THINGS TO BE DONE IN DECEMBER 71 



Plant more Freesias now for late Spring flowering and grow 

 them on in a cool house. 



Empty the propagating bench of all rooted cuttings and fill it 

 up again, for if your stock plants — of Geraniums for instance — have 

 a lot of cuttings on them large enough for the sand, it is waste of 

 time to let them remain on the plants any longer. 



The Christmas and New Year's business will take up most of 

 our time now. With the benches occupied with stock for these 

 great days almost up to the end of the month, and busy as we are 

 with the wreaths, greens, and the making up of baskets and center- 

 pieces, there is not usually time for any great accomplishments in 

 the way of refilling benches. But right after Christmas, if you have 

 the bench space, such stock as Calendulas, Snapdragons, Lupines, 

 Stocks and others may be planted out; a house below 50 deg. is 

 sufficient for them. * 



None of these plants will make a great deal of headway for the 

 next few weeks, but they wDl get ready for active growth and more 

 than grow when the sun coaxes them on a couple of months from now. 



Starting Stock into Growth 



Bring in the first flats of Trumpet Major and Golden Spur 

 Narcissi in early December, also La Reine Tulips. If you planted, 

 any prepared Hyacinths last October and if the bulbs are thoroughly 

 rooted, they can also be brought in and started slowly into growth. 

 Cold storage Lily of the Valley can be planted in pots or 7-in. half- 

 pots and placed in a frame over a bench with 75 deg. bottom heat. 

 It wiU take approximately from twenty-two to twenty-five days 

 (allowing a few days to harden the flowers off a little) to have the 

 plants in bloom. 



Apply a good top dressing of manure and soil on the Asparagus 

 benches, and the same in the case of the baskets. 



If you have Gannas under the Carnation benches, examine them 

 to see if they are too wet or too dry; either is bad. The first Freesias 

 will come into flower around Christmas; see to it that the plants are 

 properly supported. Start the first batch of America Gladiolus 

 in pots to be planted out later on. Place them below a bench in 

 the Carnation house until they start to grow. Plant giganteum 

 Lilies if you have not already done so. Take advantage of every 

 day you can. The eariier you plant them the more time you can 

 allow them to become weU rooted before you place them in heat. 

 If you have Carnation sorts of which you Ayish to work up a good- 

 sized stock, you can start to propagate now. There are usuaUy 

 fine cuttings on the plants at this time of year which will root even 

 without bottom heat. Protect your bulbs outdoors weU; they can 

 stand frost but do not actually need it. 



