May 23, 1914 



HOETICULTUEE 



761 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Questions 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 HOKTICULTURE. 



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Bedding Out 



A great many customers want their flower beds filled 

 as early as possible, also vases, boxes and grave lots 

 planted before Memorial Day so every effort should be 

 made to get this work done. It will probably mean long 

 hours for all hands, but then Memorial Day comes but 

 once a year and we can stand it. Geraniums continue 

 the leaders among bedding plants, and no other plant 

 approaches them in popularity. The planting of these 

 should be completed as soon as possible. It is an ad- 

 vantage to have a spell of cool, moist weather in which 

 to set out these and other bedding stock, as it gives the 

 plants a nice start and there is less danger of them being 

 dried out. About every florist has a host of orders for 

 bouquets to fill and a large variety of flowers can be 

 used for this purpose. Crops of ten-week stock, double 

 feverfew, snapdragons, gladioli, larkspur, candytuft, 

 8pira?a japonica and lilies want careful watching. As 

 the stocks of bedding plants become thinned out, take 

 advantage of any spare time to get the remnants bunched 

 up so as not to spread over a needlessly large bench space. 



Growing Single-Stemmed Chrysanthemums 



From now and up to the middle of June is the best 

 time to propagate this line of stock. Provide good new 

 sand as they are not so easy to root at this time of the 

 year. Give them plenty of room in the cuting bed and 

 see that they are well firmed around. Keep them shaded 

 and watered and they will soon root. When they have 

 roots, from about a qiiarter to half an inch long they 

 should go into Si-inch ])ots. Give them good soil from 

 the start and always shift before they become potbound. 

 For the last shift make the compost good and rich, any- 

 where from one-half to one-third of the bulk should be 

 well-rotted cow manure with a good sprinkling of bone 

 meal. Grow in a house where they can have plenty of 

 light and ventilation. 



Orchids 



Oncidium varicosum Eogersii is the most popular of 

 the florists' oncidiums and its long-branched spikes of 

 golden yellow flowers are a great decorative feature in 

 store windows in the fall. Give this oncidium plenty 

 of air at all times during the summer months and, to 

 insure an abundance of atmospheric moisture, wet 

 down the benches, paths and walls three or four 

 times daily during very hot and dry days. These 

 orchids from now on should have sufficient shade to help 

 keep down the temperature, but without e.xcluding the 

 indirect sun influence, for always they like plenty of 

 diffused sunlight. To bring the plants through the sum- 



mer in good condition keep the temperature as low as 

 the outside condition will permit. Allow the plants to 

 dry out occasionally so as not to let them get sour but 

 don't let them remain dry for any length of time. The 

 safest plan is to give them a dip in a tub of water two 

 or three times a week. 



Sweet Peas Under Glass 



An abundant water supply, free syringing and ample 

 ventilation are necessities where a late indoor crop is 

 desired. Eed spider must be kept off at all hazards and 

 the water from a hose well directed is the one thing need- 

 ful for this purpose. It will pay to give the glass a light 

 shade, in order to somewhat lower the temperature and 

 keep ventilators and the end doors wide open night and 

 day. The best time to pick the flowers is early in the 

 morning. It will pay to soak the ground well with the 

 hose. If the space between the rows is well mulched, the 

 moisture will be held in the ground a long time. Late 

 sweet peas under glass are usually profitable in most 

 parts of the country. Give them a fumigation about 

 every ten days to keep them clean of fly. 



The Compost Heap 



We shall soon be filling the benches for chrysanthe- 

 mums, roses and carnations where they are grown un- 

 der glass in summer. The compost in addition to be- 

 ing freed from weeds, should be chopped down and 

 turned over. Barnyard manure, added to it when cut 

 and piled up, in the proportion of one load of fresh 

 manure to two loads of sod, will after five months of 

 progressing decomposition, change the proportion to 

 one-fourth of partially decayed manure. So where you 

 want it richer you can add to it when turning it over. 

 This compost, to be right for immediate use after five 

 months' standing, requires to be turned several times 

 during that period, each time to be piled up again into 

 flat heaps. The latter part of May is a strenuous one 

 for all florists and it is difficult to adequately keep 

 abreast of all work demanding attention. So do not put 

 off this very important work but start now and see that it 

 is done in a thoroughly good manner. 



Resting Callas 



Callas are now coining to the end of their flowering 

 season and will need a good rest. This is brought about 

 by withholding water for the next five or six weeks. 

 Those that are grown in benches can be dried out until 

 they lose their tops when they can be lifted and placed 

 in some cool and dry place until wanted. When grown 

 in pots you can place the pots outside, laying them on 

 their sides, for the same period. 



Mr. F'arrell's next Notes ■nil] be on the following: Antirrhinums for Winter Flowering, care of Atliantums, Chrysanthemums, As- 

 paragus plumosus, Tubererous-Rooted Begonias, Outside Work. 



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