A higher tem- 

 jicrature will spoil tliem. 



Propagating 



I'luni now on conditions are ideal for this purpose. 

 Keep yoTir bencli full from now on, for all the advan- 

 tages one could possibly wish for to be successful in get- 

 ting cuttings rooted, are to be had right now. The fires 

 are keeping a uniform heat in the sand; most of the 

 stock plants are loaded from now on with cuttings, and 

 there is but little sun to interfere with the unrooted 

 stock. Every inch of space of the propagating bench, 

 therefore, should be kept full of bedding stock in par- 

 ticular, practically every variety we make use of during 

 the bedding season, and especially of the varieties of 

 which we may be short. Cleanliness in and about the 

 propagating bench is as important as anything. Don't 

 overlook the fact that you should have clean sand. Old 

 sand, or such as contains organic matter of any kind, is 

 liable to cause troubli'. 



Salvias 



Salvias will roof in any moderately warm propagating 

 lied. Bo careful not to leave them too long in the sand 

 after they are rooted. When potting use any good soil. 

 In raising them from seed see that they are sown on new 

 soil and pricked out just as soon as they are fit to 

 linndle, which will keep them from damping. They will 

 do better if given a g-^ntle bottom heat while they are 

 young. 



Mr. Farrell's nfxt notes will bf on flio fnllowing: Care of Young Cyclamen: Carnations: Folias-'o Pliints; Propagaliiig Chrysan- 

 themums; Swainsona; Pyrethrnms. 



