60 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



by the slightest mistreatment in the fall, will turn out a failure in spite 

 of the promising look during the summer. Therefore it is well to allov; 

 the beds to get very much on the dry side at times before watering. 



Our aim should be to bring the roses into v.anter with plenty of good, 

 vigorous, well-ripened wood, not stunted nor soft and spindlitig. Many 

 a crop of flowers is lost or at least seriously injured and often the 

 prospects for the whole of v/inter months are ruined by not starting the 

 fire in time. In August atid September we will often have chilly, cold 

 and wet days and nights. Do not neglect to run a little heat through 

 the houses, if it is only to take the chill and dampness out of the air; 

 it will repay you with interest; you will not have much trouble with 

 mildew and other fungus diseases; you will also not be so much afraid 

 to syringe when you know that you will have the fire going at night, 

 so red spider will consequently not get a start, which means very much 

 by November, when the weather conditions may be so that you will not 

 dare to syringe sometimes for a week or more. 



Meahwhile the roses have been kept nicely tied up, all the weaker 

 stems disbudded or cut back some and we are beginning to cut some 

 flowers from some of the strongest shoots. The stems should not be cut 

 too low on the young roses, leaving four to six eyes, according to the 

 conditions of the plants, while weak stems may be cut lower or cut out 

 entirely. As the plant grows stronger the practice of cutting two or three 

 eyes is the best with most varieties, Beauties being an exception, as 

 most of the flower stems come from the base or near the bottom of the 

 plant, and should be left with four to eight eyes. It is impossible to 

 cut the flowers by any formula or set rule, the difference in varieties 

 and the conditions of the plants vary so much that almost each indi- 

 vidual plant demands a different way of cutting. 



This, apparently so simple an operation, is accountable in a large 

 measure for our high or low grades of flowers. I find it more diflicult 

 to teach the cutting of the flowers than the watering or any other 

 operation pertaining to rose culture. 



The temperature most suited to our Toa Roses is from 56 to 58 

 degrees at night and 66 to 68 degrees in daytime. On exceptionally 

 bright days the temperature may go up to 70 or 75 degrees. Beauties 

 are kept about two degrees warmer. 



The airing or ventilating of the rose houses is of great importance 

 during the whole year; particularly during the fall, winter and spring, 

 they need very close watching. It often happens that the ventilation 

 has to be changed four or five times an hour. Good judgment is nec- 

 essary in airing. Never raise the ventilation too much at one time, but 

 go around often and raise it by degrees. Avoid all sudden changes and 

 draughts; a cold draught of air admitted suddenly is apt to check the 

 plants and cripple the flowers, besides causing mildew, and may mean 

 a set-back for a m.onth or six weeks. This mistake is most apt to occur 

 in the early morning hours, when the sun commences to strike the 



