32 



The Florists^ Review 



^ 



AraiL 20. 1922 



Hydrangea E. G. Hill. 



f^ood r(ii]i|M>>t . cdTit a ill 111^ ^iiii;i' Ixiiic 

 nioai .•iiiii iild (-(iw iiiiiiiui'c. 'I'licN' ;in' 

 kt.']it, ill >li;i(l(' :iiii| syriiif^fd oic;isi(iii 

 ally iiiiiil rcMit ;ii'ti(iii !>■ rc>niuril; tlicii 

 tln'N .iir jiL-iccd in :i siiiiiiy ^pdl where 

 tlii'v (■;iii It cisily jircit iM't I'd trom lira\y 

 r.'iins .-1111! sii.-tip I'rosts. I'litil rstaii- 

 lislird in the juits, they are watirid 

 fri'tdy; tiii'ii the wafer siii)]i]y is jiiad- 

 iially ledncrd. The ereat object. In; it 

 noted, i> to insure a stronj^ growth in 

 siuniiiei- and well ri|ieni(i, iiiit 1y-)>rowii 

 wood in aiitiiinn. lietdre the .-irriv;!! ot' 

 s('\'ere Hosts, the idiiiits ;ire jilaeed in ll 

 cool y reeilhdtl^e. 



Plunged in the Frame. 



H.-niiij; lieeii thus treated, tin- lield- 

 ;:rowii plants .-ire awaitin;^ the proper 

 time I'm- the renewal nf their active 

 growth. Now t(i return to •-priii^ and 

 to tlie little pl;iiits that .are intended 

 to be |iiit yrown all siuniner. The re 

 moval ot' these t'roiii the u'reenhiuisc is 

 det'ei red until sunietiine in .liine, so as 



til peniiil time to shift tlieni to jiood 

 si/.ed jKiis lielori' jilacin^f them in the 

 fi-.anie for the summer. In the frame 

 they are pliinj^ed ti> the rims in coal 

 .ashes or porous s(dl, where they ,are 

 protected by lath shades from the di 

 rect r.ays of the sun. During; the sum 

 iiier the j^rowth of the iil.ants is en 

 loui'aeed by liberal watering and occa 

 sional .iiiidicat ions of fertilizer. A.s au- 

 tumn ,a|>]iro;ii'hes, liowever, .-md the 

 plants n.aturally tend tow.ird ni.aturity 

 .and seniidorniaiicy, the water supi)ly is 

 reduced aceordinfjly. When severe 

 I rosts' threaten, the plants .are i)l.u'ed 

 in a <'ii(d jjreeiihdllse, as in the case of 

 the tield j;rowu plants. 



Thus the field-grown .and the pot- 

 ;^roun plants li;i\e arrived, by their dif 

 ferent routes, at the s.ame pidnt in their 



pre;^ress. 



Ready for Flowering. 



.\ny time .'iftir the middle of Deceiii 

 ber .about Christmas or not later than 



tlie first few days of the new year — the 

 ])lants are initiated into their final 

 stage of de\eiopment, which will cul- 

 minate in spring llowering. Aa a pre- 

 ]);iiatory measure, if is well to roniove 

 the ]dants from the pots, detach a lit- 

 tle of the soil from tlie roots and repot 

 in fresh compost. As already intimated, 

 li\(lrangeas enjoy a rich, live soil, such 

 as good lo.'un and decayed cow manure 

 in eipial ]).arts, but fresh manure does 

 not agree with thcni. 



For the first gentle forcing, a tem- 

 jierature of 45 to 50 degrees is sufficient. 

 As gi'owfh becomes more vigorous, the 

 temperature is gradually raised to 60 

 degrees. This temperature should not 

 be greatly exceeded, for overforcing 

 jiVoduces soft growth, with weak- 

 stemmed llowers that will not last. Un- 

 til active growth starts, the plants are 

 wati'red only moderately, though they 

 may be sprayed freely. But after thoy 

 .ire wadi roofed they receive an abun- 

 dance of water, with weak applications 

 (if liijuid cow or sheep manure, or top- 

 dressings of tiii(> bone, about once a 

 week from the time the flower heads 

 show until they begin to change color. 

 .\s soon as the flowers show th'eir nat- 

 ural color, however, the use of the bone 

 or li(|uid manure should stop. 



Some Finishing Touclies. 



Freiudi hydrangeas, as their flower 

 heads .are somewhat softer than those 

 of 11. otaksa, need a little shade in order 

 to be free from diinger of burning. 

 .\fter the flowers are almost developed, 

 they should be hardened off in a slightly 

 cooler tQinperature, in preparation for 

 the market. 



Since hydrangeas are specially fond 

 of moisture, overw.att'ring them would 

 seem to be the most improbable of mis- 

 takes. Yet it is Just possible that some 

 novice, by keeping their roots exces- 

 sivtdy and continuously wet, might cre- 

 .ate that sourness of the soil which re- 

 sults in yellow foliage. If, in spite of 

 the most judicious wittering, the leaves 

 assume too pale a hue, the right color 

 may be restore(l by means of a little 

 soot water or a weak lyiplication of ui- 

 tr.ate of soda. / 



Though coniparativ(dy free from 

 pests in general, hydr.angeas are subject 

 to attacks from green fly, which should 



Mill.. I . \1..IMII,T.-, . ,;., „| 



French Hydrangeas, Less Than a Year Old, Flowered in fe-inch Pots for an Early Easter. 



