February 1, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



143 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



, CONDUCTED BY 



Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promtply aniwered 

 by Mr. Ruzlcka. Such commnnlcatlons shonld Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTDKE. 



Mildew 



With the prevailing warm, rainy weather, it requires 

 great skill and patience on the part of the grower to 

 keep this dreaded disease out of the greenhouses. Al- 

 though it can easily be killed, the plants themselves will 

 be a long time recovering from the attack and should 

 this happen to be a bad one it is doubtful whether the 

 plants would recover at all, but will continue to grow on 

 very feebly. Keep after the ventilators. See that you 

 do not water on rainy days, unless it is absolutely neces- 

 sary. Then be careful not to splash the water all over 

 the house. It is also important not to wet the bottom 

 foliage any more than is neces.'sary. All these little 

 tilings will do wonders in preventing mildew if they are 

 heeded and a little care used. Again we take the liberty 

 to endorse at least a pipe or two of steam in each house. 

 We prefer steam heated houses, as we find it much easier 

 to regulate tlie heat. It is an easy matter to tell the fire- 

 man to keep on so many pounds of steam, and then with 

 a good boiler and draught it is simple to keep a certain 

 amount of steam all the time. 



A very little sulphur applied to the steam pipe here 

 and there will also help to keep this enemy out. Only 

 be careful not to use too much of it, as sulphur fumos 

 are a great enemy to plant life. Usually a little sulphui 

 applied about every twenty feet on the steam pipe (or on 

 two of th&m, should the house be over twenty feet wide.) 

 will be sufficient. You can watch the results and should 

 sulphur applied in this way seem to be too weak you can 

 easily increase the quantity, doing so a little at a time so 

 as to make sure not to have tjie fumes too strong. 



The Young Stock 



This weather, to say the least, is certainly not ideal 

 for propagating purposes. It is very difficult to keep 

 the necessary temperature in the sand without raising 

 the temperature above too high. With the rain and fog 

 it is not too good for the plants to ha.ve the ventilators 

 open too much. It is best to have the ventilators in the 

 propagating house cheese-clothed ; this will help to break 

 up the air currents a little. It is also a good plan to 

 stretch a little cheese-cloth across the bench every here 

 and there. Not over the cuttings, but up and down 

 from the roof of the house to the level of the bench. 



Potting 



Some of the earlier-made cuttings will soon be ready 

 for the pots. Be sure these are clean, and well crocked 

 as the young cuttings will want good drainage to make 

 any headway in the first pots. It is poor policy not to 

 insure good drainage, and then worry yourself half to 

 death about the plants not drying- out properly. Of 

 course black rot is likely to set in and once it does the 

 losses will be heavy. It does not take very many cut- 

 tings to lose a day's work and we all must realize that 

 every little waste means some profit gone. After pot- 

 ting the cuttings shade heavily — say two thicknesses of 

 paper, the first few days. After a while the shading 

 can be put on later in the morning and taken off earlier 

 in the afternoon until finally it can be left off altogether. 

 This should not be within at least ten or twelve days. 



Do not shade the cuttings on cloudy or rainy days, as 

 this would not do them any good and would be likely to 

 do them harm. 



The Soil 



Be sure that the soil is not too wet, and that it is 

 finely screened and free from all lumps. A little bone- 

 meal can be added, but not too much, as the object of the 

 first potting should be to have the plant establish a nice 

 root system, after which it can be shifted to a larger pot 

 with more and richer soil. Then it can grow, as it cer- 

 tainly must if the surrounding conditions are favorable. 

 It is best to use only fine old compost for the soil, avoid- 

 ing all newly-made soil which is bound to have a little 

 fresh manure in it. Use only well-decayed manure if 

 you have to mix your soil just now. A least bit of soot 

 can be added without fear of harm. Do not add too 

 much of it though, or you may soon be wishing you had 

 not. 



Benches With Deep Soil 



Eight now. during this cloudy weather is the time that 

 will prove which is best for the plants — the deep soil or 

 the shallow. We are sure that those who took our advice 

 last summer and planted all their stock in shallow soil 

 will be well pleased now for their plants will dry out 

 much better than if they had planted in deep soil. We 

 always claim that more soil can always be added without 

 very much trouble, should it be necessary, but usually 

 when manure is always applied when it is needed no 

 more soil will be required than that which was put into 

 the benches originally. 



Roses on Long Island 



No doubt if some one had told me that roses, old 

 plants, planted on the 16th of December would grow to 

 perfection, I would have mentioned something about 

 Missouri, or "show me." Yet that is the case. These 

 roses — Killarneys and Radiance — have twenty-inch stems 

 with well formed buds. Melody does very well free from 

 mildew. We thinlc Long Island is the coming green- 

 house country and we hope to see other fiowers besides 

 carnations, growing in quantities. All roses do exceed- 

 ingly well outside, and one time I had pleasure to see 

 some extra fine Beauties, right near the sea shore too. 



These were in greenhouses, however, where it was 

 claimed roses positively would not grow. Here at least 

 •'The Man Behind" got the credit. 



Fish Scrap Fertilizer 



We do not know as it is anything new, but where it 

 can be had it is certainly worth trying. There are 

 several different brands, and we would not advise any- 

 one to apply much of it to the benches without first ex- 

 perimenting and carefully noting results. It is best to 

 know what you are about before using any kind of prep- 

 aration. We have used it in the greenhouses with good 

 results, applying it the same as we would apply bone- 

 meal, and then watering it into the benches. The only 

 objection to using it is the smell all over the place. But 

 this is nothing if it brings results, as the ventilators can 

 be used a little more freely and it soon goes away. 



