June 8, 1907 



HORTICULTURE 



M9 



they do not ^:ufIol• so iiuicli ; and near the lake^faeing 

 riortlnvest with no protection — least of all. 



All in all there are few places in Ma?sachusetts where 

 rliododendron:? and many other exotic trees do so well. 

 Generally under average conditions growers have a try- 

 ing time. Rhododendrons give the ordinary gardener 

 more concern than any other out-door plants. I am fre- 

 quently asked to recommend an ironclad list. Not 

 knowing the conditions it is often a difficult task. 

 Growers in the United States are almost altogether de- 

 pendent upon importations. Nothing that I know of 

 has been done to develop a type suited to our climate. 

 In this our hope lies in breeding up from the Cataw- 

 biense type. We may have to be content with less 

 range in color, though v/ith perseverance this may not 

 be denied us. The oldest, handsomest and in every way 

 the most satisfactory plants are the CatawJoiense 

 hybrids, which were the first imes planted. 



Some years ago we suggested to the late H. H. Hun- 

 newell that some of the hardiest of our plants should be 



crossed with some of the tenderer ones of rich coloring. 

 We were told that we siiould be in Mt. Auburn Ceme- 

 tery before they bloomed. To be buried there is an 

 honor we hardly expect, but we do hope to see some 

 of our seedlings, now nearly a foot liigh, bloom. 

 Whether we succeed or fail we intend to keep on. 



It is difficult to arrange color satisfactory. It is a de- 

 fect we see everywhere. Good whites are scarce. The 

 only way to get color effects is to plant them liberally. 

 I should prefer to keep the colors in separate beds, or, 

 if I wanted a large bed, I should separate the color by 

 using white. Other effects can be made by planting 

 the early and late varieties separately. A bed of 

 Charles Dickens would be past before J. W. Sargent 

 came in. Similarly Album Grandiflorum before Deli- 

 catessimum. 



Roses Under Glass 



EAKLY PLANTED IIOUSKS PRODUCE BEST CROPS 



Rose growers year after year are realizing the fact 

 that houses which are planted in Maj', or early in June, 

 produce the heaviest crops, and that the cut is superior 

 in quality to those planted later. This result is doubt- 

 less due to the fact that roses planted thus early have 

 the advantage of the long, sunny days of summer in 

 which to grow, and usually by the end of September 

 have developed into good-sized, thrifty plants, from 

 which it is not unreasonable to expect a good crop. The 

 expense attending the replanting of rose benches is a 

 very considerable item and one from which many 

 growers seek to escape liy carrying over stock another 

 year. Others, and their numbers increase each year, 

 have hit upon a plan for disposing of their year-old 

 stock to advantage. By means of liberal advertising in 

 the newspapers, magazines, etc.. these plants which but a 

 few years ago were unceremoniously dumped on the rub- 

 bish heap, are now sold for garden purposes all over the 

 country. 



With our planting plans already perfected, young stock, 

 soil, etc., in proper condition, the first object should be 

 to find a market for the old stock. If this can be disposed 

 of at a figure that will leave a fair margin of profit after 

 paying for the labor of lifting, packing and shipping, 

 it will be like money found, as they have got to go 

 anyhow. 



PUTTING BENCHES IN PROPER CONDITION 



As soon as the old plants and soil are Temoved, the 

 benches should be put into a good state of repair so that 

 there will be no danger of a break down during the sea- 

 son. Weeds, old soil and rubbish should be removed 

 from under the benches, and the boards of the benches 

 given a good washing by playing 'the hose upon every 

 crack and crevice so that no dirt will remain. The in- 

 sides of the benches should then receive a good coating 

 of hot lime wash, which destroys insects and their eggs, 

 and helps to preserve the wood. To prevent the soil 

 from running through the spaces between the boards 

 wheat or rye straw may be spread on the benches. 

 The almost perfect drainage insured by tile or hollow 

 brick bottoms is so well known that to use the words of 

 a well known grower — ''We are only waiting for the old 



benches to collapse, to relegate board bottoms to the 

 realms of 'innocuous desuetude.' '"' 



As soon as the benches are ready, they should be filled 

 as cjuickly as possible, so that the soil may not dry out 

 too much previous to planting. If bone meal is to be 

 used as a fertilizer, care should be taken to spread it on 

 the soil as evenly as possible. It may be either stirred 

 into the soil, or left on the surface. The act of planting 

 will place as much of the meal near the roots as is good 

 for them at jDrescnt; the subsequent watering and stir- 

 ring of the soil will gradually convey the rest to within 

 reach of the roots. If the soil in the benches is five 

 inches deep the quantity required is about twelve pounds 

 to every 100 square feet of surface. 



PLANTING THE YOUNG STOCK 



In planting Bride, Golden Gate and similar varieties, 

 each plant should be allowed a space at least one square 

 foot to grow in, never less. Beauties require at least 

 one-third more, if high grade blooms are desired. 

 Some growers prefer diagonal planting at right angles, 

 claiming that it is much easier to give the plants the 

 full benefit of the syringe. 



Previous to planting, the young stock should be 

 carefully examined to see that none are dry. Any 

 plants put into the bench in this condition take a much 

 longer time to start than do the others. Also the balls 

 should be disturbed as little as possible, simply rub- 

 bing off the sharp edges around the surface, and not even 

 removing the drainage. Each plant should be placed 

 just deep enough to cover the ball, and the soil pressed 

 firmly around it. leaving a depression around the neck 

 of the plant. This should he slowly filled with water 

 as soon as possible after planting, and on ever}- bright 

 day for about two weeks it should be repeated twice a 

 day, as, at this stage, young stock revels in copious sup- 

 ])]ies of water. 



During bright weather syringing may be practiced 

 quite frequently and will serve not only to keep red- 

 spider in check, but to cool off the house. 



