POINSETLIAS—Pan in reasonably poor 
soil. Add fertilizers after root action has de- 
veloped. Blood or tankage are good if liquid 
ammonium sulphate is not available (1 0z. to 
2 gal. water). Liquid manure will also do. 
Keep foliage on by avoidance of drafts, changes 
in temperature and improper watering. After 
a good root system has developed, keep on 
the wet side. 
CYCLAMEN—Don’t fertilize from now on. 
Keep elevated if possible to develop a_ pot- 
bound condition. That’s insurance for Christ- 
mas flowering. 
YELLOW CALLA—Upon the receipt of 
the bulbs, unpack them and place them in 
flats giving plenty of air. Keep these in a 
temperature of 90° until December and then 
either pot directly in a soil of light nature 
mixed with 14 well rotted manure or else put 
in sphagnum moss until roots develop and then 
pot. In either case, keep them in temperatures 
of 60 to 65° for best rooting. Grow in 60°. 
Several small bulbs in a pot make a better 
showing for sale. 
CALCEOLARIA—Fortunately this year 
Easter comes late enough so that no arti- 
ficial means will be necessary to bring these 
plants in bloom at that time. However, if 
you wish to have some for Valentine’s Day, use 
additional light. String your 50-watt lamps 
about 5 feet apart, 3 or 4 feet above the bench, 
and use light for 4 hours each day beginning 
at dusk. This should be done in November 
and continued until buds show. The soil for 
the crop should be slightly acid and could be 
made up of three parts loam, one part manure 
and one part sand. Because calceolarias show 
lack of fertilizer elements readily, a 4-inch 
potful of 4-12-4 to a wheelbarrow should be 
added at potting from 2% to the finished 
size. You might just as well pot directly into 
fives. You will find that it will save time in 
shifting and give better plants provided you 
are careful in watering. These plants grow 
best in a temperature of 55°. If you use the 
shrubby, small-flowered kinds, propagated 
from cuttings, be sure to pot deeply enough 
even when shifting to prevent toppling over 
as the plants grow. Over-watering, lack of 
potash or alkaline soil, will cause yellowing. 
Have you thought about 
what you will require in 
Fall Bulbs? If you haven't 
ordered, send for our com- 
plete list of Bulbs and 
cover your requirements 
before many items may 
be sold out. 
—— 
GOAT) Wass ae 

SNAPS—Growers often wonder why their 
snaps are soft and with comparatively small 
flower heads. There are several good reasons 
for that. In the first place, the soil should be 
well aerated, which means it should be coarse, 
or the same thing can be secured by using 
plenty of manure but growing in very shallow 
benches (not more than 4-inches of soil). 
Secondly, snapdragons are easily overwatered. 
As a matter of fact, if watered and then al- 
lowed to dry, longer and stiffer stems will de- 
velop. In the third place, snaps do not re- 
quire too much fertilizer. Low nitrogen will 
give much better spikes or heavier stems than 
lots of fertilizers. Don’t grow over four stems 
to a plant. Quality sells. 
THE GERANIUM—It is said that the 
geranium was created to honor the virtues of 
Mohamet. One day when he was washing 
his shirt, he hung it to dry on a lavender 
mallow at the water’s edge. It did not take 
long for the moisture to evaporate, but in 
that time a marvelous change had taken 
place. The plant was no longer a mallow. It 
was head high adorned with flowers of bril- 
liant red and exhaling a spicy and piquant 
odor. It had changed to a geranium, the first 
of its tribe. Believe it or not!!! 
IRIS CULTURE—For earliest flowering 
use precooled Wedgwood. Flat immediately 
upon receipt and keep in 45-50°. In four 
weeks move to a house of 55-60° and don’t 
shift flats after then (use flats 3-4 inches 
deep). This prevents damage to roots and 
causes blasting of buds. While growing in the 
warm house be sure that the soil does not 
dry, particularly after the buds can be felt. 
One day’s neglect and you may lose a crop. 
For later forcing of Wedgwood, keep bulbs 
in flats—dry for about 10 days before flatting. 
Bring in for forcing from December on. 
The Imperator, white and yellow, should 
not be started into forcing before January. 
In 50-55° these will flower in March and April. 
Precooled bulbs of these varieties may be had 
in bloom by the end of January. 
To avoid blasting remember (1) not to keep 
dry when forcing, particularly after you can 
feel the buds; (2) do not shift flats if they root 
through the bottoms, placement on boards 
will eliminate that; (3) if weakened by ex- 
treme heat, too much nitrogen in the soil, 
not sufficient light, blasting will take place; 
(4) mosaic will do the same but rarely bothers 
if plants are kept growing vigorously without 
a check. 
Small sized iris (6-7) are useful for June. 
Flat early, place in frames or plant in frames 
to a depth of 5 inches. Have low fertility. By 
heavy watering in May longer stems may be 
obtained. 

