December 2. 1911 



HORTICULTURE 



757 



Seasonable Notes on Culture of 

 Florists' Stock 



AZALEAS FOB < II KISTM L8 



II' these plains do not show color b) this date 

 should be kc])t in a temperature of 70 degrees ai nighl 

 and sprayed with lukewarm water two or three times 

 a . I : i \ which will help to push them along. Also give 

 them the sunniesl bench you have. Azaleas thai are 

 Bhowing the firsl flowers open can be placed in a lower 

 temperature of aboul 60 di h should be borne 



in mind thai foi the last ten days before Christmas, it 

 would be a greal advantage to the keeping qualities of 

 the flowers ii the} were given a house where the tem- 

 perature inns from 50 to 55 degrees at night, with a 

 I ten degrees during the day and a good amount 

 of fresh air circulating da proper ventilation. (live at- 

 on to watering of the plants as neglect of this 

 causes an unevenness in the opening of the flowers and 

 is a direct injur) to the plant. There is ver] little dif 

 ficulty in having such varietie- a- Ivutsche Perle, Ilexe. 

 Mine. Petrick or Verveaneana, in flower for the holidays. 



I \u. in CHRISTMAS GBEENS 



To keep all greens such as boxwood, holly, bouquet 

 green, leucothoe, galas, ferns, etc., in a nice fresh con- 

 dition n \ a deep coldframe. Give ii proper banking 

 around on all sides with leaves or hay of suthcient depth 

 to make it practically frostproof. See that the .-ash are 

 in good shape and tit tightly. These can be covered 

 with hay or straw which will keep out the light. A 

 dark, moist place that is just kepi above the freezing 

 point is the ideal location. 



HOLIDAY SUGGESTIONS 



Look over yonr stock oi - non to see if any- 



thing is wanting such as heav) wrapping material, tissue 

 and waxed paper, waterproof crepe paper in white, red 



and green, sheet moss, ri'bl - and waterproof chiffon, 



eut flower - in dishes, -■ Attend to your plant 



requirements early The average florist cannot grow 

 all his own and now is the time to buy. Take a look 

 through the columns of H cuke and you will 



t'md i here ag you ma] want. A 



or ten da ' er your plants 



and see that foliage and pot I a g I cleaning, espe- 



eialh such plai istras, pandanus, 



dracaenas, and other folia nts, a- the least hit 



of du-t -how- on ; detracts a good 



from their beauty. It will he time well spent to give 

 each plant a pet i : i will show to full 



advantage all the mar - I >hades which go to 



make foliage plant- beautiful and of course every pot 

 should he scrupulously clean. 



PEL LRGON i M> 



These plants that have hail a rest will -non be starting 

 to show new growth. When they have made ;i growth 

 of about an inch knock them out of their pots and -hake 

 the old soil well out. If there are any long and strag 



gling roots these can be shortened back. When [lotting 

 give them a compost of turfy loam three pan-, well 

 ed "i« manure one part, and add enough of -ami 

 io make t he soil porou . foi a compost I hai al- 



low- the water to pass freely through it. Keep 



r a week or two and rool action will soon 

 begin to start. <Jivo a lighi syringing twice a da] until 

 i he] have bn gi ow th. When they have 



taki ii hold of the 51 i hem a bem neat 



in a verj light ami a ->■ a- the] w ill make a - 



and more thrift] growth where there i- a g 1 cii 



imii of air. From now until the spring give them a 

 temperature of about 15 di sjht. 



POINSEOT i \> 

 Your pan- of poinsel me fairly well 



developed should be reduced 5 to - night 



which will put them in a better condition to withstand 

 the man) vicissitudes the) are liable to meei during the 

 holida] s or before Chris ma-. Where your pans an 



tilled with roots a little weak manun water on 



twiee a week will he of great advantage m [ 



bracts a tine color a- well as Lncri size. Give 



a- much air dill ing the middle of all line da; 



hie withoul i aii-m- an) cold or and draughts. The at- 

 mosphere should he kepi somewhat drier now as 

 will lend to harden up both foliage and bracts. Plants 

 that are in a bed or bench are better, if the bracl 

 well developed, for a lower temperature, say anywhere 



fr 55 to oS degrees at night will do. When cutting 



poinsettias dip i boiling water long enough 



to stop bleeding and then tie the bracts around with 

 Mime miI'i tissue paper am! place in a vase that hi 

 good depth of water. They will keep better and ' 

 if placed in a temperal are of aboul 15 degrees. 



I'M HULAS l OE ' llltl-l \l v-. L912 



To ha\e strong and well flowered plant- a year 

 secure some seed now- and sow a- -..on ;i- you 'an L r et 

 to it. Large shallow pans are the hest to sow th. 

 in. Fill these pans, after I drainage given. 



with a lighi compost "f sifted loam and leaf mold in 



equal part-, to which somi -ami should bi \ Eter 



i he pan- have been filled I" within about half an ii 

 the top. pie-- the -oil even am i goi.nl watering with 



a fine rose, and lei them stand until the next day when 

 the -"il will be in a nice condition to n 

 When sow in- not to sow too thickly. 



Press i he seed in ovi thi smooth surfao of thi soil and 

 ■.• lightly w iih ver mpost, and 



press thi ' OOth. Place a piei 



over the pan- aoisture I 



and shade from 1 n until the young seedlings 



to appear, win i i hi plai d well up ti 



glass in : ' te temperature run- from 45 



to 50 Phi 



fall and eat l\ Of Primula 



( 'oveni i larden Ih d. ( rin son K ing, and I 



are good, and iconica, Hermesina is the 



Mr Farrell's next notes will be ou the following: Care "f 

 Joung Begonia Lorraine: Chrysanthemums for si 

 Dendrob Propagating Carnations ; Protecting Pansies, etc. 



