April 11, 1914 



HOKTICULTURE 



661 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



OONDDCTED BY 



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Questions by our readers in iine with any of tlie topics presented on tbis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Sucb communications should invariably be addressed to the olflce of HORTICULTURE. 



Care of Seedling;s 



All seedlings should be looked over at least three times 

 a day to guard against their becoming too dry or too wet, 

 either of which ■svill spell loss. Give careful ventilation 

 in all cases. As soon as any show the character leaf, 

 they should be transplanted into other flats. Wlien 

 pricking out the little plants see that they get plenty of 

 room to grow. Place them well up to the glass so they 

 do not draw up too much. There is plenty of time yet 

 to sow asters, balsams, celosias, coreopsis, marigolds, 

 ricinus, phloxes, scabiosas, tropaeolums, zinnias and 

 many other kinds. 



Chrysanthemums 



For general stock, chrysanthemums may be propagated 

 at any time up until June, but for the production of 

 high grade flowers and for exhibition plants and blooms 

 early propagation is essential. The earlier rooted cut- 

 tings are of little use, however, to the average country 

 florist. Medium flowers net more money than the big 

 ones. People may admire the latter, but they object 

 to paying a price commensurate with their cost. We 

 prefer the cuttings which need no shortening back. 

 Those three or four inches long are about right. It will 

 be necessary to keep the cuttings well soaked for the 

 flrst two weeks. In bright weather several dampings 

 overhead will be required to keep them plump, and no 

 good grower ever wants to see stock in the cutting bench 

 with a flaggy look. A temperature of 50 degrees is 

 high enough for the cuttings to root in. They should 

 not remain too long in the sand, but be potted off as 

 soon as rooted. Ordinarj* good soil is all they want at 

 present. The shifting into larger pots should not 

 be delayed too long in the case of exhibition plants. 



Alocasias 



These tropical plants can be increased either by cut- 

 tings of the rhizomes or by suckers. When doing either 

 way they are better when placed in small pots that have 

 been filled with a compost of peat and sand in equal 

 parts. Pack the compost well around these pieces and 

 plunge where they can have jjlenty of bottom heat. 

 There is nothing better than a closed frame over bottom 

 heat of about 75 degrees. They can be kept in this 

 until they begin to show good roots. In potting up the 

 new made plants they will want plenty of drainage. Give 

 at least one-third of the pot to drainage. Use very 

 fibry loam and fibrous peat in equal parts, with quite a 



portion of sphagnum moss, some lumps of charcoal and 

 silver sand. Give them plenty of overhead syringing 

 and keep a night temperature of 70 to 75 degrees. 



Orchids 



Odontoglossums will now need some attention. Re- 

 move any of the decayed compost replacing it with some 

 ■ sphagnum and chopped fern fibre. In order to keep 

 the compost sweet this .sometimes has to be done twice 

 a year. These orchids do better in a house having a 

 northern aspect. Fresh air should be given at all times 

 when possible. Keep up an abundance of moisture by 

 wetting down the paths and \mder the benches two or 

 three times a day in fine weather. See that the compost 

 does not become too dry as they like a good supply of 

 water at their roots during the wann weather. We are 

 now coming into the season when the grower has many 

 things to contend with, in order to bring these orchids 

 through the summer in good condition. Give shading 

 just heaN'y enough to break the direct solar rays. A 

 iiigh degree of moisture should be maintained from this 

 out. 



Time to Provide 



AVliile there is a sufficiency of cut flowers at nearly all 

 times of the year there is one short period when a dearth 

 in cut flowers is keenly felt — from the beginning of 

 June until the latter part of July. It is not unlikely 

 that the general replenishing and replanting of the 

 leading cut flower stock, taking place at that season, 

 may, to some extent, be responsible for the scarcity at a 

 time when June weddings, school commencements and 

 numerous social affairs create quite a demand. Roses 

 and carnations should not all at once be thrown out. 

 Some of the least exhausted and most promising at that 

 time might be allowed to remain in the houses a month 

 or two longer. Of the common flowering plants annual 

 and greenhouse varieties suitable for the purpose, quite 

 a number would thus prove useful. 



Young Marguerites 



Marguerites intended for next winter's flowering 

 should be pinched back often so they wll not become 

 leggy. Planted out after the middle of May they will 

 make flne stock which can be lifted and housed in Sep- 

 tember. This holds good with white varieties, but the 

 yellow sorts do better when kept in pots during the sum- 

 mer. They are not so liable to go blind when treated 

 this wav. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following: Allamandas; Ferns: Ramblers for Easter, 1915: Planting Gladiolus; 



Campanulas; Ripening up Freeslas. 



Sowing 



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