January 4, 1913 



II ORT 1 CULTUHE 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



^^_— — , CONDICTED BY 



Questions by our renders In line with any of tlic topics presented on tbis page will be cordially f^cened and promh)ly answered 

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HOKlILULiiUKJii. 



The Dark Weather 



With us so far the weather has been clear and bright, 

 so that there is little cause for complaint. We only 

 hope that it shall continue to be so although there are 

 times when a little colder would be appreciated. This I 

 suppose is a strange thing to sa}', the price of coal being 

 where it is. The Cliristmas stonn tied things up a bit 

 but all is running along nicely once more. 



Do not make llio mistake so commonly made and keep 

 the houses too warm during the dark cloudy weather 

 when such happens to come. This will lead to weak 

 wood, weak plants and finally to disease. About 66 

 degrees F is right for the highest day temperature for 

 most varieties of roses. This can be varied according to 

 conditions, varieties grown, and also according to the 

 way the plants are growing. Plants right after a heavy 

 crop can be run much cooler and benefit by it, than plants 

 just about to throw a bumper crop. 



Sometimes trouble will be experienced in opening 

 some of the more double varieties. We have never been 

 troubled this way although we have heard from growers 

 who have. We find that the variation of temperature 

 during the night will help somewhat, but we would not 

 advise any one to do so unless they first experiment with 

 it on a small scale. Should you experience trouble of this 

 sort do not water your plants heavily, thinking that may 

 help. We find that keeping the plants on the dry side 

 helps far more than all water will. 



The Cuttings 



These will take water every day the first few days that 

 they are in sand, providing of course that the drainage 

 is good, and this should be if it is not, for poor drainage 

 does more harm than many other causes put together. 

 Instead of poking moss into all the holes, put some 

 broken pots or something similar into the bottom of the 

 benches and then cover these with moss or anything that 

 will hold the sand in i)hice and yet allow the surphis 

 water to pass away unhindered. Keep an eye on the 

 thermometer, and see to it that the temperature in sand 

 is not allowed to drop too low as is often the case. Then 

 the cuttings after a few such chills will not root for 

 another week or more and we all know what that last 

 week means to the foliage of the cuttings in sand. 



The Pots 



Are you sure you have enough pots on hand to meet all 



requirements? If not do not delay in getting quotations 

 from some of the leading manufacturers advertising in 

 this paper and place your order at once. I wonder how 

 many readers took our advice last summer and had all 

 their pots washed during the hot summer days. Those 

 who did not will no doubt find themselves somewhat hin- 

 dered in their work having a lot of pots to wash every 

 time they want to do some potting ; it is no pleasant Job 

 during the cold weather either. Be sure to have your 

 pots clean no matter how much it will set you back. You 

 will fmd it all pays in the long run. Always bear in 

 mind that you are building for the next season, so be 

 lan fill and begin with a good foundation. 



The New Roses Again 



Although we recommend that all give the new ones a 

 little bench space it would hardly be wise to jump in 

 and plant the largest part of the place with some new 

 variety, just because Mr. So-and-So has had wonderful 

 results with it. Take things a little slow and make sure 

 you can handle the variety before you attempt to grow 

 it on any large scale. There are several good ones being 

 put on the market this season and they appear to be real 

 promising, so give them a trial. 



A Good Investment 



This is not going to be what you may have supposed 

 but it is good just the same. It applies especially to the 

 growers of moderate means "who are so busy they just 

 simply cannot get away not even for a day." To these 

 this is to apply : Arrange to have at least a day off and 

 go and take a look around and visit some of the men you 

 do business with. It will do you good and them, too, 

 beyond all doubt. And not only your customers — visit 

 your competitors as well. Do away with that hard feel- 

 ing and look upon business as a game. Surely you would 

 not be sore if your friend beat you at a game of checkers 

 or something similar. We make it a point to send con- 

 gratulations to any one scoring a few points more in any 

 competition and believe in taking our hat off to any one 

 who has beaten us in any way. 



Therefore go over and see the other growers. They 

 are much different than you imagined and first thing you 

 know you will go in with one or two to buy a carload of 

 bone and save a few hard-earned dollars by doing so. 

 You can arrange to go out if you try and then see witli 

 what ambition you will tackle the work when you return. 

 Trv it ! 



answer is VIOLENCE. Yes, violence is the only per- 

 suasion that has any effect on red spider; violence ap- 

 plied through the hose by water under about fifty to 

 seventy pounds pressure, and with this in the hands of 

 the careful and thorough cultivator (coupled with eternal 

 vigilance) the terrors of red spider disappear like mist 

 before the morning sun. 



Insecticides and fumigating material have been tried 

 by all of us, but never has it been the good-fortune of 



the writer to find any of these effective against this pest, 

 except where used in sufficient strength to injure or kill 

 the host plant. 



C'U.. 



/4^ 



