THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



25 



Astilbe Japonica. 



such a thick mass of roots that the 

 ordinary watering does not thoroughly 

 wet them. They are the simplest of 

 all plants to force. Pot them into 5, 

 6 or 7-inch pots, or whatever size will 

 hold the roots. A temperature of 55 

 to 60 degrees at night will suit them 

 better than a higher one. Water is 

 the great essential, for by the flower- 

 ing time the little soil that you give 

 them is one mass of living, hungry 

 roots. It is labor saved and far more 

 satisfactory all around to stand each 

 pot in a 7 or 8-inch saucer, in which 

 keep a constant supply of water, and 

 if this is weak liquid manure your 

 plants and plumes of flowers will be 

 much finer. 



The astilbe is not troubled by aphis, 



pider, thrips, or any other of our 



pests, but when the growth is young 



ind not matured they are easily burnt 



by tobacco smoke and that must be 



ivoided, either by covering the as- 



ilbe, or giving them a good syring- 



ng, before you fumigate, or best of all 



don't have them in a house that must 



be fumigated. 



There is a variety known as com- 

 >acta, which requires two weeks more 

 ime to force. Also A. japonica varie- 

 ata, which has the leaves prettily 

 variegated with yellow, and bearing 

 dense panicles, like compacta. But 

 ;he original species, japonica, is the 

 best of all for commercial purposes, 

 and has the most graceful panicles of 

 flowers. 

 Those wanted for Decoration Day 



we keep out of doors till April 1st; 

 they come into flower easily in two 

 months thus late in the season. When 

 sold to a regular customer you will 

 do well to either sell or give with 

 them a 7-inch saucer with instructions 

 to place under the pot and keep water 

 in it. If this is done the astible 1 will 

 be satisfactory, otherwise they will 

 shrivel up. 



AZALEA. 



Of all the species of this beautiful 

 genus, the Indian or Chinese are the 

 most valuable. The growers of conti- 

 nental Europe have made such a spe- 

 cialty of growing azaleas that it is not 

 likely that we shall for some time look 

 to any other source for our supply. 

 They may have neither soil, climate 

 nor labor more suitable than we have 

 in many parts of this continent, but 

 certain it is that with our present fa- 

 cilities or methods we cannot begin to 

 raise an azalea at anything like the 

 same cost and quality as those import- 

 ed. New varieties are, of course, raised 

 from seed, and at the third season you 

 will be able to see whether you have 

 any improvements on existing varie- 

 ties. 



They can also be propagated from 

 cuttings by inserting the cutting in 

 sand. A cutting of 2% or 3 inches of 

 what is known as half-ripened wood 

 is best; that is, the young growth of 

 spring, not in too green or succulent 

 a state, as you would a verbena, nor 

 too much ripened and hard. A closely 



shaded frame with some heat under 

 the sand, either from pipes or ma- 

 nure, would be the most favorable con- 

 dition. They are slow to root, and in 

 our climate the little plants or cut- 

 tings are so liable to the attacks of 

 thrip and red spider during the sum- 

 mer months, and so difficult to re- 

 move, that propagation by cuttings is 

 not worthy of consideration, either to 

 produce a fine plant or for profitable 

 operation. All the plants we handle in 

 our business are grafted. Desirable 

 and popular varieties are grafted on 

 stocks raised from the seed of some 

 strong growing varieties. Our chief 

 interest in the azalea is how to han- 

 dle them when they arrive here, and 

 how to care for those unsold, w.hich 

 should make, by good care, a fine plant 

 for the second or third year. 



Soil. 



It is generally acknowledged that a 

 soil containing lime is very unsuit- 

 able for azaleas or any of the order 

 ericaceae, which includes the heaths, 

 rhododendrons, etc. It will be noticed 

 that in some soils the plants imported 

 and potted in October have made 

 scarcely any young roots into the soil 

 we give them. The Belgians grow 

 them in fibrous peat, which in 

 most parts of our country is difficult 

 to obtain. But peat is not entirely 

 essential. Two-thirds of turfy loam, 

 not sifted, but just broken up, and 

 one-third of leaf mould, will make a 

 good compost in which azaleas will 

 thrive. If to the above is added one- 

 tenth of finely sifted decomposed cow 

 or sheep manure, so much the better. 



When unpacked, the roots are often 

 found dry. They have also rooted so 

 freely that to pot them just as re- 

 ceived would want an unwieldy sized 

 pot. The ball of earth can be reduced 

 one-third by shaking off the soil and 

 this appears to do the plant little or 

 no harm. Considerable of the ball can 

 be reduced by slicing off an inch or so 

 with a sharp knife or hatchet. When 

 the ball is reduced to the required 

 size and it should only be done when 

 the roots would require a pot out of 

 proportion to the plant soak the ball 

 of roots in a tub of water for a few 

 seconds. Pot firmly. If the soil is 

 left loose, it will only be a channel for 

 the water to run down and escape the 

 roots that need it. 



For the first two or three weeks 

 after potting, the plants are best in a 

 cool, shady and rather close house or 

 frame; after that, a cool, light house 

 for those you wish to flower the fol- 

 lowing Easter. By cool I mean 40 

 degrees at night is ample, and to re- 

 ta/rd tiheim still more, anything above 

 the freezing point will do. Some 

 varieties cannot be kept for spring, 

 and it is well to bring early varieties 

 along, so that at all times during win- 

 ter you have some plants in flower. 



At no time should the roots of the 

 azalea be allowed to get extremely 

 dry. They will not bear it; and it may 

 be well to state right here that the 

 many complaints of our customers 



