May 16, 1914 



HORTICULTUEE 



72» 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



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Questions by our renders In line wltb 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 HOKTICULTURE. 



Amaryllis 



\(ivv that the lidw I'l-iiiu scasnn dl' livlirid ainiirvllis is 

 liiissud tlit'Y liiii '>L' .U'lt tii.ai'tlicr iiml pliU'L'il in a fraiiic It 

 wmild he woll tn phuigc the put? iij) to their rinis. Where 

 the drainage is good they will not require any I'epot- 

 liiig, hut should have liquid manure once a week, and 

 as the roots become active they can have it twice a week. 

 Sunie labor under the opinion that the amaryllis under 

 any kind of care will flower all right. This is utterly 

 absurd. See that they are not stinted for water at the 

 roots while they are making their growth. Give them 

 a good syringing every day as this helps the bulbs to 

 ri'gain their strength. If you do not help to strengthen 

 liiem aa prescribed you will have a failure when their 

 dowering time comes around. A little time and care 

 spent with these splendid plants will always pay. 



* Growitig Aquatics 



If a jjond, stream or small pool should not be avail- 

 able, nymphaeas can be successfully grown in tanks, 

 \ ats or a hogshead sunk into the ground. The best way 

 to start nymphaeas is to plant the dormant rhizomes of 

 the hardy and tender sorts now in boxes about 10 inches 

 deep and from 3 to 4 feet square, using a compost of 

 tbi'ce parts fibrous loam and one part of cow manure. 

 Fill to within two inches of the top, then plant two or 

 three rhizomes in the box, so that they are just covered. 

 Alter planting place a layer of coarse sand over the 

 -luface. These boxes should be placed where they are 

 t'l remain and sunk so that they will be covered with 

 about three inches of water until the first leaf floats 

 on the water, when they should be gradually lowered 

 until they are covered with water 12 to 14 inches deep. 

 Do not |)laoc these boxes too close together. They will 

 need from (iO to 70 square feet for each box if they arc 

 wanted to do well. The hardy nymphaeas when in nat- 

 ural ponds and tanks must have sufficient water above 

 the crowns in winter so that the ice does not reach 

 them. 



Planting Gardenias 



Tt is always better to get started early with gardenia 

 planting. After removing all the plants and old soil 

 make sure to wa.sh out every corner of the benches 

 thoroughly, then give a heavy coating of hot lime. What 

 is essentially necessary to be successful with gardenias 

 is to make use of a good porous soil. This should be of 

 fibrous loam, two-thirds, and a third of old cow manure. 

 Add to this some coarse sand and charcoal, so as to 

 pciiiiit tiie water to pass off readily. Good drainage is 

 very important in their culture so it is a good plan to 

 |ilace a layer of broken crocks on the bottom of the 

 benches. The plants can be set from 18 to 20 inches 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will lio on tbe following: Bedding Out 



Uljiss: The Cumpost 



apart between the rows and about 16 inches apart in the 

 lows. After planting, soak the whole bench, after 

 which water only the ball of the plant as necessary. Give 

 them a syringing every good day for it helps to keep 

 fliem free of insects, especially mealy bug. Do not let 

 your house become cold at any time as these plants like 

 plenty of heat. A night temperature of about 70 degrees 

 will suit them. 



Sowing Perennials 

 By making a sowing now of the most desirable peren- 

 nials they can be grown into nice stock by next fall when 

 they can be jilanted out. The best place to start the 

 seeds is a cold frame where they will be convenient to 

 water. For the first couple of inches of soil it is well to 

 make a light mixture, say leaf mold and soil in equal 

 parts with a little sand. Do not sow too thickly. Keep 

 shaded and moist until they begin to germinate when 

 they should have full light and sun. When they have 

 grown so they can be nicely handled, they should be 

 pricked out into other frames allowing enough room for 

 their proper development. If placed about 8 to 10 

 inches between the rows and about 4 to 5 inches apart in 

 the rows they have plenty. Keep them watered and 

 clear of weeds. 



Stocks for Winter Flowering 



When these plants are handled right they make fine 

 material to cut from during the winter months. If 

 sown now they will come in early and with another 

 sowing in about four weeks you will have flowers all 

 winter. They should be sown now in pans or shallow 

 fiats of light soil with plenty of sand in it as there is 

 then less liability of the seedlings damping off. When 

 they are large enough to handle they can be potted off 

 into small pots and placed in frames under elevated 

 sasiics to afford a free circulation of air. When the 

 ])lants have filled these pots with roots they should be 

 shifted into 4 or 5 inch pots and kept in frames until 

 late fall. The double ones can be identified by the point 

 of the buds being stubby, while the singles will be slen- 

 der. There are a number of^ special forcing varieties, 

 but I like Princess Alice, and Beauty of Nice best. They 

 can be grown in any house where the night temperature 

 can be kept from 45 to 50 degrees. Anything higher 

 will give poor flowers. 



Stock Plants 



Every good grower makes a practice to select some of 

 the best plants for next winter's stock. Agcratum, 

 colcus, heliotrope, fuchsias, lobelias and many others 

 sliould be shifted into larger pots — say 5 or 6 inch pots 

 — and plunged outside up to the rims where they will 

 be handy for water. 



; Single-stemmed Chrysanthemums; Orchids; Sweet Peas Under 

 Heap; Resting Callas. 





