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HORTICULTURE 



AprU 5, 19ia 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONDrCTEn BY 



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I>f^rv.l 



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

 by Mr. Penson. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the otJice of HORTICULTIKE. 



Finishing Melons 



Melons sown December 1st will soon be showing signs 

 of ripening. Continue the usual routine until a few 

 fruits assume an additional attractive color and emit 

 that delicate aroma which is a sure sign of ripening. 

 With these as a signal gradually accustom the plants to 

 more air, increasing as more fruits ripen, until the house 

 can be left almost wide open in mild weather. The 

 night temperature can be reduced to 65 at this stage, ad- 

 vancing 5 degrees by day and 10 more with sun heat. 

 The atmospheric conditions are of the greatest impor- 

 tance at this stage, temperatures being only secondary. 

 Discontinue syringing and gradually withhold moisture 

 from other sources until, as the fruits are ripe, all is 

 nearly dry. This does not mean the plants should be 

 allowed to wilt or flag; keep them just off this and all 

 sections of the vines will be performing the allotted func- 

 tions and so contribute to the welfare of the fruit. It 

 is early to talk of shading in some localities where Hor- 

 ticulture's readers reside, but if a house of ripe melons 

 is to be extended to the maximum length a shading put 

 on the glass soon after the first fruits are cut will cause 

 the others to ripen slowly. 



Stopping and Tying Figs 



Figs are grown in pots and tubs and also as trained 

 trees. In whatever form they take, a method of stop- 

 ping must be adhered to, to obtain the best results. As 

 each growth extends to four or five leaves the point 

 should be pinched out of it; this causes a check to the 

 growi:h and more sap is brought to bear on the fruits 

 growing in the axils of the leaves. Any parts of the tree 

 likely to become crowded should have the very small 

 growths rubbed off at this time. There is nothing gained 

 by tying two shoots in where one is enough. Trellis 

 trees must be gone over at regular intervals to secure 

 the growths in the proper place, and at the same time 

 stopping can be attended to. Pot trees and tubs making 

 a natural-shaped tree are generally strong enough to 

 support themselves until the second stopping takes place, 

 when strong stakes are necessary. 



Watering 



Watering is a most important factor in the ultimate 

 success of all crops, a thing to be studied from the cut- 

 ting bench until the last flower is cut, or from the time 

 the fruit house is started until the last leaf has fallen; 

 yes, even longer — until the house is started up again, an 

 evergreen subject never to be neglected. No man can 

 water his borders correctly through the growing season 

 and after the crop is cut afford to let them go any old 

 way. I have in my mind at this time properly con- 

 structed borders with good drainage, borders that need 

 watching through the growing season just as much as a 

 bench of chrysanthemums or roses does. There are bor- 

 ders in existence that make the necessity of watering 

 a novelty. Bad drainage and also leaky roofs account 

 for this. 



Ascertaining the dryness or otherwise of the soil to a 

 depth of 18 inches or more may seem a perplexing prob- 

 lem. It is, until one is accustomed to it, for they are not 

 raised in any way and the body of soil to be gauged is 

 considerably more than any bench. The eye is one of 

 the surest means of determining the texture of a border, 

 both by observing the border itself and the foliage, for 

 extremes at the roots will show themselves in the foliage 

 before any wilting is to be seen. Where this is doubted, 

 the use of a border tester will be potent. This is made 

 of half-inch iron rod pointed at one end and having 

 a handle at the other, made long enough to reach the 

 bottom of the borders. If this is inserted into the border 

 and turned around before drawing it out the condition 

 of the soil can be traced by examining the iron. It must 

 always be borne in mind that the tester must be inserted 

 in a spot likely to average for the whole border. Water- 

 ing itself may look easy; so it is, so long as you keep 

 your thinking cap on. It is of no use to water one end 

 thoroughly and the other one only half, or to make a 

 patchey job of it, — in other words to leave dry spots. 

 Eemember that part of the border immediately below the 

 heating pipes will be one of the dryest places to be found 

 and will take more water to soak it through than the 

 other parts. 



Now about the speed of the water. Is it policy to 

 open up the faucet and ''let her go" with a spreader on 

 the end of the hose to cover a greater surface of soil 

 with the greater pressure of water. Theoretically this 

 would be all right, but try it. Before sufficient water 

 has been applied to soak the border through, you will 

 find a quantity still on the surface and when this does go 

 down quite a crust is forming. Better results are ob- 

 tained by letting the water run slowly and see it soak 

 into the soil as you go on without washing the whole 

 surface of the border. 



Broken Laterals 



Broken laterals are very vexing and often cause a fel- 

 low to go away down deep in his vocabulary to express 

 his feelings. These things happen all too suddenly; 

 there is no time to prevent it in any way. The only 

 solution is to be wary and treat the laterals with a gentle 

 hand. When the system is followed of allowing the 

 vines to be suspended until they are nearly in flower the 

 chances of breaking laterals are decidedly less, for after 

 that stage is reached they are more pliable. The lateral 

 breaking half-way is not so injurious to the after-wel- 

 fare of the vine as when the whole of it breaks out from 

 the spur. All is to be lost in the latter case. The 

 former is not so bad, as apart from perhaps losing a 

 bunch, the sublaterals will fill in the space. These 

 breakages can sometimes be repaired by wrapping damp 

 moss around the base of the lateral and the spur after 

 securing the growth into its normal position, thus 

 bringing all the various tissues in contact with their 

 own, which will make a quick union. Keep the growth 



