June 20, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



8!t3 



NOTES ON CULTURE OF FLORISTS' STOCK 



CONDUCTED BT 



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Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presentci ra thU page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Farrell. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORllCUIjXUKii.. 



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Calceolarias. 



These can be sown any time now and up to the last 

 week in July and will make fine plants for next year. 

 Prepare well-drained pans with plenty of crocks in the 

 bottom and on this some coarse material, topped 

 with a mixture of new soil three parts, leaf mold two 

 parts, and sand one part. Fill up to within half an 

 inch of the rim, press the compost firmly and soak it 

 through with water.- When they are drained sow thinly 

 over the surface and press the seed gently into the fine 

 mixture. Place in shade and when the seedlings are 

 large enough to handle they can be pricked off into 

 flats and placed in frames where they should be kept 

 as cool as possible. Be careful as to watering, as cal- 

 ceolarias are very susceptible to damping off. Wlien 

 they are large enough pot into small pots, using a richer 

 compost. _ 



Eucharis amazonica. 



Any grower who has not grown Eucharis amazonica 

 should try a few. The culture is not at all difficult, and 

 for anyone wishing to secure a few plants the present 

 is a good time to begin. Eucharis can be cultivated in 

 beds, benches or pots. For compost use fibrous loam, 

 Irmipy, dried cow manure, broken brick, charcoal and 

 coarse sand. It it best to shake out the finer soil as 

 what is needed is a porous soil through which water will 

 pass readily. Established plants, started in midwinter 

 and now coming out of 3 or 4 inch pots, are to be pre- 

 ferred. The plants must be shaded during the summer 

 months and, except in the coldest winter weather, a 

 light shade should be used, as bright sun turns the leaves 

 a pale color. Pot-grown plants are best where only a 

 few are to be grown. These can be rested easily and 

 two crops yearly, and occasionally three, can be secured 

 if they are treated rationally. In summer the pots do 

 well plunged in frames. They make much finer growth 

 here than in the greenhouses. 



Ferns During the Summer. 



All such ferns as Adiantum Croweanum, cuneatuni 

 and gracillimum; any of the pteris, cyrtomiums, poly- 

 . podiums, davallias and nephrolepis — to say nothing of 

 other varieties — will make much better gi-owth in 

 frames than greenhouses and will be more compact and 

 stocky. Isoi only are the frames valuable for growing 

 cyclamens, primulas, tuberous begonias and other flow- 

 ering plants, but they are equally good for quantities 

 of foliage plants, while for ferns of almost any kind 



they are away ahead of greenhouses. Try a few sashes 

 of ferns this season and yOu will be so well pleased ^vith 

 the results that you wilfwant to grow more in this way 

 another year. If the needful head room does not exist 

 it is easy to dig out the bottoms a little. Then give a 

 light coating of fine coal ashes. To reduce watering 

 they can, if necessary be plunged in partially decayed 

 leaves, cocoanut fiber or coal ashes. The sashes, of 

 course, must be well shaded, ventilation carefully given 

 and the plants never allowed to sufEer from lack of 

 water. 



Lycaste. 



Lycaste Skinneri is the most lasting of orchids, as 

 the flowers in winter will keep in good condition on the 

 plants for from eight to twelve weeks. It is a terrestrial 

 orchid and grows "better in an equal mixture of fibrous 

 loam and fern fiber than in one of pure fern fiber. Pots 

 are the best receptacles and a winter minimum tempera- 

 ture of 50 to 55 degrees will be found about right. 

 Lycaste Skinneri is an old orchid and not often seen in 

 good condition. It is of easy culture and when reason- 

 ably well grown is far superior to many of the newer and 

 more costly varieties of orchids which are being con- 

 stantly placed on the market. Maintain a free circula- 

 tion of air, keeping the atmosphere as cool and moist 

 as possible and give them plenty of ventilation. Plants 

 will now advance very rapidly, and in all weathers they 

 must have every encouragement to promote quick growth 

 by giving water liberally at the root and frequent damp- 



ing^down. No more shading should 1: "'■' '^^"" '-^ °'^- 



solutely necessary to prevent burning. 



used than is ab- 



Pruning Shrubs. 



The proper time for the pruning or 



itting back of 



overgrown shrubs as spirsEas, lilacs, almonds, snowballs, 

 etc., is right after blooming. All the spring-bloomers 

 flower from the shoots made the previous season while 

 the late summer and autumn flowering sorts require new 

 youn<^ shoots for blooming. The pruning of the first 

 named division consists of cutting out much of the older 

 shoots, but not all, which will cause fresh growth for the 

 next year's blooming. But the althaea, hydrangea, etc., 

 should be well pruned in winter or early spring that 

 strong new shoots may be produced. To do this proper- 

 Iv takes considerable time and requires a good man. 

 Many fine plants are spoiled by having some one. trim 

 them instead of pruning. Don't make the top of a plant 

 look like a new broom. 



Mr Farrell's next notes will be on the following: Care of Violets: Cibotium Schiedei; Ferns for Ferneries; 



Repairs ; Propagating Scented Geraniums. 



Primulas; Seasonable 



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