February 22, 1908 



HORTICULTURL 



253 



VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS. 



Read before the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society by William Turner. 



William Turner of Oceanic, N. J., 

 addressed the Horticultural Society 

 on February 8, on ''Forcing of Vege- 

 tables Under Glass." Whoever, he 

 said in beginning, wishes to have suc- 

 cess in this line, must have a love for 

 the work and watch the developments 

 so as to know when and how to feed 

 them. As a private gardener, he con- 

 fined his remarks to private establish- 

 ments in general, and the house he 

 recommended was from 20 to 28 feet 

 wide, with a preference toward east 

 and west, and hot water heat. 



"Experience has taught me," said 

 Mr. Turner, "that some soils will take 

 much more food than others. I claim 

 there can be no hard and fast lines 

 laid down in regard to how much 

 fertilizer a certain crop shall receive 

 for best results. My theory has 

 always been that each grower in dif- 

 ferent localities, and different soils, by 

 studying the condition of his growing 

 crops is the best judge as to how much 

 food will be of benefit. I have no 

 doubt there are various opinions on 

 this one important subject — feeding — 

 but thei grower, who carves his own 

 road, using his own good judgment. 

 will usually come out the most success- 

 ful. We know that to produce good 

 crops, potash, phosphoric acid and ni- 

 trogen is a necessity. This should be ap- 

 plied to the soil in some shape or form. 

 I am confident whoever has given this 

 question study and deep thought will 

 stand by bis own good judgment; self- 

 taught experience one never forgets. 

 Pages could be written on this one 

 subject alone — feeding. 



Lettuce. 



"The demand for lettuce is ever in- 

 creasing, and without doubt this is one 

 of the main winter crops. Whether 

 for private or for commercial purposes, ' 

 monstrous houses have been built for 

 the lettuce industry within the past 

 few years, which probably twenty-five 

 years ago would have been thought 

 madness. Years ago lettuce was grown 

 on raised benches. It was thought of 

 much benefit having the plants near 

 the glass, but certainly a mistaken 

 idea, for those cool-blooded vegetables. 

 In the first place, it is too hot for the 

 roots; and, second, the plants require 

 too much water on the benches. One 

 great advantage in solid beds is, the 

 crops don't require water very often. • 

 In fact, if the surface soil can be kept 

 on the dry side, providing there is 

 plenty of moisture below, the roots 

 then will have a tendency to work 

 down, giving the plants health and 

 vigor, which is all important for best 

 results, but a thorough good watering 

 just as they begin to head will help 

 to increase the size and quicken 

 maturity. Airing plays an important 

 part as regards success or failure with 

 this ever-popular vegetable. The most 

 dreaded fungus or disease is commonly 

 called sunburn, although this is an 

 erroneous idea, as the disease spreads 

 more readily in a spell of dull weather 

 than when it is bright. One thing is 

 certain, when a crop is badly infested 

 it is useless; better throw it out, take 

 the top soil out and replace with fresh 



or sterilize the soil, as the only safe- 

 guard to eradicate the evil. 



Cauliflower. 

 "Probably there is no vegetable 

 more improved by growing under glass 

 than cauliflower, requiring the same 

 treatment in every respect as lettuce, 

 as regards temperature, solid beds, etc., 

 but the soil used may be of a trifle 

 heavier nature and it is perfectly safe 

 to feed them considerably more than 

 lettuce as they are strong rooting 

 vegetables. Yes, even during the short 

 day this vegetable will respond readily 

 to liberal treatment. I would not ad- 

 vocate starting your plants before say 

 the first week in September. Sow 

 seed according to the number of plants 

 required. Transplant once about four 

 inches apart, than in about three 

 weeks transplant again where they are 

 to mature, in rows eighteen inches 

 apart and fifteen inches in the rows. 

 The first crop should be ready to cut 

 from the first of December on. For a 

 succession sow seed two weeks apart. 

 Cauliflower delights in rich compost, 

 and without doubt a liberal supply of 

 hardwood ashes is a capital fertilizer 

 for this crop. I question if there is 

 another vegetable forced that will 

 take as much nitrate of soda to good 

 advantage as the cauliflower. 



Radishes. 



