February 8, 1913 



HOETICULTUEE 



181 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Questions by our readers in line witli any of tlie topics presented on tbis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Euzicka. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the otilce of HOKTICULTURE. 



Packing in Winter 



With the cold weather here at last, the packing and 

 shipping will have to change accordingly. We say '"the 

 cold at last." No doubt the readers of Horticulture 

 who have seen winter long ago will think this a little 

 belated advice, but as for us right here in the East, it 

 applies well. But to go on with the notes on packing: 

 Do not be afraid to use plenty of newspaper as it is 

 much cheaper than frozen roses. It is best to secure 

 some heavy wrapping paper and wrap all the boxes in 

 that, putting plenty of newspaper underneath. Do not 

 crowd the roses too much. It does not pay. If you 

 have been doing so, try to pack them the right way. 

 You may not receive more for your stock the first time 

 you do so. It will take time for the buyers to get wise 

 but after that they will always look for your stock. 

 Always aim to have the whole box of roses even ; that 

 is, have them all open about the same, and not have one 

 open a good deal and another only a little bit. Careful 

 cutting will accomplish this, and if this is done all the 

 time, the buyers will look for the boxes, and will buy 

 110 other until after they make sure that there are no 

 more. Pack Beauties with especial care, and see if you 

 cannot realize the high prices paid for fancy stock at 

 rliis time of the year. Use plenty of tissue paper; it 

 is cheap considering the service it renders. No matter 

 how good your roses are, if they are badly bruised they 

 will not be worth what roses of a poorer quality, and 

 not bruised, would be. 



Paper vs. Wooden Boxes 



This subject has many sides to it and growers must 

 find out for themselves which answers their particular 

 purpose better. We find that we can buy new paper 

 boxes for what we would have to pay the express com- 

 pany to return the empty wooden ones. And then a 

 good manv go to out-of-town buyers who certainly in- 

 tend to return them, but ... At any rate paper 

 boxes when bought in large quantity can be had real 

 reasonable, and we are sure that it pays to use them. 



Cutting Rope for Paper Boxes 



Rope to be used for tying paper boxes should be 



cut in advance so as to save not only the time but the 

 rope itself. The best and simplest way is to find out 

 the exact number of feet of rope required, and then 

 lirive two nails or pegs into a piece of wood and then 

 wind the rope around them a certain number of times, 

 or better still bore two small holes in the side of the 

 packing table a certain distance apart, and have two 

 small wooden pegs which can be driven in when there is 

 rope to be cut, and removed when not wanted, to do 

 away with torn clothes, etc. Simple as this little ar- 

 raugement is, it has proved a great time saver with us 

 and will do the same elsewhere, we are positive. 



Packing Young Stock for Shipment 



Tlie other day I was surprised to hear a complaint 

 made that roses from a good reputable firm had arrived 

 in a condition that was a disgrace, due to the firm's 

 careless packing. We should always remember that the 

 signs, "This Side Up," "Handle' with Care," "Rush, 

 Live Plants," are not always heeded by the express em- 

 ployees, and they cannot be always blamed either. In 

 our opinion a box of plants should be packed so that no- 

 matter which way it is turned it will not upset the 

 plants in the least. Never pack in cases that resemble 

 a large hotel in size. There may be some excuse or 

 reason for doing so in packing large specimen plants, 

 but there is no excuse whatever for doing so in packing 

 potted roses. Again we ?ay do not be too shy in using 

 paper. It will pay in the long run to use more and have 

 the plants arrive in good condition. 



Old Plants for Shipment 



These should be shipped as free from soil as it is 

 safe to do so. Put plenty of moss' around the roots, and 

 they will be K. A large number of plants was once 

 shipped quite some distance by express. Later a letter 

 stating that this firm had more real estate than they 

 needed, and that they had no fancy to buy it shipped 

 by express, was received, which plainly told that the 

 charges on the plants were as much as the plants were 

 worth themselves. So let us have consideration for our 

 In-other florists and Ije careful not to increase their ex- 

 penses any more than is necessary. 



flowers of the seasons. In consequence thereof it is 

 here where today the greatest care is taken in growing 

 snapdragons out of doors to perfection. 



The sowing of seed begins in January and the best 

 strain that money will buy is considered just good 

 enough. Seedlings in pots or shallow seed-pans are 

 transplanted into flats as soon as they can be handled. 

 Placed near the glass in houses of a temperature from 

 50 to 60 degrees, in A|)ril, the stock for cut-flower sale 

 is potted up in 3 to 3iv>-inch pots. Pinching out of the 

 tn|:is. although delaying the beginning of flowering from 

 two to three weeks, forces plants to branch low. One 

 nf the foremost aims should be now to secure, by careful 

 ventilating, a sturdy growth and to harden the young 

 plants. It is essential to plant Antirrhinums in the 

 open ground as early as possible so that they may become 

 firmlv rooted and underway Iiefore the hot weather sets 



in. The soil should be well prepared and heavily en- 

 riched with cow manure. Mulching the surface around 

 young plants proves beneficial as it protects the tender 

 roots from being burned by the hot sun and prevents 

 the soil from becoming hard and dry. Staking and 

 watering must be attended to in time and every precau- 

 tionary measure taken to prevent any stunt in growth. 

 Being gross feeders Antirrhinums may need an appli- 

 cation of fertilizers or sheep manure after the first crop 

 of flowers is cut. 



In order to have the colors absolutely distinct propaga- 

 tion in sand is often resorted to. Fall cuttings in such 

 cases should by all means be taken from the old plants 

 before the frost has touched them. 



Tih'crion. N. J. 



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