s94 



HORTICULTURE 



December 23, 1911 



equal proportions of leaf mold, peat and chopped live 

 sphagnum, intermixed with some coarse sand and lumpy 

 charcoal. The pots should be about one-third full of 

 potsherds and charcoal to give good drainage. Work 

 the material firmly around the fleshy roots, leaving the 

 ba6e of the plant just even with the top of the pot. 

 Until they begin to make new roots water very sparing- 

 ly, but when they become established give due attention 

 to watering as they will want a more liberal supply. 

 Give them a temperature of about 52 to 55 degrees at 

 night and with sun heat let it run up to about 70 de- 

 grees. Such varieties as Cymbidium eburneum, C. 

 Lowianum, C. giganteum and C. Lowii eburneum, are 

 all beautiful orchids of lasting qualities. 



CYPRIPEDIUMS 



As these orchids go out of flower they should be 

 overhauled and divided where they are getting too large. 

 Pot culture is preferable with most species. When re- 

 potting be sure to use clean pots to prevent any attack of 

 fungus and half fill the pots with clean crocks and some 

 lumps of charcoal intermixed so the drainage will be ef- 

 fective. A thin layer of sphagnum should be laid over 

 the crocks and charcoal. The plant can then be placed 

 in position and the compost pressed in through the roots 

 rather firmly, finishing the surface off in a convex shape. 

 A good general compost to use is two parts of fibrous 

 peat, one part of chopped live sphagnum, and for species 

 such as Cypripedium insigne one-third of fibrous sod 

 chopped up added to the above will grow them good. 

 They should have from this out a well ventilated and 

 bright house. Of course air will have to be admitted in 

 less or greater quantities according to the outside con- 

 ditions of the weather. When the temperature on bright 

 mornings has reached 65 degrees they should have a lit- 

 tle air put on, gradually increasing until the maximum 

 of 72 is reached and reduce the air the same way. With 

 dull days, about 68 degrees should be maintained, with 

 10 degrees less at night until the approach of spring. 

 Give them enough water at the roots to keep the compost 

 moist, but allow them to dry out occasionally so as to 

 keep the compost sweet. Syringe overhead on good 

 day-. 



I IT.E OF PALMS DURING WINTER 



To ensure a free, healthy growth later on when the 

 season arrives for renewed activity in root action, all the 

 family of palms should now have a short season of rest. 

 This can be brought about by lowering the temperature 

 in the different departments, ventilation and less mois- 

 ture in the atmosphere and at the roots. All palms of a 

 tropical nature can be reduced to about 60 degrees at 

 night, while the cooler growing kinds can have as low 

 a temperature as 50 degrees, with advance of 10 degrees 

 with sunshine. Ventilation should be given with intel- 

 ligence so as not to cause draughts or sudden falling or 

 rising of the temperature. A dryer atmosphere is an 

 indispensable factor to produce the required conditions 

 for resting palms, but sufficient water should be used on 

 walks under benches for the prevention of a harsh, dry 

 air. Plenty of light is of great importance, especially 



through the winter season, but care will have to be taken 

 that they have enough of shade when the sun's rays be- 

 come more powerful, to prevent the scorching. Give 

 water only when necessary, so as to keep the soil in the 

 pots from getting saturated. It is 'well to go over and 

 give all palms a good cleaning and sponging about once 

 a month. This will keep down insect life. 



DRACAENAS 



From now on there is no better time to increase 

 your stock of the many fine dracaenas. The most expe- 

 ditious way of propagating these plants is from the 

 ripened stems. If you have any old plants that have 

 attained a considerable height and have lost a good many 

 of their lower leaves, these can be utilized for propaga- 

 tion; also imported stems can be procured for this pur- 

 pose. The stems can be cut up into pieces, with two 

 eyes to each piece, and placed in a warm propagating 

 frame where there is a bottom heat of 80 or 85 degrees. 

 They root well in a mixture of coarse sand and chopped 

 sphagnum in equal parts. Just cover the pieces and 

 keep the atmosphere in a humid state and most of the 

 pieces will start and push up young shoots. When these 

 have made a growth of two or three inches they can be 

 cut from the old stem and placed in a warm propagating 

 bed where they will soon root. When they have made 

 some nice roots they should be potted into 3-inch pots, 

 using a mixture of turfy loam three parts, leaf mold one 

 part, and a liberal sprinkling of sharp sand. Keep close 

 and shaded for about ten days so they become well estab- 

 lished, when they can be placed in a house of 60 to 65 

 degrees at night which will push them along. 



GETTING READY FOR GRAFTING ROSES 



Manetti stock is arriving now and should have care. 

 Lose no time in having it unpacked, and while doing this 

 pick the bundles that have the buds swelled so they can 

 be potted right away; the others can be heeled in a cool 

 shed or cellar that is frost proof, placing loam between 

 the alternating layers. They can stay here until wanted 

 for potting. It is a good plan to pot up as many as pos- 

 sible on arrival. Be sure to have them potted good and 

 firm, they can then be given a house where the tempera- 

 ture stands from 40 to 45 degrees at night and give them 

 a good soaking of water, with a syringing on all bright 

 mornings. When they have made some roots they can 

 be given a temperature of from 50 to 55 to hurry them 

 into right shape for grafting. 



THE FORCING OF TULIPS 



Tulips that were boxed up early and have their flats 

 well filled with roots can now be placed in a house where 

 they will have a temperature of about 50 degrees at 

 night. As growth advances they can be given any- 

 where from 60 to 75 degrees at night, but you 

 will get your best flowers with about 60 degrees. 

 Where you want quick development, the higher tem- 

 perature will have to be given. Provide some shade 

 with some light material such as cheese cloth, in order 

 to produce a good stem. Keep plenty of water at the 

 roots, with lots of moisture in the atmosphere, and you 

 will have ideal conditions. 



Mr. Farrell's next notes will be on the following: Asparagus; 

 P.«"ddlng Begonias; Care of Geraniums; Have Your Propagating 

 Bench Ready; Hydrangeas for Easter; Roots Stored Urder Benches. 



