June 21, 1913 



HORl'ICULTUKE 



919 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONIU'CTED BY 



l>t^r^, 



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

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



Melons for Cold Frames 



With the wannest months uf the year now with 

 us and probably the cold frames which were used 

 for early veoetal)les now standing empty there will 

 be an opportunity to grow forcing melons in 

 greater quantity than at other seasons of the 

 year. Any plants that are left over after plant- 

 ing up the houses can be utilized this way. A small 

 mound should be prepared for them of the usual melon 

 soil and placed in the center of each light. It will pay 

 to go to this extra trouble as the garden soil which lias 

 lieen growing lettuce, etc., may not suit them as well. 

 Two plants can be planted in each mound, one to grow 

 north and the other south. They should receive a thor- 

 ough syringing each fine and clear morning. The sides 

 of the frame and surface of the soil should be damped 

 again about noon time, followed by another syringing 

 about four o'clock when the frame can be closed up to 

 within two inches. Keep the roots well moist all the 

 time. This treatment will grow them until they come 

 into flower, when the syringing will be best omitted in 

 the mornings. When the fruit is as large as a hen's 

 egg elevate them on an inverted pot or piece of wood : 

 this not only shows you where the fruit is located but is 

 easier to watch grow and also keeps it up from the soil 

 where snails or sow bugs (wood lice) would easily mark 

 them. Any of the freer setting varieties will grow in 

 the frames. His Eminence and Ringleader having a 

 reputation for good crops there. 



Preparatoty Work for Layering Strawberries 



There are some fruit houses at this time of year that 

 are anything but comfortaljle to work in after ten o'clock 

 in the morning, a fact that should not be lost sight of. 

 Take the fullest advantage of the early mornings, and 

 also of any wet days that may come. These are often 

 welcomed just as much by the man under glass as one 

 who is employed, or who has his chief interests in the 

 land outside. When the conditions are too warm in the 

 houses through the middle of the day preparatory work 

 for strawberry layering can go on. There are three-inch 

 pots to be washed and soil to be sifted. The half-ineli 

 size sieve should be used and any sweet soil will answer 

 the purpose. The parent plants if not carrying a crop, 

 should be looked over occasionally, all weeds removed and 

 the wires (or rhizomes) stopped after the first young 

 jilant is visible. Layering can be proceeded with when 

 all the wires ;ire sliowing a plant. Do not wait for them 

 to root into the soil — rather let them root into the pot; 

 earlv hivers have the best chance to make good crowns 

 bv fall. ■ 



Grapes in the Early House 



The early vinery will now have ripe grapes hanging, 

 some of which will have to be in good condition for 

 some little time. To keep them, see that rats, mice and 

 insects are not molesting them. Give them all the air 

 possible through the day, reducing a little by night es- 

 pecially after ten o'clock when the dew begins to fall. 

 A gentle heat in the hot water pipes from this time to 

 early morning will be of great assistance to them. See 

 that it is stopped ofi^ as soon as the sun's power is felt, 

 or, better still, have the night man stop off his fires right 

 early in the morning; sufficient heat will be left in the 

 pipes for several hours. In real hot weather the house 

 can be damped down about three times a day, say about 

 nine o'clock, noon and four. This will assist the foliage. 

 With the airy and continually drying atmosphere the 

 roots will be called upon to furnish more sap and this in 

 addition to the soil drying out itself from the drying 

 air will often make a watering necessary. Some are 

 afraid to water a vine border when there are ripe grapes 

 hanging but when the foregoing conditions are studied 

 it must be acknowledged that water is a necessity to the 

 best welfare of the vine. Take a pot-vine as an instance. 

 The same requirements are to be met with there, in a 

 minor degree of course, but how often will they dry out 

 in a day when they are ripening or ripe'' Water the 

 borders as soon as they are in need of it, doing it in the 

 early morning, which will benefit both the fruit and the 

 vine. Absolutely drying the border out as the fruit 

 is ripening and then having to water it a little before the 

 fruit is "finished" (i. e., quite ripe) is often the cause 

 of berries cracking. 



Care of the Early Peach House 



As the last fruit is picked from a peach or nectarine 

 tree prepare to build them up for next year's crop. 

 About the first thing is to give the trees a thorough 

 syringing. No use of saying there is no spider ; it is a 

 lucky man indeed who can finish a peach house off with- 

 iiut a trace of it. The dryer conditions prevailing dur- 

 ing ripening and the absence of the syringe will have 

 brought a few at any rate. There will be quite a dif- 

 ference, however, in the house that was clean up to this 

 time and the neighbor that already possessed live stock. 

 A spraying with insecticide will be an additional help. 

 The trees can also be syringed again Just before quit- 

 ting time which will keep them moist for some time into 

 the night. Water the border if on the dry side and if 

 a heavy crop has been carried a little feeding will help 

 them to build up the flower buds for next season. Keep 

 tlie ventilators wide open at all times. 



asparagus, but now is the time to seriously begin, by 

 ceasing to cut from those roots that are designed for forc- 

 ing; and if we desire to produce the fine.«t stock when 

 forced we must give special attention to these forcing 

 roots now, so as to grow extra fine crowns. Cut out the 

 weakest growth as fast as thev show up and feed the 

 ]'lants Viy copious waterings with weak liquid manure; 



mulch heavily and keep down weeds. To protect the 

 grass from being knocked down in heavy rains or wind 

 stick some pea brush along either side of the rows or 

 run strings to stakes along the sides. Remember the 

 strength and quality of the growth now is an indica- 

 tion of what you may expect from the crowns when 

 forced. In showery weather a light dusting of nitrate 

 of soda will be very beneficial. 



