February 15, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



217 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



<y]/Cyft^(}A,i<lA'-'f^ 



Questions by our readers in line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Euzlcka. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Potting Cuttings 



The first pottings that the young cuttings receive 

 should be in very carefully jjrejDared soil. Crock all the 

 pots well and if it is possible use at least some charcoal 

 to mix in with the other material which is to be used 

 for the purpose. We find it pays to nse charcoal where 

 it can be bought for a reasoualile figure. Considerable 

 time can be saved by getting charcoal which has already 

 been ground quite fine and can be used at once without 

 crushing. Charcoal when used as crock will be a great 

 help in keeping the soil in a sweet condition, which would 

 not be so were other materials used all alone. Not that 

 it has to be used ; there are thousands of plants grown 

 that have never had charcoal as crock, nor had any char- 

 coal mixed into the soil. These plants were in the hands 

 of growers who knew, however, and the soil was kept 

 sweet by watering very carefully at all times. 



Watering During Cold Weather 



During this very cold weather when plenty of fire heat 

 has to be used, the benches should be watched very care- 

 fully to see that there are no dry spots here and there. 

 By going over the benches every so often, these spots can 

 easily be detected and attended to. Although we advise 

 letting the plants get quite dry before giving them any 

 more water, we would never recommend this to be car- 

 ried too far. It does the roses no good to have their 

 roots in soil that is fairly sogged with water most of the 

 time. Hence the drying out when properly done will be 

 a great benefit to the plants. Soils will vary greatly, and 

 all of us must Judge for ourselves just what the nature 

 of our soil is and then handle it accordingly. 



When you find that you have to water the whole house, 

 it is best to go over these dry places and water them first 

 and then follow with the watering proper; for these 

 spots, if allowed to go unremedied, will cause loss to the 

 grower. Be sure to see that the bottom of the benches 

 is not dry when the surface appears to be quite wet. 

 This will happen in many case? where the heating pipes 

 are underneath the benches. 



Lime 



Keep right on blowing air-slaked lime underneath the 

 plants every evening following a watering or a syring- 

 ing. It helps wonderfully in drying out the air and 

 will be a great help in preventing some of the diseases 

 which a rose plant is subject to. 



Liquid Manure 



Now that spring is on its way to us, the plants are the 

 first to feel it. By their own nature they will begin to 

 grow with far more energv' than they have during the 

 winter months. Rapidly growing plants will take much 

 more feed and water, than plants that are just growing 

 along slowly. The liquid that has been applied before 

 this was no doubt quite weak as it is best not to use it 

 too strong during the winter months. This can be 

 changed now and it can be made very rich, using good 

 cow manure to make it with. A little bonemeal may 

 also be dropped into the tank, especially when there are 



steam pipes in the tank so that the liquid can be boiled. 

 A little soot is very nice too and will give the plants and 

 blooms extra color if it can be added. It is best to throw 

 a wliole bag of it into the tank, bag and all and then it 

 will gradually soak through into the water which the 

 tank contains. 



Lime and Liquid Manure 



Once in a while some lime can be added, when it is 

 desired to sweeten the soil in the benches, or to kill a 

 lot of worms which come in with the manure, and are 

 hard to get rid of otherwise. It is not advisable to make 

 the lime water very strong; sooner use it twice. Wliere 

 electricity is employed in pumping the water it is an 

 easy matter to ajiply it any time as it takes but a few 

 minutes to start the pump going. We are surprised that 

 so many places are without it. It certainly gives one 

 man a chance to do two men's work. The first cost is 

 the only time it is more expensive than any other power, 

 but after that it is cheaper by far. 



Manure for the Spring Mulches 



This should be brought into the manure shed now, if 

 it is not yet in place and should be turned over as often 

 as time will allow. The object of doing this is to have 

 the manure as well decayed as it is possible to get it, for 

 manure that is green is not available to the plants, or at 

 least the largest part of it is not. By having the manure 

 well prepared, the plants will take hold of it at once 

 and you can have better results, and what is more the 

 danger of burning the foliage of the plants is done away 

 with. 



Making Room for the Young Stock 



This topic is as old as rose-growing under glass 

 itself, and we can only advise growers to use their best 

 benches and their best houses to house their young stock. 

 It will pay in the long run. You must not expect to 

 produce extra fine plants, where the old plants have all 

 they want to do to keep alive. This applies to all other 

 stock as well as roses. If you have a lot of old leaky 

 houses on the place, tear them down as soon as you get 

 a chance and replace them with new and more up-to- 

 date structures. You are losing good money trying to 

 grow good stufE in old, tumble-down houses that resemble 

 a shower bath every rainy day. There is nothing in it. 

 When you build, build right. The best is none too good 

 you will find, and the man that builds cheap, will pay 

 dear in the end. It makes a great difference whether 

 you keep all the profits, or spend them for repairs. A 

 greenhouse should receive a coat of paint every other 

 year. Use very thin paint so as not to have it an inch 

 thick. It will pay. Always work for the future. 

 Notice the construction of the new railroads. They are 

 not only built to last, but also to reduce the cost of up- 

 keep to the minimum. And we should certainly do the 

 same. How disajipointing it is when you have a nice 

 little sum set aside, everything paid for. and if it was 

 not that you have to rebuild some of the houses, all 

 would bo well. But . . . Well, let us build well. 



