1726 



STOCKS 



STOCKS 



3401. Double Stock. Matthiola incana, var. annua (X %). 



is another of the enemies of Stocks ; this often appears 

 in large numbers and eats the leaves of the young 

 plants. Frequent syringing with water is the only 

 remedy found so far against these pests when they 

 infest Stocks. 



After the plants have been in bloom for some time the 

 double-flowering specimens are cut out and the water- 

 ing is continued carefully until the seed-pods which 

 form on the single plants show indications of ripening, 

 which is in October. The plants are then pulled and 

 tied in bundles, which are hung up in dry sheds until 

 the middle or the latter part of November and Decem- 

 ber, in which time the seed fully matures in the pods. 

 Now comes the most important part of seed- saving of 

 Stocks. The bundles of plants are taken down, the 

 roots and part of the stems cut off, and the stalks are 

 taken in hand by expert gardeners, who sort them, for 

 common seed and also for the seed stock. The pods in- 

 dicate by their shape, size and form whether the seeds 

 contained therein will produce a high percentage of 

 double flowers the following year, and the selection is 

 done with care. The seed that will go on the market 

 can be vastly improved by the removal of "wild " pods, 

 which contain seeds that produce nothing but single 

 flowers. The seeds are removed by hand from the 

 pods, mostly by women and children. CARL CROPP. 



The double-flowered varieties of Matthiola incana, 

 var. annua, commonly known as "Ten Weeks'" or 

 "Summer Flowering Stocks," are among the most fra- 

 grant and pleasing of common garden annuals. They 

 are readily raised from seed sown in a gentle hotbed 

 about the first week in April, keeping them close for a 

 few days until germinated, gradually inuring them to an 

 abundance of air as they increase in size, and finally, 

 towards the end of May, transferring them to the flower 

 garden or border where they are intended to flower, 

 choosing a dull or showery day for the purpose. 



The varieties of M. incana, though perennial in their 

 native habitat, are best treated here as annuals, and are 

 well worth growing as pot-plants, either for cutting or 

 the decoration of the conservatory during the winter 



2402. Wallflower Cheiranthus Cheiri, for contrast with Stock, 

 with which it is often confounded (X %). 



The flowers are yellow or copper-colored, and the leaves thin- 

 ner, narrower and more acute than those of the Stock. 



and early spring months. They are known in the trade 

 in this country as "Boston Florists' Stock," "Princess 

 Alice," "Cut-and-come-again," "East Lothian" and 

 "Brompton Stocks." Though they are as readily propa- 

 gated from seed as the "Ten Weeks' Stocks," they 

 require a much longer period of time to grow; there- 

 fore, those intended for early winter flowering should 

 be sown in June, while those intended for spring flower- 

 ing should be sown about the middle of August. Fill a 

 number of 3-inch pots with sifted loam and plant about 

 three seeds in each pot; place them in a close shaded 

 frame till germinated; as soon as they commence to 

 grow reduce the seedlings to one in each pot. They 

 must not be allowed to suffer for water at any time or 

 they will lose their leaves. As soon as the pots are 

 fairly well filled with roots (though they must not be- 

 come potbound), they should be shifted on into larger 

 sizes until they reach a 6- or 7-inch pot. The soil best 

 suited to them is a rich, heavy loam. As soon as the 

 plants show signs of flowering they are greatly benefited 

 by an occasional watering of weak liquid cow or sheep 

 manure water. Those sown in June should be grown 

 outside until the approach of cold weather, when they 

 should be transferred to the house where they are 

 intended to flower, while those sown in August should 

 be grown on in coldframes until very cold weather sets 

 in, when they should be placed in a cool-house, keeping 

 them at a temperature of about 45. Stocks while grow- 

 ing in the greenhouse are very subject to the attacks of 

 green- and black-fly; they should, therefore, be fumi- 

 gated at least once in two weeks, or should have tobacco 

 stems placed among the pots. 



Seed of both M. annua and M. incana is imported 

 from Germany, principally Erfurt and Quedlinburg, 

 where plants are specially grown for seed which will 

 produce double flowers (see Gardener's Chronicle, 1866, 

 p. 74; also Dr. M. T. Masters' Vegetable Teratology 

 Appendix). EDWARD J. CANNING. 



