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HORTICULTUEE 



March 22, 1913 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



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

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



Planting Grafted Roses 



(Written in Reply to Inquiry.) 



When planting grafted rose plants, the question as to 

 which is the best method naturally arises, and it is but 

 very seldom that a number of growers will agree on one 

 certain plan as being the best. Conditions vary and to 

 lay down one rule for all would be very impractical, and 

 foolish as well. A good deal depends on the grower 

 himself, who must be the judge. Grafted plants that 

 are set with the graft too high above the surface of the 

 soil are very likely to be broken o£E when syringing even 

 though they are properly tied to either stakes or wires. 

 And, not only that, but they will not break from the 

 bottom as readily as plants that are set lower. How- 

 ever, the plants should not be set too deep as that would 

 not be doing them any good either. We would always 

 recommend setting the plants with the graft about level 

 with the surface of the soil. In selecting plants take all 

 those that have been grafted as low as possible — they are 

 the best. As to the results there is no reason whatever 

 why plants planted with the graft above the surface of 

 the soil of the bench should not do equally as well as 

 those planted otherwise, providing they are properly 

 handled. However, bear in mind the fact stated above, 

 about the plants breaking easily when syringing. With 

 this continually in mind the grower should experience 

 little trouble in producing strictly high-grade cut blooms. 



Grafted vs. Own-Root Stock 



Our experience with the two is such that we would 

 prefer the own-roots, in such varieties as Killarneys and 

 Eadiance. Except under unusual conditions, the own- 

 root are as good and in many cases better than the 

 grafted stock. Where the soil is extremely heavy and 

 Uable to stay wet for any length of time during the 

 winter months — then plant the grafted stock. Or if 

 your help is not of the most experienced kind, and you 

 are afraid the plants will be overwatered — then plant 

 grafted stock also ; as it will stand for more moisture at 

 the roots without any bad effect. Wliere Brides and 

 Bridesmaids are still grown these should be grafted as 

 they do much better grafted than own-root, especially in 

 their second and third years. We have never had any 

 experience with grafted Beauties and therefore we can 

 pass no comment on these. We always had grown them 

 on their own roots. 



Bonemcal 



From now on we would not advise using much bone- 

 meal on the benches, except where the plants are to be 

 run another season. Bonemeal is a fertilizer in class 

 with cattle manure, therefore it is rather slow in acting, 

 especially when it is ground a little coarse. Therefore 

 from bonemeal applied from now on the plants will get 

 but little and there is a large amount of it wasted, and 

 if there is anything that we all must keep away from it's 

 waste. 



Liquid Manure 



There is nothing that can replace good liquid manure 

 to supply all the necessary plant food that the plants 



require at this time of the year. Where facilities are 

 such that the liquid can be boiled before applying, so 

 much to the good. A little bonemeal can be easily 

 added to the mixture, the best way being to dump the 

 required amount of fine bone right into the manure side 

 of the tank and let it mix in and run through the screens 

 with the other liquids. Make the liquid as thick as is 

 possible without clogging up all the pipes. It can hard- 

 ly be made too strong from now on, as the plants are 

 growing rapidly and will easily take it about as fast as it 

 can be applied. However, be careful as we have re- 

 peatedly advised, and do not have the plants too dry 

 when you apply it. Better go over the benches with 

 clear water first to make sure. 



Weeds 



These are a nuisance both in the old benches and in 

 the pots among the young plants, and should not be 

 tolerated under any circumstances. Boiled liquid 

 manure will be quite free from weed seeds and will not 

 be responsible for any that appear on the benches. 

 Weeds are great housers of spider, a very smaU but 

 bothersome enemy of nearly all greenhouse plants, and 

 therefore every little thing that can be done to prevent 

 its spread will be of great service to the growers. 

 Eemove all weeds as fast as they appear, and do not let 

 then grow a couple of feet high among the rose plants. 

 There is such a thing as a crop of weeds saving a batch 

 of cuttings during the dark weather, as weeds will carry 

 off a large amount of water. But this is only in rare 

 cases, and as a rule all weeds should be rooted out as 

 soon as they appear, for manures are too expensive to 

 be used in supplying plant food to nourish the weeds. 



Mulching 



As the warmer days approach the roots of the plants 

 will need a little more mulch to protect them from the 

 heat and from becoming extremely dry. To do this a 

 good mulch of cow manure can be applied, a little layer 

 of soil over the top of it, and the rest left to the plants 

 themselves. They will take care of the mulch providing 

 the grower remembers to give them sufficient water. Do 

 not go to any extremes in drying out the plants at this 

 time of the year as naturally they should be growing vig- 

 orously and allowing them to become too dry would hin- 

 der their growth a good deal, and would tend to deform 

 the buds. This should be avoided as the market does not 

 care for anything like poor stuff. "The best is none too 

 good" is a common saying, and it is getting more and 

 more popular every day, as it can be applied to nearly 

 all things, no matter what line they may belong to. In 

 ease of a "glut" in the market it is the best stuff that 

 alwaj-s sells first, even at higher prices than may be 

 ruling for the week. 



Packing 



With spring come larger crops of roses and the grow- 

 ers are likely to be tempted to crowd their stock when 

 shipping to the markets. There is very little in doing 

 this, as most of us know, as bruised or crushed stock is 

 not in demand, never was and hardly ever will be. If 



