May 31, 1913 



HOETICULTUKE 



821 



CONDUCTED BY 



OUTDOOR VEGETABLES AND FRUIT 



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

 by Mr. Jenkins. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTDBE!. 



Planting Out the Tender Stock 



Having observed due caution in liolding back these 

 several tender subjects until settled wann weather has 

 aii-ived there is nothing further to do but to get them 

 out now as expeditiously as possible. 



Tomatoes 



We plant our tomatoes in rows four feet apart and 

 three feet between plants in the row. We first drive a 

 good stake (four to five feet long) firmly into the ground 

 wliere each is to be set so that a support is res^dy for the 

 plant to be tied to as quickly as it is planted. To get 

 early results from tomatoes they should be well hardened 

 plants with fruit set on them and in five or six-inch 

 pots. If the soil is not already over-rich dig in a little 

 spent mushroom bed or other well rotted manure and a 

 liandful of bonemeal around each plant. See tliat the 

 jilants are properly soaked with water on the morning 

 of the day of planting out as there is nothing more 

 detrimental to the ultimate wellfare of a plant than 

 planting out a dry root-bound ball and, further, it is 

 always advisable to break open the ball to some extent 

 and spread on the roots even at the risk of breaking a 

 few. 



Egg Plants and Peppers 



Tliesc two popular vegetables should be planted out 

 <in a light, rich soil, with a good sprinkling of bonemeal 

 in it. Select as sheltered a place as possible and where 

 all tlie sun that shines will reach them; a distance of 

 about two feet either way will be about right. It is 

 soinetimes advisable to put a small stake to each plant 

 if they are fairly large when planted out as in the 

 frames they have not been buffeted about by the winds 

 as they are likely to be in the open, and many plants 

 which are ultimately self-supporting are enabled to get 

 i'way in root action quicker because of the friendly sup- 

 iiort of a stake. 



Melons, Summer Squash, Cucumbers and Pumpkins 



For reasons of cross-pollination it is advisable to keep 

 these various kinds of plants a little apart. They 

 are all sun and heat-loving subjects and should be 

 planted on small mounds of soil with some coarse ma- 

 nure underneath. The melons will be at this time, nice 

 plants started in the hot-beds or greenhouses, while the 

 others can be started now by planting a few seed in each 

 hill. Plant enough seed to allow for some losses, and 

 if too many should come it is easy to thin to about three 

 plants per hill. 



Pests 



While spider, greenfly (aphis), thrips and whitefly are 

 not so general outdoors as in the greenhouses, yet they 

 should not be left entirely out of mind by the vegetable 

 grower. An occasional turning up of the underside of 

 leaves and a little careful scrutiny of growing points 

 where aphis "most do congregate" will either satisfy the 

 grower that all is well or will enable him by a little 

 timely application of some insecticide to ward ofE further 

 trouble. Beside the pests above mentioned, slugs, wire- 

 worms, mice and even birds must all be provided 

 against. For the slugs and wireworms dustings of soob 

 and lime will help as preventive measures ; traps and 

 poisons for the mice, and birds are often kept away by 

 stretching a few strings of twine over the objects of 

 their attack. 



Nitrate of Soda 



This quick-acting, powerful, nitrogenous manure may- 

 be used with great advantage by the vegetable and fruit 

 grower, if, during showery weather he will sprinkle 

 small quantities of it around any plants which he wishes 

 to stimulate into greater activity. But remember ! none 

 on the foliage, and small doses are the order. 



tables under glass, the subject on which Dr. Stone treats 

 is of the greatest importance, for under the strenuous 

 present-day pressure of business competition, the factor 

 of light conditions under which he operates may alone 

 decide for him the fate of his enterprise, whether it is 

 t(i prove a failure or a success. Dr. Stone's notes answer 

 in an authoritative manner many of the problems that 

 often perplex the reflective and studious cultivator and 

 illumine the way to intelligent action and the avoidance 

 of former costly mistakes when the serious question of 

 new equipment presents itself. 



Horticulture's pertinent 

 Wanted — a friendly comment in last week's issue 



Agricultural Department on the extraordinary atti- 

 tude of officials in the office 

 of seed distribution at Washington towards the seed 

 merchants of their own country, appears to have at- 

 tracted much attention in the seed trade and our course 



in giving publicity to this unbecoming discrimination 

 has brought oirt unqualified endorsement on aU sides. 

 The hostile atmosphere permeating certain circles with- 

 in the Agricultural Department has long been apparent 

 to everyone connected with the American seed trade but 

 an avowal so frank as that to which we have called at- 

 tention is very unusual. As to the Dutclimen's part in 

 this particular ease, it is but fair to say that there are 

 bulb exporting houses in Holland, as elsewhere, whose 

 methods in dealing with American trade are above criti- 

 cism but it is nothing new to the readers of this paper 

 that the business ethics of many of the foreign dealers 

 has been for years a source of much justifiable resentment 

 and proper criticism. A partial remedy for existing con- 

 ditions is perhaps in the power of the American trade 

 but its application might be much expedited if there 

 was assurance of the sympathy and co-operation of a 

 friendly Department at Washington. Unfortunately 

 that is something which we don't appear to have. 