"Radislies are ea.'^ily produced under 

 glass. I have seen it recommended 

 taking a crop of radishes from among 

 lettuce or any other growing crop, 

 the idea being that the radish crop 

 under favorable condtions will mature 

 in about a month from the time of 

 sowing the seed. However, this 

 method I am not in favor of, claiming 

 that one crop at a time is sufficient 

 even if grown under glass. While 

 radishes are of easy culture, it is true, 

 I think that I am safe in stating that 

 many a batch of radishes have been 

 destroyed by the erroneous impression 

 that this crop needs little or no atten- 

 tion. If left in the bed too long they 

 get soft and pithy, comparative use- 

 less at that stage. The very best seed 

 obtainable should be used for this pur- 

 pose. Radishes can be grown success- 

 fully with the lettuce house tempera- 

 ture. 



Tomatoes. 



"Good tomatoes can be had either in 

 solid beds or raised benches. But for 

 the winter months raised benches are 

 decidedly to be preferred. Wonderful 

 progress has been made in recent 

 years. In the quantity of tomatoes 

 consumed compared to years ago, and 

 particularly so with the forced prod- 

 ucts, not only in the private estab- 

 lishments, but it is also quite a com- 

 mercial enterprise. In the first place 

 we should aim to start plants so that 

 there will be a good set of fruit be- 

 fore the shortest days set in; this will 

 give a heavy picking through the 

 shortest days. To get this seed should 

 be sown not later than the first of 

 August. Those plants for winter 

 forcing I prefer growing in pots up 

 to five-inch, potting firm; nothing like 

 having stocky, short-jointed, thrifty 

 plants to set in the bench. Tomatoes 

 are not particular as to soil. How- 

 ever, the best is none too good for the 

 work. What I would term a good rose 

 soil would be ideal for tomatoes, with 

 about half the quantity of manure. 



Four or five inches of soil is sufficient 

 to mature a heavy crop of fruit One 

 of the main features in keeping a 

 healthy, vigorous growth is the tem- 

 perature. I am not an advocate of 

 high temperatures (say 60 at night, 

 70 to 7.5 degrees in the day, according 

 to conditions of weather, and give air 

 every available chance, never allowing 

 the foliage to get soft and flabby), 

 then there will not be much trouble 

 with mildew and kindred diseases. 



Cucumbers. 



"Years ago if we produced a crop of 

 cucumbers in the fall and another in 

 the spring it was not altogether neces- 

 sary through the shortest days. Now 

 thei'e is a call for them at all seasons. 

 Probably the commercial grower has 

 been responsible for popularizing this 

 vegetable in a general way more than 

 the private gardener, as their produce 

 goes on the market where it is sold 

 broadcast to the public, which natu- 

 rally causes a brisk demand. I be- 

 lieve I am correct in stating that 

 Arlington growers were the first to 

 see into the possibilities of raising 

 cucumbers on a large scale for mar- 

 ket as a financial success, and today 

 1 believe Arlington is the largest 

 centre for this ever-growing enter- 

 prise. Heat, moisture and careful 

 airing are the important items to con- 

 tend with. While cucumbers are rapid, 

 vigorous growers, with good treat- 

 ment, on the other hand any neglect 

 is easily detected by the stunted ap- 

 pearance of their growth. In fact, a 

 severe check is disastrous. There is 

 an advantage in one way with growing 

 the English cucumbers in winter. 

 They need no fertilizing, not unless 

 it is necessary to procure some seed. 

 Beans. 



"While beans are not grown commer- 

 cially, under glass, they are very ac- 

 ceptable for the private table, and far 

 superior to any that can be procured 

 in the open market during the winter 

 months; therefore, for private green- 

 houses beans are to be highly recom- 

 mended as a forced vegetable. When 

 grown successfully it is surprising the 

 amount that can be gathered from 

 them. There are two methods of grow- 

 ing this crop — in pots or on raised 

 benches. If grown in pots, half fill 

 six or seven-inch pots with fairly rich, 

 porous soil, then plant about six beans 

 in a pot As the beans grow keep 

 adding soil by degrees, until filled. It 

 takes about seven weeks to mature a 

 crop grown in a temperature of 60 to 

 iJS degrees at night, with 70 to 75 day 

 temperature. The bench system is my 

 preference, as there is not so much 

 labor and attention required, and re- 

 sults are equal, if not better. 

 Rhubarb. 



"I do not consider the forcing list 

 complete minus rhubarb. There is con- 

 siderable demand for this wholesome 

 vegetable, both private and commer- 

 cially. It requires very little atten- 

 tion; the main secret is if the roots 

 are dug for forcing they should get a 

 thorough freezing before they are 

 taken into the forcing house. Also 

 leave as much of the soil adhering 

 to the roots as possible. These roots 

 may be forced successfully in the 

 mub'hroom house or under the tomato 

 house bench, setting the roots close 

 together, filling in the hollow spaces 



