OCTOBBB 4, 1906. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



1265 





The Lath House of the George Wittbold Gx, at Edeebrock, 111. 



3^ -inch pot of bone meal to a bushel 

 of mixture, not forgetting the lime and 

 sand. 



Pots need not be new, but it is im- 

 perative that they be clean; in fact, 

 cleanliness in all operations connected 

 with cyclamen culture might be said 

 to be as essential as with orchids. 



Provide crocks or potsherds large 

 enough to nearly touch the sides of the 

 pot when laid in the bottom, with the 

 concave sides down. You will need also 

 a quantity of charcoal broken to the 

 size of pea coal, enough of this being 

 placed in each pot just to cover the 

 crock. 



September 1 to 15 will probably see 

 some of the most forward plants ready 

 to lift, but as there will be practicsdly 

 no increase in size after lifting, do not 

 make the mistake of allowing too large 

 a pot, or figure on giving a shift. Any 

 plant looks far better in a pot one size 

 too small than in one too large; but 

 of all plants, not only for appearance's 

 sake but for its welfare, the cyclamen 

 must not be overpotted. 



These first lifted specimens will in 

 all probability be the ones to bloom 

 and sell at Christmas or earlier, and it 

 will be apparent from the proportion of 

 plants of desirable size ready to lift be- 

 tween the above dates, that there are 

 good reasons for commencing seed sow- 

 ing operations from August 15 to Sep- 

 tember 1. 



Lift carefully and but a few at a 

 time, removing all earthworms readily 

 caught hold of; also retain as many 

 roots as possible. Pot at once, observ- 

 ing that the crock and charcosJ are in 

 position in every case. 



The soil should be well firmed, and 

 at the finish should be about three- 

 quarters of an inch below the rim of 

 the pot, and the corm half covered. 

 Water immediately, immersing the pot 

 to fill level full, and stand in the bench 

 provided. The ball as lifted will in 



most cases need reducing or shaping to 

 conform to the pot, but never squeeze 

 into shape. 



Care After Potiing. 



Attention for the next month will 

 consist mainly of spraying lightly sev- 

 eral times daily, according to the 

 weather, wetting the leaves without add- 

 ing moisture to tne soil, the removal of 

 dead foliage, and frequent standing over 

 and spreading out to allow full develop- 

 ment. 



By this time root action will be re- 

 stored, but not to such an extent as to 

 warrant removing the cloth shade, 

 though some extra vigorous plaits might 

 go along on a bench not exposed to di- 

 rect sunlight or draughts. Water such 

 as need it, but sparingly. 



When by knocking out of the pot, it 

 is seen that roots have grown through 

 the ball, it is time enough to think of 

 removing the shade, and this should be 

 done by degrees. 



As fast as any unlifted plants attain 

 desirable size, they should be treated in 

 like manner, observing that all should 

 be potted and housed by November 1. 



Watering. 



The cyclamen always has had the rep- 

 utation of quickly resenting either an 

 excess or a deficiency of moisture at the 

 root, and it may be well to state here 

 that there is no prospect of this reputa- 

 tion becoming lost or changed; once 

 let the soil get water-logged or a plant 

 severely wilted, and all is over. The 

 wilt resulting from the transfer out of 

 the frame to the pot is no cause for 

 alarm, being due to the roots' inability 

 to take up moisture for the timebeing. 



I well remember one plant in partic- 

 ular, a fine specimen wl.en lifted, which 

 in spite of extra care pe. -Hinted in wilt- 

 ing during the day for several weeks, but. 

 at Christmas it was a dream of bloom 

 and foliage; the latter through alter- 



nate wilting and reviving had at the 

 time of re-establishment completely hid- 

 den the pot. 



At the first opportunity, that is, after 

 growth has been resumed and at a time 

 when a watering is needed, the Mil 

 should receive a generous application of 

 lime water to destroy any earthworms 

 present, it being next to impossible to 

 remove them all at lifting time without 

 serious disturbance of the roots. 



It will be observed that comparatively 

 little animal manure is used in any of 

 the soil mixtures, for the reason that 

 plants firm in tissue are produced when 

 grown in soil composed mainly of vege- 

 table matter (rotted soil), becoming 

 thereby better fitted to undergo the op- 

 eration of lifting and potting; as the 

 buds increase in number, alternate week- 

 ly applications of sheep manure and 

 Sqotch soot in liquid form of moderate 

 strength will be beneficial to flower and 

 foliage. 



Results to be Expected. 



Of the number planted in the frames, 

 there is no reason why seventy-five per 

 cent will not make specimen plants, the 

 smallest requiring a 7-inch pot, witii 

 some of the extra large ones filling an 

 8-inch to its limit. This is large enough 

 for the commercial grower to sell to ad- 

 vantage. Under this method the writer 

 has repeatedly produced plants measar- 

 ing eighteen inches through foliage, and 

 carrying from fifty to seventy-five flow- 

 ers at one time. 



The question of prices is a matter 

 which must be left to each grower. Per- 

 sonal knowledge of the character of hi* 

 trade must serve as a guide. I can aaj, 

 however, that $5 will not stand in the_ 

 way of the sale of an extra fine speci-" 

 men in any retail market. 



Other Use for Frames. 



The frame may be thought by some 

 to represent quite an outlay just to 



