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42 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



FEBRUARY 



General Cultural Notes 



THILE weather conditions may be the same as they were during 

 the previous month, the days are getting longer, and in almost 

 everything new life appears, a sure sign we are making toward 

 Spring. The Carnations show it; they can stand a light feeding if 

 you haven't attended to this already last month. Maybe a mulch, 

 half soil and half well-decomposed manure will be best. Watch 

 the temperature and water carefully as before. 



The Sweet Peas are making an active growth, and after the 

 first crop is off, a hght mulch and maybe a dose of sheep manure 

 will benefit the plants and make for a fair second crop. The Snap- 

 dragons can stand 50 deg. ; keep the flowering stems free of lateral 

 growth. 



Easter Stock 



You can judge best for yourself about the Lilium giganteums; 

 being on time. Six weeks before Easter you should see the buds; 

 this will get them in nicely, but there are many growers who do it in 

 less time. It can be done if you can put on plenty of steam. In- 

 crease the temperature a little for the Ramblers in the pots; they 

 should start into growth now. And the same with the Hydrangeas. 

 Pot up a few Bleeding Hearts and variegated Funkias and place in 

 a 45-deg. house; increasing the temperature later on. Spiraea ja- 

 ponica or S. astilbe potted up a few weeks ago can be kept under- 

 neath a bench until growth appears; the plants will come along 

 all right in a 55-deg. house if wanted in flower by early April. 



Hybrid Tea Roses for Summer Flowering 



If you haven't already potted up a good number of Hybrid 

 Teas for Spring sales and outdoor flowering, get at this work and 

 place the plants after potting in a frame or coldhouse. Maybe 

 you have two- or three-year-old bench plants on hand to be replaced 

 bx.young stock. Withhold water from them gradually, and when in 

 a dormant state, lift, cut back a little and pot up into 5s or 6s. 

 You might say that all the Roses we grow under glass today are 

 fine for Summer flowering outdoors, but of course some are better 

 than others, and few equal Columbia. 



Perennials and Bulb Stock 



Stock heeled in last Fall in frames should be potted up now. 

 If you have plants of Aquilegia, Delphinium, Coreopsis, GaiUardia, 

 Pyrethrum, Achillea, or others that are too large for 3}^-in. pots, 

 they can be divided. After potting, place the new plants in a cold- 

 frame and give a good watering. A Uttle frost won't hurt them. 



